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Duarte's Pond--in West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard--is a beloved location for hiking, birdwatching, fishing, and skating. Both the northern and southern portions are growing shallower and filling with lilies and other plant growth. Islanders and visitors are concerned that the pond will soon vanish. We want to explore options for preserving the pond for human beings and nature alike.
Contact us with suggestions, questions, testimonials, or photos of the pond. Follow us on Instagram (@duartespond). And please join the list to receive occasional email messages using the form below.
More about the pond
More about the pond
The Martha's Vineyard Land Trust owns the ponds and provides additional information.
See Bill Eville, "Kids Trout Tournament Returns," The Vineyard Gazette, April 7, 2022
Photos of the pond through the seasons.
Management Plan
In 2006, a Management Plan for the pond was approved by the West Tisbury Advisory Board, the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank Commission, and the Massachusetts Office of Environmental Affairs. The Plan recognizes the value of the pond for both birdlife and human beings, including the “many hundreds of children [who] wake hours before the first light of day to stake out their spot along the shoreline of Duarte’s Pond the morning of the derby.” It says, "Controlling eutrophication [the process of filling in] to maintain the ponds as healthy bodies of water with a diversified flora and fauna is necessary to the survival of various wildlife and plant species rare and common. ... Management actions such as dredging, erosion control and aquatic vegetation harvesting could control the process of eutrophication and assist in maintaining the ponds as functional open bodies of water."
The pond system in 1942
The pond system in 1942
A current map
A current map
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