It’s 1926. In Maine, a pioneer forester is completing purchase of several plots of land on Great Island with the plan of managing them for timber production. A Portland politician has just left the governorship, and after years of trying to persuade state government to create a park, he’s determined to buy a mountain and… Read more
Wild turkeys in the backyard again, this time five large gobblers. Normally the birds pick their way along, grabbing a seed or an insect that catches their sharp eyes. This time the smallest tom was either feeling his oats, or he was tired of being picked on by the larger birds. Turkeys always have a… Read more
Since Harpswell Heritage Land Trust was created 40 years ago, our world has seen dramatic changes in almost every area we can think of—healthcare, travel, agriculture, communication and the list goes on. During the last twenty or so years we have come to depend on the pocket-size devices we call cell phones. We really should… Read more
You may think you already know Ed Robinson. After all, he is a prolific writer, whose prose on the natural world appears in books, newspapers and frequently in Harpswell Heritage Land Trust newsletters like this one. (Scroll down just a bit, if you doubt me!) But did you know that Ed started his working life… Read more
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) closed on the new Anna M. Tondreau Preserve on June 12. This will be the land trust’s 19th preserve with public access in Harpswell. The acquisition was initiated by the owners’ deep commitment to conserve their family land and honor their mother’s memory. Five siblings – Beth Tondreau, Claire Tondreau,… Read more
Definitions vary by your choice of dictionary, but for our purposes the word “pelagic” means “species related to or living in the open sea.” This contrasts with species of coastal areas or on the bottom of the sea, known as the benthic zone. By now you may be wondering, so why are you writing about… Read more
This year Harpswell Heritage Land Trust celebrates its 40th anniversary, a time to reflect on how much has been accomplished and to embrace the challenges ahead. Reed Coles is a central figure in the story. Looking back, it seems inevitable that Reed Coles would find his way to the land trust. He first arrived in… Read more
If children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see, and our mission is to protect what is so special about Harpswell, then our young people are one of Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s (HHLT) most precious resources. According to the Child Mind Institute, “the average-American child spends about 4 to… Read more
Celebrate American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day with the Harpswell Hiking Challenge! Harpswell, Maine’s peninsula and 30+ islands have over 200 miles of coastline with beautiful views of Casco Bay and even Mount Washington. This is the 12th year for our hiking challenge. You can hike all the trails in one day or over the… Read more
To the Harpswell community: Though we have submitted a press release about Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s decision to respectfully decline the generous offer of the Harpswell Coastal Academy property, we wanted to follow that with a letter to you, the Harpswell community. We feel fortunate to be a one-town land trust. It allows us to… Read more