2023 NBI Research Conference Weekend Field Trips
November 4th and 5th 2023
Saturday November 4th: Coskata-Coatue Refuge Bird Biodiversity; Great Point, 7:45 - 10:30am
Morgan Sayle of the Trustees of the Reservations (TTOR) will lead a trip through the Coskata-Coatue Refuge joined by ornithological and coastal habitat specialists across this remote and unique landscape home to deer, seals, resident and migratory birds. Binoculars will be available during the trip for those without. Bring your own if you have them.
Location: Meet and park at 111 Wauwinet Rd. Gatehouse no later than 7:45AM for a prompt 8:00 AM departure. Seats are available or participants may follow but only in a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The event is free to conference attendees but registration is required. For those willing to drive their own 4x4 vehicle, carpooling is encouraged.
Saturday November 4th: Life Along Extreme Ecological Gradients; South Shore, 12:30 - 2:30pm
Join Dr. Simone Whitecloud and local botanist Kelly Omand from the Nantucket Conservation Foundation for a walking workshop exploring the plant life found along ecological gradients and what exists in areas of ecological extremes. Dr. Whitecloud will draw on her work in the extreme environment of alpine New England and lessons learned about plant interactions along gradients. Engage in discussions of how people share knowledge and view plants and their uses over time.
Meeting place: Land Bank property at the end of Western Ave off Surfside. Parking is available at Surfside beach lot.
Transit is available from town, meet at 11:50am at the Handlebar Cafe at 15 Washington Street across from the WAVE bus station to leave promptly at 12:00pm.
Sunday November 5th: Nantucket’s Sandplain Grasslands; Head of the Plains, Madaket 8:30 - 10:30am
Explore Head of the Plains in Madaket along Nantucket’s South Shore with Dr. Sarah Bois, Research Director for the Linda Loring Nature Foundation and Peter Brace, owner and guide, of Nantucket Walkabout, to learn how the Laurentide ice sheet, part of the last glacier to blanket the planet’s Northern Hemisphere, laid the foundation for the globally rare habitat of sandplain grassland. Dr. Bois will provide a narrative on how the sandplain grasslands came to be, discuss and answer questions on its plant communities and Peter Brace will share his geological knowledge of how Head of the Plains was formed and the island itself.
Be prepared to walk around two miles over level ground. Bring water and whatever food you want. Apply sunblock if you need it and dress for the weather.
Two vans will provide transportation from and back to the Handlebar Cafe at 15 Washington Street across from the WAVE bus station.
While we’d prefer that you ride with us in the vans, if you must drive yourself, the rally point is the intersection of Red Barn and Barrett Farm roads just off of Sheep Pond Road.
