It has been two decades since the Nantucket Land Council (NLC) was conceived and organized by Nantucket citizens to address and counteract growing environmental degradation on the Island. Throughout the years, by pooling the donated financial resources of visitors and seasonal and year-round residents alike, and by channeling those contributions primarily to programs which educate the community and conserve critical natural resources, we have successfully achieved our goals.
The NLC is a private, member-supported, nonprofit conservation organization. It was founded by people who cherished Nantucket's undisturbed rural character and who were deeply concerned about the potential adverse impacts of unchecked development on the natural environment. They were also aware that some "owners unknown" lands were being unscrupulously claimed by private individuals, and they established this organization to wage legal battles to protect Nantucket's undeveloped land, if necessary.
Our mission statement continues to be as relevant today as it was when written more than twenty years ago. While specific issues and projects naturally vary, our presence, now strongly supported by the commitment of more than 1500 united members, delivers a dependable environmental voice on Nantucket. Whether initiating scientific research and negotiating conservation restrictions, or responding to development proposals by speaking vigorously before local commissions and boards, the NLC makes a significant difference.
Our members appreciate the connections between Nantucket's natural beauty and its economics well being, between sparse development and clean drinking water, between extensive open space and human inspiration, between sustainable growth and our children's lives. The health of Nantucket's natural environment is our future.
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