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BRIDGTON – Loon Echo Land Trust has launched two new land conservation projects that will add to the connectivity of local preserves, as well as preserve Crooked River and Sebago Lake water quality.
The Peabody-Fitch Woods project, in partnership with the Bridgton Historical Society, will protect the historic Peabody-Fitch Farm (also known as Narramissic) in South Bridgton through the acquisition of 252 acres surrounding the farm.
The Edwards Forest project in Harrison expands by 38 acres Loon Echo’s Crooked River Intervale Preserve.
With an acquisition deadline of Dec. 31, the land trust is seeking to raise money from individuals, public resources and other foundations to acquire both parcels. A grant of $50,000 will match any gift made towards the Peabody-Fitch Woods project. Gifts of any amount to the project will be matched dollar-for-dollar from now until Dec. 31. The trust needs $138,000 to complete the purchase.
The Narramissic farmhouse was donated to the historical society in 1986, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The potential acquisition surrounds and preserves the original farmhouse. The parcel includes an 18th century quarry where the granite used in the farm’s building foundations was sourced. The historical society has developed a guided hike to the quarry and has plans for educational programs at the preserve. According to Ned Allen, executive director of BHS, “Residential development of this land would clearly undermine such activities and threaten the important and special nature of Narramissic.”
The acquisition would protect the farmstead by keeping the original property and its character intact and the land open to the public.
The acquisition is part of a greater Loon Echo Forest Connectivity initiative, which recognizes that habitats and species function best as part of a large interconnected network. The Peabody-Fitch Woods are contiguous with the Perley Mills Community Forest to the west, and in close proximity to five other conserved lands that protect habitat and water quality.
The 38-acre Edwards Forest adds to the forest connectivity. The property abuts Loon Echo’s Intervale Preserve, creating a contiguous 337 acres of conserved land along the Crooked River. The additional acreage protects forestland and animal habitat, adds significant protection to water resources, provides climate resilience and enhances recreational opportunities. Loon Echo needs another $44,000 to complete the purchase.
With the forest acting as a natural filter for water, permanently protecting forested areas around the river is vital to maintaining water quality of Crooked River and Sebago Lake. Protecting forestland along the Crooked River has been a collaborative goal between Portland Water District, Loon Echo Land Trust and the newly formed Sebago Clean Waters initiative. The Crooked River has been identified as a priority for conservation, as it is the largest tributary to Sebago Lake (with 38 percent of the inflow to the lake), a drinking water source for 1 in 6 Mainers.
Besides sustaining water quality, the Crooked River is home to one of Maine’s few indigenous landlocked salmon populations, and the public will be allowed to hike, hunt, fish, snowmobile, walk, mountain bike and horseback ride on the preserve. Preventing future development along the Crooked River will help maintain the unique wilderness-type experience it offers.
For more information, visit www.lelt.org.
PHOTO: View from the proposed Peabody-Fitch Woods in South Bridgton. (Submitted photo)
