Largest continuous habitat in southern Maine to be protected from development
Sep. 23—A stretch of shoreline along the Salmon Falls River in South Berwick mirrors what it looked like in centuries past: nearly untouched by development.
Stone walls hint at the 19th-century pastures that have since reforested. Eagles perch on towering mature pines. Wildflowers that provide nectar for migrating monarch butterflies grow in a meadow where American woodcocks perform their mating dance flights in early spring. There is habitat for endangered and threatened cottontails, snakes and salamanders.
All of it was at risk of development.
But the land — the largest undeveloped tract on the Maine side of the Salmon Falls estuary, which also lies within the largest continuous habitat along the coastline in southern Maine — will now be forever protected.
The Great Works Regional Land Trust secured enough grant funding and donations to buy the 79-acre area. The land trust also purchased 75 acres in North Berwick known as Bauneg Beg Mountain Recreation Area as part of its Woods to Water Campaign, which raised $3 million.
"It's pretty amazing," said Tin Smith, the land trust board vice president, who worked for years to make the project happen. "We weren't sure we could do it, but a lot of people helped out."
They're now working to expand the trail network on the mountain and add accessible paths on the riverfront property so everyone can enjoy it.
Jordan Kelley, executive director of the land trust, said both areas faced intense development pressure and likely would have been sold to developers if the trust hadn't been able to raise enough money.
"I often see new driveways and plots being cut along the roads. You can see the development pressure happening," he said.
The property owners could have sold the land to developers for a much bigger payday, he said.
"It was very noble of them not to go after the money," he said.
Securing the properties was the land trust's biggest undertaking to date. The Land for Maine's Future program awarded the group $645,000 in grants for the South Berwick land, plus more than $181,000 for the North Berwick property. Another $400,000 came from an anonymous foundation, $200,000 was contributed by the town of South Berwick, and North Berwick added another $120,000.
One of the South Berwick landowners donated $500,000 and the land parcel donated by the owners was valued at $440,000. The remaining money came from smaller grants and private donations, according to the land trust.
The Salmon Falls Tidal Waters project in South Berwick consists of three contiguous parcels that include 63 acres of upland, 9 acres of salt marsh, 7 acres of intertidal area and a quarter-mile of shore frontage on the Salmon Falls River, which separates Maine from New Hampshire.
The project is part of a larger effort to create a protected corridor, with the Great Bay Protection Partnership protecting 73,000 acres in New Hampshire and the Mount Agamenticus Sea Coalition protecting 15,200 acres on the Maine side of the river.
In addition to providing habitat for a wide range of species, Kelley said, the area is "of critical importance" for climate resilience because wetlands are important for absorbing floodwaters and rainfall.
The land trust plans to build a parking lot and kiosk on the property. Kelley said planning is underway for a universal access path that will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and allow people a good view of the river.
"We want to do something special there," he said. "We're excited to bring something unique to that place."
Fifteen miles and 800 feet of elevation away from the riverfront, the property in North Berwick known as Bauneg Beg South includes one of the mountain's three summits.
The hills of Bauneg Beg and Mount Agamenticus in York have served as a guide along the shoreline between Portland and Portsmouth for centuries. In the mid-17th century, Scottish prisoners captured at the Battle of Dunbar and held as indentured servants took to the hillsides of Bauneg Beg when they were freed to become farmers, according to the land trust.
Locals have used Bauneg Beg for recreation since at least the 1930s, when a ski area with a 250-foot vertical slope was built. More recently, Bauneg Beg has been a popular spot for children's first mountain climb. Parts of the mountain have been conserved for 25 years and there is an existing trail network.
Kelley said it is likely the mountain would have been developed all the way to the peak if the landowner hadn't been willing to work with the land trust to protect it.
The trust is now working with the town to install a parking lot. Work has already started on new trails and bridges, which should be done next year, he said.
Smith, the board vice president, said there has been overwhelming support for the project in North Berwick, where conserving the mountain has long been a priority.
"Bauneg Beg Mountain has been one of our most popular areas for hiking and birdwatching," he said. "We expect this will be another well-used property. It's exciting to have that completed."
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