Category: news

We’re very glad to welcome three new Board members!

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By Jack Shaida, Stewardship & Land Protection Manager

The 444-acre Meadow Brook Preserve in Swanville is one of the Land Trust’s most ecologically diverse properties, protecting large swaths of open marsh, riparian habitat, and upland forest around Hurd’s Pond. To make it easier to access this Preserve and its wonderful trails the Land Trust recently built a new parking lot on Oak Hill Road at the Hauk Fry section of the Preserve. This 2-3 car lot at the trailhead allows for access to an easy, 0.8-mile trail to Meadow Brook. A 1.3-mile trail extension that will cross Meadow Brook and continue to Swan Lake Avenue is currently under construction and is accessible from this parking lot. This trail is nearly complete, but signage has yet to be installed. If you have never been, or are a frequent visitor, we hope you enjoy the new parking lot and the trail.

Big thanks to earthwork and landscaping contractor Garret Cross for his awesome work. The area around the lot was filled with invasive honeysuckle and multiflora rose, and Garret did an awesome job removing those harmful plants before building the lot. Thanks to volunteers Bob Olfenbuttel, Steve Bird, and Dan Reeve for there help installing the new kiosk and roadside sign.

Directions: From downtown Belfast, take High Street north out of town. Cross Route 1 and continue as the road turns into City Point Road, and then Oak Hill Road (stay right at the fork). After passing the Rail Trail City Point parking lot, reset your odometer, and continue 2.2 miles, the parking lot is on the right.

By Ryan O’Neill, Stewardship Project Manager

Wednesday field crew was hosted at Beech Hill last week. Our ongoing field management plan prescribes the pulling of invasive plants, of which we have a couple species. While pulling up an Autumn Olive, Elaeagnis umbellata, an invasive from Asia, I noticed some white growths on the root of the invasive plant. I first thought maybe it was some kind of root gall but was unsure. I was later able to identify the mass as a natural clump of nodules, which the shrub uses to fix nitrogen within the soil, allowing it an opportunity to thrive in less than ideal conditions, which adds to the invasive factor, along side it’s suckering roots! The nitrogen fixing process is the result of a symbiotic relationship with Frankia bacteria, which actually initiates the formation of the root nodules. We have some native nitrogen fixers in the fields as well like the Speckled Alder, Alnus incana.

By Ryan Gates, Stewardship Program Director

Coastal Mountains Land Trust is making an effort on our preserves to provide more people the opportunity to get outside. Over the past few months we have been working with Asa Peats Landscape Design and Enock Glidden, an accessibility consultant, to improve accessibility at Beech Hill. Guided by a design drafted by Asa Peats, Tom Jackson Landscaping of Camden installed a beautiful ramp on the building and reset all the stone stairs.

When the grass begins to grow this spring, the ramp will finish blending in very nicely. Thanks to all of those who have provided input and suggestions on this project.

By Leah Trommer, Community Engagement Coordinator

We are impressed by Camden-Rockport Elementary School’s teachers and administration, who have deepened their commitment to outdoor learning. We are working with this school through our Learning Landscapes program, which has three components: conserving land adjacent to schools, creating outdoor classrooms, and supporting educators in weaving outdoor learning into their curriculum.

Last fall, we supported the CRES’ new nature-based preschool, which currently spends every day outside; the students are acclimated to their outdoor classroom and well prepared for all weather conditions. We followed last year’s pre-school class up through the year and we are now mentoring the Kindergarten team in incorporating outdoor learning into their teaching, providing continuity for the students.

We are working closely with three incredible and dedicated CRES Kindergarten teachers: Teresa Curtis, Kim Wickenden, and Danica Carpenter and their 60+ students. This partnership is based on the model of listening to the needs of educators and providing the mentoring and resources that best suit their requests. To this end, we have been working with all 60+ students every 2-3 weeks, modeling seasonally-based experiential lessons and mini professional development sessions, so teachers can ask questions, discuss group management techniques, and delve into outdoor learning methodology.

We will be providing 40+ outdoor lessons for these students throughout the year, as we take a deep and rewarding dive together into experiential outdoor education. This partnership has been incredibly fulfilling for us thus far and we are really excited to see where it will go.

