Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Announces Fifth Annual Green Crab Week 2024

July 31, 2024

NANTUCKET, MA - Join the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), Nantucket Land and Water Council (NLC), and Sustainable Nantucket (SN) for the Fifth Annual Nantucket Green Crab Week! The MMA, NLC, and SN will be offering fun daily events August 5 to August 10 to learn about, and take action against, invasive European green crabs on Nantucket.


European green crabs were first introduced to North America in the 1800s, likely traveling the ballast water of merchant ships from Europe. This invasive species is now abundant on Nantucket, threatening crucial aquatic resources, including eelgrass beds, shellfish populations, and native crab communities here on the island. Together, as a community, it is possible to help prevent green crabs from destroying the natural resources that make Nantucket’s waters so special! So please come join us during Nantucket Green Crab Week to learn more.


The Maria Mitchell Association is a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, in addition to preserving the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. For more information on the Maria Mitchell Association’s environmental work and initiatives, please visit www.mariamitchell.org.


The Nantucket Land and Water Council is a 501(c)3 environmental advocacy organization – protecting and preserving open space, harbor, pond, and groundwater, and advocating for the environment at Select Board, Planning Board, and Conservation Commission meetings. The Nantucket Land and Water Council also hosts the State of the Harbor Forum each year and Oysterfest each November to educate residents on the state of our water resources, and what we can all do to help maintain this critical resource. For more information on the Nantucket Land and Water Council, please visit www.nantucketlandcouncil.org.


Founded in 2000, Sustainable Nantucket’s mission is to preserve the community character of Nantucket while sustaining its economic and environmental vitality. Sustainable Nantucket (SN) is a grassroots, local, non-profit organization that is building a more locally-based and self-reliant food system on-island through education, advocacy, training, and partnerships which include farmers, fishermen, local food producers, schools, restaurants, and other community stakeholders. For more information on Sustainable Nantucket, please visit www.sustainable-nantucket.org.


MMA Green Crab Identification Workshop and Derby Information Session

Registration Link: https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/Nantucket-Green-CrabIdentification-Workshop-and-Info-Session

Monday, August 5, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Price: FREE

Location: MMA Aquarium, 32 Washington Street

Join Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium staff to learn how to identify the European green crab (Carcinus maenus), an invasive species that threatens Nantucket's native species and habitats! We will compare these species to local crab species and determine their biological sex. This is a great chance to learn about our annual Nantucket Green Crab Derby and all its events!


MMA Nantucket Green Crab Survey: Bait & Line

Registration Link: https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/Nantucket-Green-Crab-Survey-Baitand-Line-Method-06Aug2024

Tuesday, August 6, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Price: FREE

Location: Hither Creek Beach Access (Beach Access #52)

Join Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium staff on a survey for invasive European green crabs! This survey will be a part of the MMA Nantucket Green Crab Community Science Survey that you can do yourself at any time. In this session, we will be using the bait and line method.


Green Crab Fertilizer Workshop with the Sustainable Nantucket and Nantucket Land and Water Council

Registration Link: https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/Annual-Green-Crab-FertilizerWorkshop-with-the-Nantucket-Land-Council

Wednesday, August 7, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Price: FREE

Location: Mt. Vernon Farm, 168 Hummock Pond Road

In collaboration with the Nantucket Land and Water Council and Sustainable Nantucket, please join us for this free workshop on how to help control the population of the invasive green crab. Green crabs can be turned into an environmentally friendly fertilizer for your garden. Participants should bring completely waterproof boots they are comfortable crushing dead crabs with, as well as a sealable bottle or jar to take home their fertilizer. We will provide crabs, coolers, vinegar, and take-home fertilizer instructions.


MMA Nantucket Green Crab Survey: Wading & Hand Net

Registration Link: https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/Nantucket-Green-Crab-SurveyWading--Hand-Net-09Aug2024

Friday, August 9, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Price: FREE

Location: Hither Creek Beach Access (Beach Access #52)

Join Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium staff on a survey for invasive European green crabs! This survey will be a part of the MMA Nantucket Green Crab Community Science Survey that you can do yourself at any time! In this session, we will be using the wading with hand net method. 2024 Nantucket Green Crab Derby Registration Link: https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/Annual-Green-Crab-Derby10Aug2024 Saturday, August 10, 10 AM – 3 PM Price: $10 per team, each comprised of up to four participants Location: MMA Aquarium, 32 Washington Street Help the Maria Mitchell Association and the Nantucket Land and Water Council fight the green crab invasion by participating in the 5th Annual Nantucket Green Crab Derby! Participate in a team of up to four people to help us maintain healthy marine habitats and for a chance to win prizes.
  

