Scarborough is one of Maine's fastest-developing areas.

So far, a fortunate combination of circumstances has preserved the town from the worst of development and strip building. Much open space has been kept for us to look at, walk on, and leave to our children.

But our luck will not last forever. It's time to pay attention to our natural resources. All of us who live in Scarborough can help to ensure that we are able to keep enjoying the vast natural beauty which makes our town such an attractive place to live, work, and play.

If we want to have wildlife and open space around us for the rest of our lives, and for our children's lives, we need to work together to prevent the disappearance and denaturalization that has happened to so many places which were once as beautiful as Scarborough; places which had no plan, no organization.

The Scarborough Land Conservation Trust is local.

Founded as the Owascoag Land Conservation Trust in 1977, its mission was to keep the "Land of Many Grasses" ever free.

The Trust is an entirely local, fully volunteer group. It depends on contributions for support.

The Trust has successfully worked with many landowners to preserve their land. It educates people about land conservation, and will work with anyone wishing to donate or protect land. The Trust seeks new members and contributions to support land acquisition, property monitoring, and its Maine Coast Heritage Trust partnership.

If you join the Scarborough Land Conservation Trust, your tangible benefits include a quarterly newsletter and invitations to quarterly forums and special events. Your intangible benefits will include protecting the land, and contributing to the preservation of a valuable quality of life.

The choice is yours.

Preserving open land rewards us in many ways.

First, it means a more pleasant place in which to reside. It means driving along the marsh and the forest, instead of strip malls.

It means being able to see a heron lift off the marsh, or a deer emerge from the depths of the forest.

It means there are places within easy reach to hike, picnic, or canoe. Places to birdwatch, to go and see the seasons change along the edge of a tidal river.

It means our children will receive a heritage of beauty, rather than a legacy of destruction. When land is preserved, everyone benefits.

The Scarborough Land Conservation Trust offers a number of options to the landowner, including: Donation, Purchase or Bargain Sale, Life Estate, Limited Development, and Conservation Easement. The Trust can also recommend experts to advise about tax ramifications, and specific individual circumstances.