Harpswell is blessed with a wealth of beautiful, iconic, natural vistas. Consider the seascape off Basin Point, the fishing harbor at Mackerel Cove, or Long Reach as seen from the high ledges of the Cliff Trail. So, it’s appropriate that the view from the Town Office on Mountain Road looking south to the mouth of Strawberry Creek literally stops traffic.

Here, depending on the tide, the sun glistens on still waters or off the productive mud flats that extend toward two small islands, one with an active osprey nest, and Harpswell Sound just beyond. It’s an unforgettable panorama savored by residents and visitors alike. It’s also an important natural area with vital habitats for a wide variety of marine species and waterfowl.

The 3.3-acre Strawberry Creek Preserve is at the center of an extensive area of highly productive mud flats, eelgrass beds and wildlife habitat. The mudflats, rockweed beds and eelgrass beds provide habitat and clean water for commercially-important and beloved species that range throughout the Harpswell Sound ecosystem.

The Strawberry Creek Preserve was protected thanks to a successful fundraising campaign in 2020, during which more than 300 local families donated to keep this vital piece of land wild forever.