Latest news
The forensics of a shark bite
It’s now confirmed that a woman in her late 20s who was pulled from the water off Norton Point last Monday with wounds to her lower leg suffered the first…
Roots and resilence
The fields of biodiversity, conservation, and climate crisis require diverse voices, experiences, and solutions. Yet in an article published in the journal “Nature” listing “100 articles that every ecologist should read,” 97 were written by men, and three were written by women. “I actually think women are tremendously effective and important leaders in conservation, though…
Sengekontacket open to shellfishing again
Sengekontacket Pond is open to shellfishing again as of August 28, on a conditional basis, after state testing showed bacteria levels meet safety standards. The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) closed shellfish growing areas this summer after heavy rain events in July and August. The DMF said shellfish are filter feeders, and concentrate contaminants from…
Little Lady nears restoration
Updated Sept. 1. Beside weathered wooden beams and steel tools, dozens of supporters of Little Lady, the sole remaining wooden fishing dragger in New England, gathered to hear updates as she nears full restoration. Little Lady is set to be moved to the Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway for repairs in about a month from…
ticks, tick-borne conditions & hunting
State denies Chilmark’s attempt to regulate tick sprays
As tick sprays become more commonplace on the Island and their ecological effects remain understudied, health officials in the town of Chilmark drafted regulations to put guardrails on all-natural blends of the product. But the state won’t let them make it official. Chilmark board of health agent Anna McCaffrey sent…
A cloud of uncertainty
Updated August 28. Three operators of an all-natural tick spray company donned khaki insect-shield pants and tucked the bottom hems into their socks. They wore shirts with their company name, ohDEER, like they do five or more days a week, readied their equipment, and pulled into a winding driveway in…
Hospital enrolls first participant in pioneering alpha-gal study
A trailblazing study for both the Island hospital and the country just enrolled its first participant last Friday in an effort to better understand alpha-gal syndrome, the tick-borne condition that causes an allergy to mammalian products like meat and dairy. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital (MVH), a member of Mass General Brigham,…
Editor’s pick: Wind coverage
Chasing shadows offshore
Island’s benefits agreement with Vineyard Wind made public
Winds of history
Chilmark eyes wind agreement
Have an idea?
Contact the environment and energy reporter Hayley Duffy
Sustainability of the Island
How much more can the Island handle?
A 1.5-mile drive on Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road took 40 minutes. It felt impossible to send a text or get a call through. Parking at State Beach was haphazard and unattainable. Want a quick cup of coffee? Forget it. These inconveniences and disruptions didn’t overshadow the patriotic spirit of the annual parades or obscure the bursts…
Increasingly fragile supply chain keeps Island afloat
The supply chain for Martha’s Vineyard is a casual system based on informal coordination and institutional knowledge, almost totally dependent on marine transportation. That casual network is not a shock to those who live here, but the vulnerabilities are anything but casual. In fact, parts of the Island are considered “highly vulnerable,” according to a…
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