FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Newly Protected Parcel Connects York Land Trust Headquarters to Smelt Brook Preserve
JUNE 27, 2018
YORK — York Land Trust recently purchased 7 acres next door to its headquarters on Long Neck Marsh Road, linking its headquarters to its 300-acre Smelt Brook Preserve.
The new parcel includes a meadow, woods, salt marsh, and frontage on Smelt Brook, a major tributary of the York River.
York Land Trust’s new Near Point Trail meanders through this parcel and adjacent land offering visitors an easy walk through a variety of habitats with gorgeous views. Parking for the public is available at the headquarters. A kiosk at the edge of the parking lot marks the start of the trail.
The entire York River Estuary that the property falls within has been recognized on the state and national level for its outstanding and notable ecological values. The River provides habitat for at least 100 species of birds, including blue herons, night herons, white egrets and the rare saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow. And a recent fish survey by the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve identified 26 fish species in the River including rainbow smelt, alewife and brook trout. Game camera footage has also shown a variety of other animals on the property, including a bobcat and river otters.
The parcel helps piece together a mosaic of connected land that the partners of the Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative (MtA2C) are working to protect spanning from the Tatnic Hills in Wells to the coast of Kittery. This vast network of conservation lands provides contiguous pathways for wildlife to travel through and more extensive trail systems for residents and visitors to explore.
“The purchase of this property would not have been possible without the generous support of Deborah and Warren Taylor of York,” said Doreen MacGillis Executive Director of York Land Trust. “We have dedicated the Near Point Trail to the Taylors in honor of their generosity and commitment to keeping land accessible to the public.” Maine Coast Heritage Trust also provided critical funding to support this project.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
YLT stewards more than 2,400 acres of treasured community lands, including Public Access Preserves, Limited Access Preserves and Conservation Easements on privately owned lands.
YLT is a partner carrying out the Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative (MtA2C, www.mta2c.org ), that is working toward a long-term goal of connecting 19,000 acres of conserved land in the region. MtA2C is a collaborative effort of ten partners working to preserve the natural landscape centered on Mount Agamenticus in York, stretching from the Tatnic Hills in Wells to the rocky coast in Kittery. This area encompasses the largest unfragmented coastal forest between the New Jersey Pine Barrens and Acadia National Park and represents the most biologically diverse region in Maine. It boasts over 60 miles of hiking trails, protects drinking water for three towns and feeds clean water to rivers and popular beaches. MtA2C envisions thriving communities connected by an expansive natural landscape that provides a haven for wildlife and enhances the health and well-being of our citizens, forever.
The 10 MtA2C partners include: Kittery, York and Great Works Regional Land Trusts; Wells Reserve at Laudholm; Maine Coast Heritage Trust; The Nature Conservancy; US Fish and Wildlife Service/Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge; Trust for Public Land; York Rivers Association and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
CONTACTS
Doreen MacGillis, YLT Executive Director
Email: dmacgillis@yorklandtrust.org
Office: 207-363-7400
Karen Young, MtA2C Coordinator
Email: kyoung@mta2c.org
Office/mobile: (207) 752-7109