The Milestone Center 2026

The Milestone Center A home for the next generation of conservation on Nantucket

Introducing NCF's New Home For over 60 years, NCF has cared for the land that makes Nantucket special. Thousands of acres across the island are entrusted to us, protected by scientists, land managers, and educators who live and work here year-round.

The Milestone Center brings our teams together in one location for the first time, connecting research, land management, and education under one roof. The result is conservation that is more connected and more impactful for Nantucket.

Ecological research lab and greenhouse Environmental education spaces Housing for six year-round employees The map below shows where The Milestone Center will be located at 220 Milestone Road.

Inset shows the two building sites: NCF Laboratory & Workspace and Staff Housing

A Site Chosen With Care Stewardship means making thoughtful decisions about every acre. The same care went into choosing the Milestone Center site. Already disturbed by centuries of agricultural use, it has existing buildings and almost no native vegetation. Nearby trails and open spaces remain exactly as they are, free and open to the community.

Tucked into an existing hillside, out of view from Milestone Road One and a half stories tall, designed to sit within the existing treeline Built to Dark Skies standards to limit light impact on the night sky Site restoration planned using native plant species throughout

Current conditions at the site of the The Milestone Center

Protecting One-Third of Nantucket NCF scientists spend their days in the field, collecting water and soil samples, tracking wildlife, and monitoring the health of Nantucket's ecosystems. Right now, that work comes back to shared offices and folding tables. The Milestone Center gives our scientists what they need to do their best work for our island.

Research lab for on-site analysis, including water and soil testing Greenhouse for growing native plants, for our land and yours Permanent archive of Nantucket's plant life, built over decades, that guides restoration work Shared home base for our scientists and land managers, working side by side

Conservation You Can Be Part Of NCF offers free programming year-round, including guided walks, ecological workshops, and school excursions. Today, our programming happens outdoors across our properties, with no dedicated indoor space.

The Milestone Center gives us a home for learning, in every season and any weather.

Indoor classroom for environmental education workshops with local schools Hands-on learning alongside working scientists and land managers Native plant gardens and a small constructed wetland as living demonstrations Programming for students, families, and islanders of all ages

Stable Housing, Sustainable Work More than half of our year-round staff face housing instability in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. Our 25 year-round scientists, land managers, and educators who protect over 9,000 acres of Nantucket's land need a stable place to call home on the island they care for. The Milestone Center will ensure that six more of them have exactly that.

Three modest, Nantucket-style, twofamily homes Stable housing for six existing year-round, full-time employees A meaningful step toward meeting a need that affects the majority of our team

For The Nantucket You Love From Sanford Farm to the Middle Moors to Squam, Coatue, and beyond, NCF has spent 60 years making sure those places endure—the places that brought you here, and keep you coming back. The Milestone Center gives our team what they need to keep caring for Nantucket’s open spaces.

Nearly one-third of Nantucket's land, protected and cared for year-round Scientists, land managers, and educators with the facilities their work has always deserved Stable housing for the people who care for this island every day All of it, in service of the Nantucket you love

9,000 acres of open space 17 miles of coastline 100 miles of trails Protected since 1963

ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH I EDUCATION & OUTREACH I LAND STEWARDSHIP

Post Office Box 13 118 Cliff Road Nantucket, MA 02554-0013 www.nantucketconservation.org