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BRIDGTON — As of December 8, outdoor enthusiasts eager to enjoy Loon Echo Land Trust’s Raymond Community Forest have an official parking area at the preserve located in North Raymond.
With a deadline prescribed by Mother Nature, Loon Echo staff, volunteers, and local contractor Khiel Excavation completed the parking lot on December 7. The lot will accommodate 20 cars and is located on Conesca Road at the site of a former logging landing. Conesca Road bisects the 356-acre preserve and will provide access to the newly built trails.
Loon Echo constructed three trails this fall: one mile of multi-use trail at the base of Pismire Mountain, another trail that reaches the Pismire cliff in 0.7 miles and a third trail that circles the summit of the property. The public can enjoy using this parking lot year round as it will be plowed throughout the winter season.
The Raymond Community Forest is Loon Echo’s most recent preserve. The Bridgton-based land trust purchased the property from Hancock Land Company this past June. Over 200 local individuals and families donated to the project. Hancock Land Company gifted approximately $109,000 in land value. The residents of Raymond voted on $56,800 toward the project. Grants were awarded by the Land for Maine’s Future Program, Portland Water District, Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, Davis Conservation Foundation, Camp Agawam, The Open Space Institute and an anonymous foundation.
Loon Echo Land Trust protects nearly 6,700 acres of land and manages 31 miles of multi-use trails in the northern Sebago Lake region. Its mission is to work with the local residents to conserve the region’s natural resources and character for current and future generations. Loon Echo serves seven towns including Bridgton, Casco, Denmark, Harrison, Naples, Raymond and Sebago with an area of 320-square miles located directly north of Sebago Lake.
Loon Echo works within its service area to safeguard water quality, preserve scenic gems such as Bald Pate Mountain, and provide outreach and fun educational programs to the public. Loon Echo assists landowners to take steps to ensure future generations will benefit from the preservation of their lands.
For more information about upcoming event, go to website www.lelt.org or call 207-647-4352.
