RESPECTING OUR
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Natural Resources
early half of Nantucket is protected conservation land. Several areas and
habitats are rare not only to this region, but to the world. Although protected
lands are owned by several groups with diverse missions, the goal of preserving
the island’s unique natural resources is equally shared. Enhance your visit by following
these guidelines to ensure the safety, comfort and enjoyment of one and all.
Protect our fragile dunes,
grasslands, and heathlands.
Nantucket’s soils are extremely fragile and
easily eroded. Plant material – whether living or dead – helps to stabilize the soil and
prevent erosion. Many of our plants are rare
or endangered and protected by law.
Keep vehicles and bikes on
well-established roads and paths.
Driving over fragile plants just once will
leave scars that take years to heal, and
cause severe erosion problems, particularly
in sandy soils near the shoreline.
Leave wildflowers for all to enjoy.
Picking wildflowers prevents them from setting and dispersing seed, thus jeopardizing
the next generation of plants.
Be respectful of private property.
Most of Nantucket’s protected open spaces
are accessible to the public, with some
limitations. Many are bordered by private
property. Please join in our efforts to be
respectful of private ways.
Be aware of one-way streets.
Laid out in the eighteenth century, numerous town streets are narrow, with high curbstones, and many are one-way. Watch for
one-way signs and obey them when driving
a vehicle or on a bicycle.
Dress appropriately in town.
Bare feet and beach attire are suitable for
the beach, but not on the streets of town, or
in shops and restaurants. Please be considerate and dress appropriately.
Refrain from excessive noise.
Many people visit or live on Nantucket to
escape the noise of the mainland. Noise
pollution, whether human or vehicular,
infringes on the rights of others. The island’s
noise ordinance begins at 10 p.m. and remains in effect until 7:30 a.m. Please refrain
from excessive noise during those hours.
Observe the rules
when visiting with pets.
On public property, dogs should be leashed
at all times, which prevents them from
disturbing wildlife, especially our rare and
endangered ground-nesting birds. Please
dispose of your dog’s waste properly.
Visitors are advised to travel with their
pet’s current rabies vaccination certificates,
tags and licenses.
Properly dispose of garbage.
Please use the trash receptacles located
throughout town and at the beaches.
You may also dispose of garbage and
recyclables at our landfill.
Hours:
Summer (May 1 - Sept. 30): Mon. - Fri.,
7 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Winter (Oct. 1 - April 30): Mon. - Fri.,
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Closed on Federal and State holidays.
Volunteer with the
Nantucket Clean Team!
If you would like to do more to help,
the Nantucket Clean Team volunteers
meet each Saturday from May through
November – rain or shine – for under
an hour to pick up trash around the
island. Log on to www.ackcleanteam.org
for more information.
www.nantucketchamber.org • 17