ME Land Conservation Achievements for 2001

Portland, ME: Today, the Maine field office of the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit organization, announced its conservation achievements in the year 2001: the protection of more than 300 acres in southern coastal Maine and the release of a new report, Where the Rivers Meet the Sea: Fulfilling the Promise of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Highlights include:

Dwight Property – Mousam River Estuary, Kennebunk
Purchased by the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge with help from TPL, this 160-acre property is a mix of wetlands, open fields, barrens, and woodlands, and lies along the Mousam River Estuary, one of the principal estuaries the Refuge was created to protect. Land around the Mousam River Estuary is a high protection priority because of the unique mix of pitch pine forests and open fields, which supports nesting populations of declining bird species, including bobolinks, black-throated green warblers, and scarlet tanagers. The Maine Congressional delegation, Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Kennebunk Land Trust, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, and the Trust for Public Land supported its protection.

Fuller Farm, Scarborough
The Scarborough Land Conservation Trust and TPL worked to permanently protect the 150-acre Fuller Farm and an adjacent 30 acres, known as the Blue Rock property. Located on Broadturn Road in western Scarborough, the land has long been a conservation priority because of its scenic beauty, value for recreation, and wildlife habitat. The Fuller Farm properties include more than 3,000 feet of frontage on the Nonesuch River, which feeds the 3,100-acre Scarborough Marsh-the largest saltwater marsh in Maine. TPL and the Scarborough Land Trust worked together to raise the more than $700,000 needed to complete the project. The state’s Land for Maine’s Future Program granted $250,000, the Town of Scarborough contributed $215,000, and over $235,000 was raised from approximately 300 private supporters.

New Report: Where the Rivers Meet the Sea
In August, TPL and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released Where the Rivers Meet the Sea: Fulfilling the Promise of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The report is part of a larger effort to raise the visibility of the refuge, which is one of the most significant networks of conservation land in southern coastal Maine. The report recommends increased funding to protect critical inland andcoastal habitat, marsh buffers, and corridors along the rivers feeding into the refuge’s wetlands, as well as increased partnerships with towns, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundations, Cricket Foundation, Payne Fund, and William P. Wharton Trust provided funding for this initiative. For a free copy, visit. www.tpl.org, click on New England, and click on the publications box, or call Jeremy Wintersteen at (207) 772-7424 x3.

200th Project Celebration, Boston MA
On September 5, more than 150 guests gathered in Boston to help TPL celebrate the completion of 200 projects in New England. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and TPL president Will Rogers welcomed guests for an evening of festivities, remembrances, and thanks.Other speakers included TPL regional director Whitney Hatch, Boston Parks Commissioner Justine Liff, TPL Board Members Jamie Hoyte and George Denny, New England advisory board member Kathy Bachman, Jim Robbins of Searsmont, Maine, and David Ogilvy of Greenwich, Connecticut. Speakers highlighted a number of landmark TPL projects throughout the region, including Walden Pond in Massachusetts, Nicatous Lake in Maine, and the Treetops Estate in Connecticut.

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks and open space. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.4 million acres nationwide, including nearly 30,000 acres in Maine. The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine recently named TPL the nation’s most efficient large conservation charity for the second year in a row, based on the percentage of funds dedicated to programs.