By Ryan O’Neill, Stewardship Project Manager

Wednesday field crew was hosted at Beech Hill last week. Our ongoing field management plan prescribes the pulling of invasive plants, of which we have a couple species. While pulling up an Autumn Olive, Elaeagnis umbellata, an invasive from Asia, I noticed some white growths on the root of the invasive plant. I first thought maybe it was some kind of root gall but was unsure.

I was later able to identify the mass as a natural clump of nodules, which the shrub uses to fix nitrogen within the soil, allowing it an opportunity to thrive in less than ideal conditions, which adds to the invasive factor, along side it’s suckering roots! The nitrogen fixing process is the result of a symbiotic relationship with Frankia bacteria, which actually initiates the formation of the root nodules. We have some native nitrogen fixers in the fields as well like the Speckled Alder, Alnus incana.

By Leah Trommer, Community Engagement Coordinator

Camden-Rockport’s 7th graders have spent the fall immersed in an incredible project based learning adventure. In September, Land Trust staff, board and volunteers took all 90+ seventh graders out with their nature journals to 6 preserves as part of this Learning How to See project (based on Leonardo Da Vinci quote) where they were tasked to observe and record what they saw around them. They went back to their classes where they did research on the symbiotic relationships they observed (in science class), wrote poetry based on their observations (in ELA class) and created drawings on porcelain tiles (in art class). 

Nine art pieces were displayed at Beech Hill Preserve with QR codes that linked to their poetry!  To see more of the students’ work, visit the Bagel Cafe in Camden.

It has been such a pleasure to collaborate with these innovative dedicated educators: Kristen Andersen (Art), Hilary Flagg (ELA) and John Dietter (Science) as part of our growing Learning Landscapes program!

February 10, 2022 – Coastal Mountains Land Trust will co-host an online Zoom presentation titled Exploring Nature in Peru’s Cloud Forests and Amazon Rainforest at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 10 with the Camden Public Library. Join us for this educational and informative online talk by Roger Rittmaster, Land Trust Board member, retired endocrinologist, and avid nature photographer.

Late last year Roger spent 4 weeks photographing wildlife in the cloud forests and amazon rainforests of southeast Peru. He photographed over 800 species of insects, birds, mammals, and other wildlife, uploading the images to iNaturalist to share with other natural history enthusiasts. In this presentation, he will take you on a tour of the places and creatures he photographed in this amazing area of the tropics.

Please visit the “What’s Happening” adults events calendar at librarycamden.org to register for a Zoom link to attend this webinar. The presentation platform is limited to those who get an invitation from the library.

Rittmaster moved to Maine eleven years ago to pursue his hobbies (natural history, land conservation and woodworking). Shortly after moving to Maine, he authored the book, “Butterflies Up Close – a guide to butterfly photography”. Roger is a Maine Master Naturalist, former chair of the Camden Conservation Commission, and serves on the Board of Coastal Mountains Land Trust. When asked about what areas of natural history interest him the most, he replied, “Anything that has DNA”.

February 9, 2022 – On Saturday, February 26th Coastal Mountains Land Trust will be putting luminaries along a section of the Belfast Rail Trail, so everyone can enjoy a little evening trail magic during the Ice Festival.

The Land Trust will have free cookies and hot chocolate at the Belfast footbridge from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. A guided excursion along the luminary trail will leave from the footbridge at 6:00 p.m. Bring footwear that correlates to the current conditions: ice grips, snowshoes or xc skis, if the conditions allow!

We are looking for volunteers to help make ice luminaries if we have freezing temperatures. If you are interested in making an ice luminary to contribute, contact leaht@coastalmountains.org.

January 28, 2022 – This week, Coastal Mountains Land Trust welcomed Tempe Landi, Development & Communications Coordinator, to their team. Landi comes to the Land Trust having worked in a variety of fundraising capacities, most recently at Skidmore College in New York.

A native of New Jersey, Landi attended William Smith College and completed her master’s degree at the University of Rochester. Home to family and many close connections, she has spent a significant amount of time in the Mid-coast region and has a deep appreciation for the many trails and preserves protected by the Land Trust.

“Our family is thrilled to relocate to this area where we are already so vested and engage in work that I believe will have a truly meaningful and long-term impact on the communities I treasure. I am inspired by the work Coastal Mountains Land Trust has been doing and am excited to contribute.”

Tempe lives in Lincolnville with her husband, son, and golden retriever. She is responsible for the Land Trust’s fundraising and communications efforts and is excited to work with the community, staff, and Board to advance the Land Trust’s mission.