NLWC News
Summer Development Internship at Nantucket Land & Water Council
February 6, 2025
Location: Nantucket Island
Hours: 25-35 hours per week
Compensation: $22 per hour
Are you passionate about environmental conservation? Join the Nantucket Land & Water Council (NLWC) this summer and be a part of protecting and preserving the natural beauty of Nantucket Island!
As a summer development intern at NLWC, you’ll have the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in nonprofit development and event coordination while supporting critical initiatives for the island’s land and water preservation efforts.
Internship Highlights
- Flexible Timeframe: Start and end dates are flexible within late May to early September.
- Hands-On Learning: Assist in a wide range of development tasks, including:
- Prospect Research: Help identify and engage potential supporters and partners.
- Mailings & Data Entry: Contribute to the administrative efforts that keep our programs running smoothly.
- Event Support: Play a role in the planning and execution of fundraising, cultivation, and educational events.
- Fundraising Assistance: Support the team in raising essential funds to further the Council’s mission.
Why NLWC
- Gain invaluable experience in environmental nonprofit work.
- Work on projects that directly impact the preservation of Nantucket’s natural resources.
- Be part of a supportive, passionate team dedicated to making a difference.
Requirements
- Strong interest in nonprofit work, environmental conservation, and community engagement.
- Detail-oriented, organized, and willing to take initiative.
- Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel and/or Google Docs and Sheets
Desired (but not required) Skills
- Experience in graphic design, Canva or Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign)
- Familiar with database entry, ideally Raiser’s Edge
Please Note
- This position does not provide housing, but NLWC will use its contacts to assist with the housing search on Nantucket Island.
How to Apply
Send your resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience to
search@nantucketlandwater.org. The deadline for applying is March 31, 2024. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early!
Join us this summer in our mission to protect Nantucket’s precious land and water resources. We look forward to hearing from you!
To the Editor, This letter is about the water situation on the island. As the Nantucket Waterkeeper, I measure the water levels in our aquifer every month (a half-century tradition of the Nantucket Land & Water Council) at ten wells across the island from ’Sconset to Madaket. These wells are simply metal or pvc pipes installed just far enough below the surface to reach and measure the ups and downs of our aquifer. This data is used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Mass Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It's also available to the public on USGS’s website- The exact well used to determine if we’re in a drought or not is well #228 . You’ll notice that it continues to trend downward. With the exception of two very shallow wells in Madaket which have shown some recovery from recent rain, the other seven wells across the island continue to trend downward.
On Monday, June 29th, 2026 , the Nantucket Land & Water Council (NLWC) in collaboration with Nantucket Harbormaster Sheila Lucey , Anderson’s Stillwater Moorings , & Nantucket Mooring s, officially began installing eelgrass-friendly moorings along our testing site in Nantucket Harbor. Installation has moved forward thanks to a generous grant from the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation to support eelgrass-friendly moorings in Nantucket Harbor. Eelgrass is paramount to maintaining the health and fragile ecosystems within our harbor . Eelgrass meadows aid our water quality by filtering out runoff contaminants , removing excess nutrients , providing necessary habitats for wild bay scallops and juvenile fish species , and helping to combat environmental events like coastal erosion and storm surge . Traditional moorings utilize a mushroom anchor and a heavy chain that digs into the harbor floor. As wind, tides, and currents move boats and moorings, the chain drags on the harbor floor creating a circular scour – a place where eelgrass cannot grow. Eelgrass-friendly moorings are a type of mooring that protects eelgrass meadows while allowing us to continue using and enjoying our boats as we always have. The eelgrass-friendly moorings use a pyramid style Dormor anchor and an ecorode elastic rope replacing traditional chain and mushroom anchors. The elastic does not scour, allowing eelgrass to grow sustainably in our harbors.
As a part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Nantucket and Vineyard Wind 1 , public comments were due on the Debris Infrastructure Failure Incident Response Plan Summary on Monday June 15th. The Nantucket Land & Water Council (NLWC) submitted a comment letter outlining the inappropriateness of providing a four page summary instead of the plan itself for the community to see, as well as deficiencies in the language provided and suggestions for improving it . That comment letter can be found here: NLWC VW1 Incident Plan Summary Comment Letter