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For Immediate Release

July 31, 2024

Contact: Allison Lowe

marketinginterns@mariamitchell.org

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The Ancient Vine

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 27, 2025
This is what our landscaper for MMA calls it. “The ancient vine.” He tells the people who work for him not to touch the “ancient vine.” I have probably made him – and all of them – terrified of it. I am even terrified of it to some degree. I refer to the grape vine behind the Mitchell House this is supposed to be Peleg Mitchell Junior’s grape vine – Maria Mitchell’s uncle who inhabited the house from about 1836 to his death in 1882. It has two trunks but one died several years ago. Because of that, each year I try to root shoots. It’s fairly easy to do – when you cut back the vine in late fall/early winter. I have had success but not success protecting the shoots I baby all winter from bunnies and other critters try as I might. I started doing this when the one trunk died – I was PANICKED! The landscaper stays away because I have told him if anyone is going to accidentally harm or worse yet, kill, this grape vine it would be me so I only have myself to blame. So each November/December – once ALL the leaves have fallen off – I climb my ladder and quietly, carefully, and fearfully cut back the stems typically to two buds. I have been somewhat successful in spurring grape production – and these grapes attract some amazing birds in the fall. It takes me some time – and I pretty much hyperventilate the entire time – and then, I stare at it all winter. Passing under it multiple times a day to reach my office. Hoping, and yes, praying, it will come out in the spring. It’s a late budder so just recently the buds started to show themselves – thank goodness! – and I was rewarded today (May 5, 2025) with this wonderful hot pink color on the edges of the leaves as they are uncurling. JNLF

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By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 19, 2025
May 27. {1857} There is this great difference between Niagara and other wonders of the world, that is you get no idea from descriptions or even from paintings. Of the Mammoth Cave you have a conception from what you are told, of the Natural Bridge you get really a truthful impression from a picture. But Cave and Bridge are in still life, Niagara is all activity and change. No picture gives you the varying form of the water of the change of color; no description conveys to your mind the ceaseless roar. So too the ocean must be unrepresentable to those who have not looked upon it. Maria Mitchell would tour the Mammoth Cave and the Natural Bridge during her trip to the southern United States as Prudence Swift’s chaperone – I have written of these travels and Prudence before. Niagara Falls is a place she likely saw on her way to visit her younger sister Phebe Mitchell Kendall, who once lived with her husband in Pennsylvania. I was a bit surprised that she feels the way she does about the Cave and Bridge being well-represented by images but I do kind of se her point. But Niagara, the ocean, any moving body of water – she is right. You don’t fully comprehend it until you hear it, touch and taste it, see its colors, and feel it splash, sprinkle, or mist across your face. Niagara certainly mists across your face – sort of like a breezy day at the beach and the salt mist that slowly builds across your face and coats the beach grass so that it shimmers in the sunlight. JNLF

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By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 12, 2025
I have been watching it. Waiting. Today, I was rewarded with the scent as they have now started to open. From late fall, all through the winter and early spring, there is a very large patch of dirt with traces of roots and purple-like portions of some sort of plant. Then, they slowly start to send their shoots forth – up from that dusty pile of dirt come little greenish pips that become the leaves. Then, you start to see the stems tightened against the leaves and then lovely chartreuse buds are visible that then turn to white and slowly open from top to bottom. As soon as they star to open, I wait. Knowing that one morning I will walk by soon and then I will get a delicious waft of Lily of the Valley. I have written about this patch at the Mitchell House before. I have always been fascinated by the fact that these grow in full sun – they have no shade whatsoever. And this patch is old. I’m not sure how old – I do not think late nineteenth century but possibly – or maybe very early twentieth century. We have one or two images in the collection from the early 1900s but one does not show the ground, and the other not so much either. I also think this is one of the earliest flowering patches of Lily of the Valley on island – let me know if you’ve seen others this early. And in FULL sun to boot! But in any case, today was the day – May 5, 2025 – that I got the first waft. Saturday when I was here, they were not ready yet. But now, they are! And when I smell it, I know why it was my mother-in-law’s favorite flower. JNLF
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