Not long before her last day as executive director of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT), Julia McLeod sat in her office and smiled warmly when asked what accomplishments pleased her most during her nearly 12-year tour with the organization. “There are really two answers,” said McLeod, who joined the land trust as a part-time… Read more
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s mission statement calls for preservation and protection of “Harpswell’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and access to the outdoors now and forever through conservation, stewardship, and education.” Conservation and education are straightforward, but what does stewardship entail? The Judeo-Christian traditional approach to the land is based on Genesis 1:26, where it’s written… Read more
Whether a result of her Quaker upbringing or because she came of age in the cauldron of the 1960s, Wendy Batson has been committed to causes throughout her life and has backed up her beliefs with hard work. That effort has taken Wendy from the front lines of the antiwar movement during the Vietnam conflict,… 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
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
By Phil Croteau The act of volunteering is a fantastic way to explore new interests, build communities, and form lasting relationships with like-minded individuals. In the case of Sharon Oehmig, volunteering with the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) to maintain the trails at Long Reach Preserve has opened numerous doors to other opportunities within HHLT… Read more
Sharon Whitney and Dorothy Rosenberg both contributed to this article. Come spring, Harpswell’s air is sweet with blossoming scents, particularly, the scent of apple blossoms. Wander the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust trails at Houghton Graves Park on Orr’s Island or the Curtis Farm Preserve on Harpswell Neck and you’ll see an array of young apple… Read more
Her smile really tells the story, along with the two-thumbs-up rating. Aggie Perry, 4, thoroughly enjoyed exploring the town of Harpswell’s recently renovated Cliff Trail with her wheelchair “Go-Go,” and her mom, Molly Perry. And Molly was happy to share their story in a blog post called “Adventuring with Aggie” on the Maine Trail Finder… Read more
Don Westfall Don Westfall was introduced to Harpswell Heritage Land Trust through his volunteer work with the Harpswell Invasive Plant Partnership (HIPP). That and through walking his dog on the land trust’s trails. “Mine and my dog’s favorite is the Hackett and Minot Trails.” Don said. “It’s just beautiful.” Don and his wife, Tuckie, moved… Read more
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust held its Annual Meeting of the membership on July 12. We elected new trustees and officers and recognized the impact and accomplishments of long-time Executive Director Reed Coles. “It’s hard to adequately thank Reed for all he’s done for the land trust over the past 16 years,” said HHLT President Wendy… Read more