My introduction to partnering writing with land trusts in a formal way was ushered in by an unexpected Barred Owl at the Oven’s Mouth Preserve in Edgecomb. As a lifelong writer, an announcement in the Maine Writer’s and Publisher’s Alliance newsletter seeking partnership between poets and land trusts in Maine caught my eye. I made… Read more
Dear HHLT, I am forever grateful to my uncle Russell Houghton and my cousins Allan and Patty Graves for donating a portion of the Royal Rest property on Orr’s Island to your organization. Knowing that the Houghton Graves Park is forever protected from development means so much to myself and my family. I can’t even… Read more
Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys might have had a heyday at the Doughty Point and Island Preserve. Nancy and her friends George and Bess would try to drive her convertible roadster there and would be foiled! Dashed! You can’t get there by road. Instead, they’d kayak!! Frank and Joe Hardy might have zipped west… Read more
Sam Alexander, Sr. knows Harpswell pretty well, which is not surprising since he’s spent most of his three score and ten years here (so far). His ancestor, William Alexander, was one of the first persons of European descent to live here, moving from Topsham after his father was killed in a raid by Native Americans… Read more
Originally published in the Harpswell Anchor “My great-great-grandfather’s boat blew into Cundy’s Harbor in a storm and he decided to stay.” That’s Rob Watson describing how his family ended up there back in the 1850s. The Watsons have run the general store in Cundy’s Harbor since Rob’s grandfather, who worked in the saltfish business, founded… Read more
See below for video recordings of past webinars in our 2021 “Stories of Change” series. Rockweed Research from the Bottom up with Hannah Webber Click here to watch a webinar recording from October 26, 2021. Rockweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, covers much of the rocky intertidal in Maine; it is ecologically and economically important. This talk… Read more
Originally published by the Harpswell Anchor A family’s decision to forgo a payday from developers and instead offer their Great Island woodlands to the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust at a $1.1 million discount stems from a commitment to conservation and a generational connection to the land. “Virgin pine forest and coastal land are no longer… Read more
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s Nature Day Camp ran uninterrupted for 22 years until Covid struck and the land trust made the difficult decision to cancel its camps in 2020. When the camp returned in 2021, it was to very high demand from families for outdoor fun and normalcy. The 2021 camp season was full of… Read more
The history of Maine, including Harpswell, is tied to the sea. Indigenous people are known to have harvested the bounty of the ocean for thousands of years. Their population was quite small and their technology was limited, so they had little impact on the resource. When Europeans first arrived on these shores, they were astonished… Read more
Amara Ifeji was recently named a National Geographic Young Explorer, a prestigious group of 24 young activists from around the world who have been recognized for their leadership in environmental advocacy. She won Best in Category at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and first place in her category at the Maine State Science… Read more