Milestone Center
A CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT HOUSING AND A RESEARCH & EDUCATION CENTER
July 2025
Our Mission
In 2023, concurrent with our 60th anniversary, The Nantucket Conservation Foundation Board of Trustees approved an updated mission statement and strategic plan, charting an ambitious and impactful course for the Foundation’s future.
Updated Mission Statement
approved July 2023
NCF owns, protects, and stewards over 9,000 acres of land and coastal shoreline, conserves Nantucket’s rare and significant natural resources, and engages in impactful research to inform resource management and further our knowledge of Nantucket’s unique ecosystems and species.
We share our environmental expertise with the wider community and provide educational and recreational opportunities to encourage respectful enjoyment and appreciation of our properties.
Pillars of the Strategic Plan
Approved July 2023
Opportunistic acquisition of strategically important properties
Facilitate leading ecological and environmental research programs and restoration projects
Develop partnerships with renowned individual and institutional researchers
Expand the sustainable use of our properties, providing educational and recreational opportunities to both seasonal and year-round residents
The strategic plan provides the roadmap for NCF’s growth, ensuring that stewarding the land remains at the forefront of our mission, as well as engaging in impactful ecological research and providing educational and recreational opportunities for year-round, respectful enjoyment of NCF properties.
A Vision for the Future: Milestone Conservation Campus
Through the strategic planning process, it became increasingly clear that enhanced infrastructure is critical for positioning NCF to achieve its forward-looking strategic priorities related to housing, ecological research, community engagement and education, and land management.
A LEED-certified Research & Education Center will serve as a catalyst for delivering on our mission and strategic priorities.
A comprehensive analysis of all NCF properties identified Milestone as the most strategic location for the Conservation Campus. Its landscape, shaped by centuries of agricultural use, has been altered over time, minimizing the environmental impact of the new infrastructure. The site also serves as a gateway to thousands of acres of open space in the Middle Moors, inviting visitors to explore one of our signature properties.
Aerial rendering of NCF Center
Ecological Research & Stewardship
Our research impacts Nantucket and beyond. Key projects demonstrating our leadership in ecological research include the Windswept Bog Restoration, Oyster Reef and Saltmarsh Restoration at Medouie Creek, Native Seed Propagation projects, and Wetland Restoration.
By elevating our science infrastructure, we can attract leading investigators and graduate students to conduct and collaborate with our staff ecologists on environmental research. This investment will enable us to facilitate more comprehensive studies, forge stronger partnerships with top academic and community institutions, and draw top-tier talent. Our approach will not only solidify our position as a leader in ecological research but also strengthen collaborative efforts to address environmental and climate change-related challenges.
1,000 square foot ecological research laboratory
Herbarium for botanical research and collection
Enhanced greenhouse infrastructure for native plant propagation
Innovative workspace for visiting researchers and graduate students
The Research & Education Center will provide for the following ecological research spaces: Rendering of research laboratory
Community Engagement & Education
Expanding our community engagement space will enable staff and visiting researchers to host lectures, lead workshops, collaborate on programming with conservation partners, and offer diverse educational opportunities for our supporters and Nantucket residents. This enhancement will advance our mission and reinforce our reputation as a leader in the conservation field.
The Research & Education Center will allow for the following community engagement and education spaces:
• 1,600 square feet of community engagement and collaboration space
• Exterior gathering space for environmental learning
• Constructed wetlands for innovative wastewater treatment
• Nature-based stormwater management areas
• Native plant demonstration garden and landscaping
• Gateway to more than 4,000 acres of open space in the Middle Moors
Rendering of exterior and interior community engagement and education spaces
Stable & Secure Housing for NCF Personnel
Investing in increased housing capacity will ensure stable, affordable housing for our year-round and seasonal employees and visiting researchers.
Increasing our housing capacity will guarantee reliable, affordable living options for both our full-time staff and visiting researchers, thereby supporting staff retention and upholding our responsibility as an employer on Nantucket. Our future housing sites will create a variety of dwelling types to support the needs of our employees and are strategically chosen to respect ecological sensitivity and integrate within existing residential neighborhoods, ensuring that future development adheres to both the regulations and character of the community. This expansion will also enable us to host researchers and graduate students from our academic partners and allow us to foster the next generation of ecologists.
NCF conducted a 10-year housing plan to assess existing and projected needs. We evaluated all NCF properties, including those with existing housing and infrastructure, to integrate them effectively into our housing plan. This initiative builds on our ongoing efforts, which have been developed incrementally over the years to match the pace of our programmatic growth.
To ensure long-term viability for the organization, the Foundation must invest in stable and secure housing for current and future employees.
Construction of new employee housing next to the existing Tupancy workshop
Post Office Box 13
Nantucket, MA 02554-0013
www.nantucketconservation.org