Midcoast Conservancy has been the grateful recipient of several conservation easements in the past few months. Whether direct easement donations or pre-sale easement procurement, these conserved lands all contribute to Midcoast Conservancy’s efforts to bolster climate change resilience and habitat protection throughout the Midcoast area.

When Leslie McNeill and her daughter Saunders made the decision to sell land that had been in their care for over 30 years, they were committed to placing an easement on it prior to selling it. Leslie McNeill says, “When we bought the property from Paul Sheldon in 1989, we always hoped that we would someday be able to secure permanent protection for it. We are very grateful that Midcoast Conservancy worked with us to establish a conservation plan.”

The property is 106 acres of substantially natural and undeveloped forest land, wildlife habitat and wetlands and lies between the Deep Cove and Cook’s Pond focus areas in a 12 Rivers habitat corridor. Conservation of the parcel has prevented development in a high-risk location and prevented the forest from being heavily logged and developed. McNeill adds, “My family and I believe we have a responsibility to take care of our environment.  We have had the privilege of being stewards of approximately 110 acres of woodland in Nobleboro for over thirty years. It is lovely and home to diverse wildlife, birds, vernal pools in spring, plants and various tree species.  Over the years we have watched an increase in commercial and residential development in the area. It has made us acutely aware that the property needs to be protected.”

Similarly, Kinne and Susan Stires knew that before they put their property on the market, they wanted to secure a conservation easement that would protect their 43 acres located within the Sheepscot Tidal Marshes Conservation Area off of Golden Ridge Road in Alna. The parcel includes intact forest that provides habitat for plants and wildlife, and connects to protected land to the north, contributing to a significant habitat corridor. The three acres of tidal wading bird habitat within the Tidal Salt Marsh add greatly to this property’s ecological significance. Once the easement was in place, they were able to find buyers who shared their conservation values.

Susan and John Morris, Waldoboro residents, have long shown their commitment to expanding already-protected areas to increase the land’s ability to support wildlife habitat and deepen climate change resilience. Their recent donation of an easement on 23 acres in the Clarry Hill focus area in Waldoboro includes undeveloped woodland that has been recently cut over. The Morrises bought this piece of land with the intention to donate it to Midcoast Conservancy as a connector piece between Midcoast Conservancy’s Hitzrot Easement and East Woods Easement, also donated by the Morrises. This land adds to an existing protected undeveloped habitat block of 272 acres.

Anne Read, Land Protection Specialist at Midcoast Conservancy, says, “Susan and John Morris have proven to be an essential part of our ability to protect land in our Clarry Hill focus area. They have committed so much of their lives to conservation and their continuous generosity has added significant momentum to land protection in the Midcoast.”

As Midcoast Conservancy continues to work toward its goal of protecting 30,000 acres by 2030, these conservation easement donations represent welcome and deeply significant steps in that direction.

Midcoast Conservancy is a vibrant regional land trust that works to protect vital lands and waters on a scale that matters and to inspire wonder and action on behalf of all species and the Earth. The organization works throughout the Sheepscot River, Medomak River, and Damariscotta Lake watersheds. Midcoast Conservancy manages over 14,000 acres in 55 preserves and 100 miles of trails, including Hidden Valley, a preserve with cabin and outdoor recreation equipment rentals and a low-impact forestry program. Community members can get involved in the organization’s work as volunteers with water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, fish passage projects, forestry and oyster farming or outdoor recreation and education. For more information, go to www.midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.