Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge Under Consideration For National Natural Landmark Designation

Nantucket’s Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge is under consideration to be designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.

The refuge, which is owned jointly by The Trustees of Reservations, the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, encompasses more than 1,000 acres of barrier beach that is already held in conservation.

The federal National Natural Landmark (NNL) program is managed by the National Park Service, part of the Department of the Interior, and it recognizes sites that contain “significant examples of the nation’s biological and/or geological features.” Areas selected for NNL designation must be one of the “best examples of a type of biological community or geological feature in its biophysiographic province.” The program was established in 1962.

“It is an honor to have Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge considered for a National Natural Landmark designation, a program that recognizes outstanding biological and geological landscapes,” said Darci Schofield, the Trustees of Reservations director for properties on the islands. “The Trustees’ efforts, with our partners on Nantucket, to preserve and protect this fragile barrier beach and its ecosystem showcase the work that is essential to building resilience in the face of climate impact. We encourage the community of Nantucket and beyond to express their support for this designation so we can accelerate our efforts to protect this exceptional place and its wildlife for the enjoyment of all across the United States."

Later this year, a public hearing on the proposed designation NNL designation for the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge will be held by the National Park System Advisory Board when it will accept comments from the public.

Karen Beattie, vice president of science and stewardship at the Nantucket Conservation Commission, said federal authorities first reached out about the possibility of designating the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge as a NNL area more than 15 years ago, and “it has slowly been making its way through their system.” If the National Park Service ultimately proceeds with the designation, there would be no change in the use of the land by the three major property owners, but it could be beneficial for grant funding as efforts to protect the refuge from sea level rise get underway.

“Basically, if the NNL designation is bestowed, it is a recognition of the biological and/or geological significance of the site,” Beattie said. “It does not change land ownership, land use, or add any additional regulations – so nothing about the day-to-day operations of the refuge will change if this designation goes forward…The thing that is very significant about this site is the unique geologic processes that formed the ‘cuspate spits’ - First - Wyers Points - on our inner harbor, and also the old dune fields around Coskata Pond. There is no other site similar to this anywhere else. There will be no changes in land use at all if this goes through - all land use is still up to the property owners. What could be beneficial for NCF and The Trustees is, if we apply for future grant funding for any projects on the property, having this designation is a recognition of the uniqueness and importance of the site that could be beneficial.”

The National Park System Advisory Board will hold public meetings on Monday, December 9, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (eastern) and Tuesday, December 10, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (eastern). Individuals that wish to participate must contact Alma Ripps, Designated Federal Officer, National Park Service, at (202) 354-3951, or alma_ripps@nps.gov, no later than Monday, December 2, 2024, to receive instructions for accessing the meeting. The meeting will be held online through the Teams platform and is open to the public.