Land Added to Ferry Beach State Park (ME)

SACO, Maine, 10/30/03– The Maine Department of Conservation and the Trust for Public Land announced today the acquisition of nearly 6 acres of wooded lands on Seaside Avenue adjacent to Ferry Beach State Park. Conserving this small but critical parcel will help maintain the character of the popular state park by further protecting the area directly across the street from the beach. The park, 117 acres of white sand beach and nature trails, hosted nearly 52,000 visitors in 2002, 47% of whom were non-residents, and was recently designated a Flagship Beach, one of only 11 in New England, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Ferry Beach State Park is one of our urban oases,” said Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan. “The chance to expand the park, keep this land free from development and provide additional opportunities for park users was one we could not pass up. Southern Maine state parks like Ferry Beach, Bradbury Mountain and Sebago Lake are within easy driving distance for nearly one-third of Maine’s population, and our neighbors in New Hampshire. Adding this parcel to Ferry Beach is the type of opportunity that comes along only once in a great while. We’d like to thank our partners at the Trust for Public Land, who helped negotiate the agreement with the landowner.”

“As southern coastal Maine is increasingly fragmented by sprawl, its important to buffer popular recreational areas and wildlife habitat from inappropriate development,” said Whitney Hatch, regional director of the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit conservation organization that assisted with the negotiation and purchase. “The Trust for Public Land is pleased to have assisted the Maine Department of Conservation in conserving this addition to the State Park.”

The land was purchased from Delores Drivas of South Portland for $272,000. Funding for the purchase was provided by the Land for Maine’s Future Program, the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Created in 1973, the Department of Conservation is the steward of Maine’s public lands and forests. The department’s Bureau of Parks and Lands manages 32 state parks, nearly one-half million acres of public reserve lands in 28 parcels and 12 state historic sites. For more information, visit the department’s website at www.maine.gov/doc.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit organization conserving land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since its founding in 1972, TPL has helped protect more than 1.6 million acres of land in 45 states, including more than 50,000 acres in Maine. TPL depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve our land for people mission. For more information, contact TPL’s Portland office at (207) 772-7424.