BRIDGTON — Loon Echo Land Trust has conserved 25 acres of forested land along the eastern shore of the Tenny River in Raymond.
While remaining privately owned by the Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the land is legally protected by a conservation easement held by the trust. The property is managed by the council as part of Camp Hinds, a wilderness camp in existence for more than 85 years.
The protected land includes 900 feet along the river, as well as several streams and a wetland. The conservation protects the water quality of the Tenny River and the waters it connects to, preserves the forested river corridor for nature observation and education as well as low-impact boating and fishing, and allows for habitat preservation and sustainable forest management. The land and river provide a rich habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife.
The terms of the perpetual conservation easement, which will run with the land regardless of future ownership, will preserve the quality of the water resources, plant and animal habitat, and scenic character of the property, while also encouraging the use of the property for educational and recreational opportunities managed by PTC.
Conserving this land is part of an effort to protect the Tenny River that began six years ago. In 2014, the trust worked with community members and the Pine Tree Council to permanently protect 28 acres of forest and nearly 800 feet of shoreline on the river. The newly conserved land is directly adjacent, creating over 50 acres of contiguous conservation land and 1,700 feet of shoreline on the river, protected forever.
The river is bookended at one end by Panther Pond and Camp Hinds, and at the other by Route 85 and Crescent Lake. A public boat launch on the south end of Crescent Lake provides access for boaters; lake residents and visitors travel through the Tenny to enjoy its natural beauty and to explore the lakes on either end.
The protection of the Tenny River corridor in turn protects the water quality of Panther Pond, Sebago Lake and the Casco Bay watershed. The river and its forested banks have been identified by both the Town of Raymond’s Open Space Plan and the conservation partnership Sebago Clean Waters as a high priority for protection.
SCW, a collaborative of nine organizations, including the trust, contributed money for long-term management, stewardship and enforcement of the easement.
