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BRIDGTON — Seven area organizations were awarded grants from the Loon Echo land Trust that are designed to help children learn about their environment and the importance of protecting the region’s land and natural resources. Environmental Education Grants ranging from $50 to $300 were awarded to Casco Public Library, Raymond Village library, Naples Public Library, Spaulding Memorial Library, Harrison Elementary School, Sebago Elementary School and the First Congregational Church of Bridgton, according to a news release from the land trust.
Schools and libraries in Loon Echo’s seven-town service area (Denmark, Bridgton, Harrison, Naples, Casco, Raymond and Sebago) are eligible for the annual grants, which have been made available since 1998. The money goes to programs that teach about the natural world, and were “developed as a memorial to local teachers Helen Allen and Polly Bartlett,” the release said.
Past recipients have used their grants for a host of outdoor activities such as bringing in expert speakers, creating naturalist backpacks and permanent educational displays.
Loon Echo Land Trust protects nearly 6,700 acres of land and manages 31 miles of multi-use trails with an area of 320 square miles north of Sebago Lake. It works with area residents to conserve the region’s natural resources and character for current and future generations and works within its service area to safeguard water quality, preserve scenic gems such as Bald Pate Mountain, provide outreach and educational programs and assist landowners to take steps to ensure future generations will benefit from land preservation.
For more information on the program’s history and application process, or other information about the land trust, visit www.lelt.org or call 207-647-4352.
CAPTION:
STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY AT LOON ECHO LAND TRUST’S MAYBERRY HILL PRESERVE IN CASCO. THE TRUST RECENTLY AWARDED SEVEN GRANTS TO AREA SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THE REGION’S LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
