Scarborough Land Conservation Trust

Presents:

John O. Snow

Scarborough Naturalist, Photographer & Author of

Secrets of a Salt Marsh

Thursday, February 4, 1999 at 7:30 PM

Scarborough Public Library, Meeting Room

Back by popular demand, Mr. John O. Snow will present an interesting lecture and slide show on our salt marsh at our winter forum.

As many of you remember, Mr. Snow was a featured speaker in 1993 when he presented a slide show and lecture regarding his book, Secrets of Ponds & Lakes.

Local sportsman, teacher and naturalist, Mr. Snow is widely regarded as an authority on the subjects of salt marshes and ponds & lakes. He is also an ardent conservationist and has built up an

impressive slide show over the years that you are sure to enjoy.

The forum is free of charge and refreshments will be provided. It is open to all and we encourage you to invite or bring others who might be interested.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call Laurene Swaney at 883-4909.

See you there!

Charisma Fund Challenge Successful!

In November 1998, SLCT received a $27,000 challenge grant from the George Sprague family that if met, would allow SLCT to retire the mortgage on the Libby River Farm. The challenge was a dollar for dollar match up to $27K.

Well Congratulations! You Did It! While SLCT has not as made the final payment, the challenge was met with the additional benefit that some funds were able to be applied to the Libby River Endowment account for the future care and management of the property.

The George Sprague & family grant represents the single largest award SLCT has ever received from a foundation or individual. We wish to express our thanks to the Sprague family, our members, other contributors, and the Scarborough business community for their support of one of Scarborough's finest conservation achievements.

For those of you that have not had the opportunity to see the Libby River Farm property first hand or you would just like to know more about the activities underway, our new website, complete with photos, www.scarboroughmaine.com/slct, offers you the chance to take a look around. Let us know what you think.

Libby River Farm Activities Update

Libby River Trail Project: Last June, a local Boy Scout Troop led by Peter Curley began carving out the first trail on the Libby River Farm. Troop #39 came with rakes, shovels, chainsaws, and a strong work ethic. Progress on the trail far exceeded expectations as the group completed clearing all but the lower section of the proposed half mile trail on their first day. The crew also dug a trench for a culvert next to the pond.

The following week, Americorp led by Scott Pfiefer, arrived to put the finishing touches on the trail. "Bog-bridging", basic split, Lincoln Log construction, was built over wet areas of the trail. Trustee Wally Fengler donated hemlock from his property to construct the bridges. The heavy rain experienced last June ultimately forced the Americorp crew to leave but they were able to spend an afternoon indoors to construct benches for the Libby River Farm and Sewell Woods trails. Peter Curley and the Boy Scouts, however, were able to help out later that month by skidding some of the bog bridges down to the trail head and beyond and construct several others. We look forward to having Americorp back in the spring to complete the project.

As previously mentioned, the George Sprague family wished to contribute to the Libby River Farm. In memory of their daughter, Lucy Rantoul Sprague, SLCT has named the first public trail on the property 'The Lucy Sprague Memorial Trail'.

Sewell Woods/Kiwanis Trail Day

We would again like to thank the Kiwanis International for their ongoing stewardship support at Sewell Woods. Last October, a dozen Kiwanis members, SLCT Trustees and other volunteers spent a day clearing and chipping brush, and generally cleaning up the trail. Kiwanian Ron Forest and Trustee Wally Fengler each brought their tractors making the day even more productive as gravel and stone dust were spread in the parking area and several sections of trail. Additionally, two new culverts were installed, one at the Ashswamp Road entrance and one on Hearn Road side of the property.

Trail maintenance activities will continue this spring. We also plan to mark with small signs, points of interest along the trail such as tree and plant species as we add an educational aspect to the trail. Contact Bruce Lincoln at 883-5489 if you are interested in helping with this project.

Sewell Woods is an excellent area to enjoy winter sports such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing especially if you are introducing new ones to the sport. Tubbs Trailnet tm, an on-line snowshoe trail database, rates the trail as an easy 1 hour trek. Motorized sports vehicles are prohibited however, due to the sensitive nature of certain plants that border the trail. We appreciate your attention to this matter. Enjoy the trail!

