NAT'S FARM MEADOW

By: Richard Johnson

Along Old County Road in West Tisbury lies a 56-acre expanse of meadow, oak woods and pasture. Nat's Farm Meadow is owned and managed by Sheriff's Meadow Foundation as a sanctuary. It is an excellent example of how two conservation groups can work together to achieve an important goal. It also shows how much time and effort it takes to complete a major conservation gift.

Leona Baumgartner Langmuir and her husband Alexander owned more than 100 acre of woods and farmland on Old County Road. Under local zoning this could have become more than 100 house lots. Instead, the Langmuirs decided that they wanted to conserve key features of the landscape, while at the same time realizing income and providing for their family. In 1972, almost a quarter-century ago, they approached the Vineyard Open Land Foundation for help and advice.

Over the next decade VOLF worked with the Langmuirs to create a limited development plan. Under this plan there would be only 27 house lots and 56 acres of beautiful open space. VOLF drew up the plan, wrote protective covenants governing the entire subdivision, prepared a conservation restriction, obtained all the necessary permits and approvals from the town of West Tisbury, the Martha's Vineyard Commission and the state of Massachusetts.

Since VOLF does not manage land, in 1989 and 1990 the Langmuirs donated their 56 acres of open space to SMF to manage in perpetuity. Nat's Farm is actually one of many instances where the Wakeman Center groups have cooperated to conserve the Vineyard landscape. In fact, over 400 acres of conservation land have been donated to Sheriff's Meadow by landowners who first worked closely with VOLF or the Vineyard Conservation Society to achieve their conservation objectives, then entrusted the perpetual care of the land to SMF.

At the time of the Langmuir's gift, the southern half was leased as pasture land to a riding stable, and the northern half was leased by a farmer who grew hay, alfalfa and corn for this cattle. A strip along Old County Road was still in oak woods and native grassland. This grassland supported an interesting array of native plants, including several species of orchids.

Now that the leases have expired, SMF has begun restoring the farm fields to native grassland. Since our goal is also to learn about the restoration process itself, we divided the fields to native grassland. Since our goal is also to learn about the restoration process itself, we divided the fields into four study plots. Each plot will be treated differently from being left virtually untouched, to seeding with native plants and/or prescribed burning. Results will be closely watched. Since the monitoring techniques will be the same as those used at other grassland sanctuaries, we will be able to compare the evolving plant community with native grasslands across the Island. We also plan to monitor nesting, migrating and wintering birds and to inventory the butterflies that draw nectar from the many wildflowers already blooming in the fields.

Walking and equestrian trails around the perimeter of the restoration area are open to the public. A public parking area is on the east side of Old County Road, ¼ mile north of Scotchman's Bridge Lane and ½ mile south of the West Tisbury School.