SLCT Again Receives $1K Stewardship Award

SLCT was again awarded $1000 from the Department of Agriculture's Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP) in cooperation with the Maine Forest Service. This USDA program seeks to improve wildlife, recreation, water quality and timber on Maine's small woodland ownerships. The 1998 SIP award was spent on Sewell Woods & Libby River Farm trail improvements and will be again in 1999.

Eastern Trail News

The Eastern Trail has always been of interest locally to trail & recreation groups, land trusts and to the towns it crosses. Collectively, these groups gave focus to the Eastern Trail's regional significance. The benefits of such a greenway in southern Maine include non-motorized commuting pathways to jobs and schools, protection of habitat corridors, reduction of shoreline erosion and stream sedimentation, filtering of pollutants in watersheds and river systems, in addition to much needed recreational spaces in city and suburban neighborhoods. Greenways also enliven local economies with marketable assets of natural beauty, cultural heritage and outdoor activities.

Last fall, representatives from these various interests came together to form the Eastern Trail Alliance (ETA) and have submitted incorporation papers to declare non-profit status.

A top priority of the ETA is to obtain funding for a mile by mile engineering evaluation of the Eastern Trail. The study will detail needed improvements: bridges, surface upgrades, boardwalks, culverts, clearing, aesthetics, etc. and determine ownership. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $165,000. There is a proposal before the Maine Department of Transportation to fund 80% ($137K) of the project through the MDOT Enhancement Fund, a fund specifically targeted to improving non-motorized modes of transportation. ETA must raise the remaining 20%.

As a member of the Eastern Trail Alliance with non-profit status already in place, SLCT submitted a grant proposal last October to the Maine Community Foundation on behalf of the ETA asking for funds for the ET Engineering Study. SLCT was awarded $2500 in January with the stipulation that this money be matched 1:1.

To date, the ETA has received $1000 from the Appalachian Mountain Club, $1000 from a Kennebunk bike shop owner, $500 from the Town of Kennebunk (bike path fund), $1000 from the Old Orchard Beach Conservation Commission and $500 from the Town of Arundel.

If you would like to find out more about the East Coast Greenway in Maine, the Friends of the Scarborough Public Library invites you to attend "THE EASTERN TRAIL: from Bug Light to the Kittery Bridge" on Sunday, April 25 at 3:00 PM at the Library. John Andrews, Chair of the Eastern Trail Alliance & Saco Trails will describe the proposed Eastern Trail, its route and structure, the 12 municipalities that support it and the terrain it will cross in addition to its significance as part of the national East Coast Greenway trail extending from Key West, Florida to Calais, ME..

Locally, a cleanup of the Eastern was completed last spring thanks to a community service project. Fifteen Wentworth Middle School students led by teacher Tom Griffin, energetically cleaned up a section of trail which had been neglected due washout damage from the 1997 flooding rains.

SLCT is still actively pursuing obtaining an easement for the section of trail between the Old Blue Point Road and the Old Orchard Beach town line from the Town of Scarborough. We hope to have this wrapped up by early February. Once an easement is in place, it will allow the Trust to apply for trail improvement dollars from several public and private grant making institutions.

On the recreational front, the first cross country skiers and snowshoers have been spotted on the trail. Trustee Tom Daley has been working closely with Northern Utilities (they need to plow to their pump station) to ensure that when plowing does occur, they leave an adequate base for skiing and snowshoeing. Northern Utilities may now, also, access their pump station from the Industrial Park and therefore can keep all but emergency vehicles off the trail.

SLCT Has New Website:
www.scarboroughmaine.com/slct

The Scarborough Land Conservation Trust is on-line! We thought it would be a good way to illustrate for the community our projects to date. Although the first focus has been the Libby River Farm, our intention is that information on all our properties and activities be included in the near future. For instance, at Sewell Woods, simultaneous to the companion trail activity, we expect to have an on-line demonstration forest: tree identification and what each type of tree was used for in wood products manufacturing under donator Albert Sewell. Also included will be other plant & wildlife identification, trail maps and seasonal photos. Also included is a natural resource directory. You also have a way to contact us to share your comments and ideas.

Stock Donations to SLCT

Increasingly the Trust has received donations in the form of stock. A donation of stock has several tax advantages. You can claim the full value of the stock as a charitable donation and avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciated value. For information, contact Alex Timpson at A.G. Edwards at 1-800-4240-4452.