Our Eighth Annual Dinner and Auction!

Anticipating another great success, the Board of Directors of Kennebunk Land Trust is happy to announce their annual dinner and auction on Friday, May 2. For the eighth time, the Trust will host a fun-filled evening that has been a “sold out” hit every year since its inception. The public is invited and dinner reservations must be made in advance by calling the Trust office at 985.8734.

Many new surprises are in store this year as KLT welcomes Benefit Auctioneer Kathy Kingston and Joe Foster as hosts for the evening. An incredible line-up of trips are available including destinations such as: Culebra, Tuscany, South Africa, Quebec, Cuernavaca and more locally Stonington and Sunday River. Guests will be enticed to bid high on an amazing assortment of gift certificates to the area’s best restaurants and retailers. Essential and fun items such as: plane rides, artwork, cordwood, garden manure, home décor, fuel, boat rides, play tickets, golf outings, ski passes, massages and much more will be awarded to the high bidder. For more information and to preview some of the items, please click on Preview Auction Items from the KLT home page.

In conjunction with the event, the Trust is again sponsoring the annual raffle. The first prize winner will have a choice of destination – either Bermuda or the Napa/Sonoma Wine Region of California, the lucky second prize winner will receive $300 in gift certificates to use any way they like at The Colony Hotel, and the third prize winner will receive a generous gift certificate for Dinner for Four at The Nonantum Resort. Tickets are $20/each and are available through the Trust office. Drawing will be held the night of the event, but one need not be present to win.

The Silver Tureen will cater delicious hors d’oeuvres and a wonderful sit-down dinner with an entrée choice of Filet Mignon, Herb Encrusted Halibut or Vegetarian Risotto. Cocktails and preview begin at 5:00pm, dinner reservations are $55/per or $100/pair. Seating is limited and reservations must be made in advance. Please plan now to attend this annual good time in support of land conservation in the Kennebunk/Arundel region. Call the Trust office to make arrangements at 985-8734.

Gift from Tom's of Maine

Kennebunk Land Trust is very proud to announce the acquisition of a wonderful in-town parcel of land with exceptional river frontage and scenic vistas. This 38-acre property is a gift to the Trust from Tom's of Maine and Tom & Kate Chappell. Owners of the property since 1977, the Chappells have long envisioned this special place open to the public for passive recreational enjoyment. The property comprises rich wetlands, forested areas and an exceptional and uninterrupted 2,438 feet of frontage along the Mousam River. With the Trust's approval, the Chappells named the preserve The Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary.

Restrictions on the property prohibit motorized vehicles of any kind and hunting. Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy hiking, bird watching and cross-country skiing at this outstanding in-town forest. It's an ideal spot for a lunchtime stroll! As green spaces continue to disappear at a frightening pace, the Chappells and Kennebunk Land Trust are delighted to work together to complete the protection of this very special treasure right in the center of downtown Kennebunk.

Access to the preserve is from the end of the Water Street on the left, just before the Sewer District entrance and just past the entry to Roger's Pond on the right. Kennebunk Land Trust and Tom and Kate Chappell encourage you to visit The Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary frequently and throughout the seasons. We invite you to explore the quiet, natural beauty that this preserve and Kennebunk have to offer.

Kennebunk Land Trust Receives Donation of Land 

Pictured: John and Lorinda Bradford

Since he was a child, John Bradford has found Tarwater Pond fascinating. His Dad first took him there as a boy deer hunting and John enjoyed hiking and exploring the area. John remembers, “...it always seemed incredibly wild and lonely and even then (almost 60 years ago) I recognized how special the emptiness and remoteness seemed.” John’s wife, Lorinda, fondly describes a special place where they camped together as “...quiet and beautiful.”

Thanks to John and Lorinda Bradford, 44 acres of land on Tarwater Pond in Lyman are now protected and will remain forever wild. Recognizing the substantial development pressures that exist in Southern Maine, both John and Lorinda felt they wanted to do something now to preserve this special piece of property and their fond memories. On the advice of a close friend who suggested the Kennebunk Land Trust might be a good resource with whom John could work to this end, John contacted KLT to discuss options for conserving the parcel. Because there is no land trust in Lyman, and when all considerations were made, John and Lorinda chose to make the parcel a gift to KLT
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The history of this land is interesting. Jellerson Road runs through this area and before John’s time it was lined with farms. In his youth, only cellar holes and a cemetery remained. With a look at a Geodetic Survey and government aerial photos, one can see that Tarwater Pond is the tail end remnant of a much larger lake named “The Heath,” presumably glacial, and now filled in, most likely with peat. Today what we observe is ledge and thin soil upland, and peat bog and swamp down toward the pond. Perhaps these conditions explain the abandonment of the farms many years ago. With the exception of this tract, the U.S. government owns all of the remaining land around the pond, and it is known as Massebesic Forest.
 
John’s father, Alfred S. Bradford, purchased the land from Frank Chappell, who liked to speculate in upcountry raw land. John’s Dad just liked to own upcountry raw land if it was pretty and wild and appealed to him. “He never wanted or intended to do anything with the tract; he just liked it to be there, undeveloped and empty, where nobody could put up No Trespassing signs or fill it with ‘progress.’”

The preservation of these 44 acres, contiguous with the already preserved Massebesic Forest, strongly supports the likelihood that established wildlife will continue to thrive. In keeping with the wishes of the Bradfords, the property will not be posted, it will remain forever wild, and it will be named to honor John’s deceased father, “The Alfred S. Bradford Memorial Tract.” 
The Kennebunk Land Trust is pleased and honored that the Bradfords chose to work with us.

April 25th was a great day for Kennebunk Land Trust! Following nearly a year of effort and negotiation, KLT purchased a significant 93-acre parcel of property along the Mousam River. Adjacent to the Kennebunk Wildlife Management Preserve (locally known as The Blueberry Plains), this acquisition increases the protection of valuable wildlife habitat, and with nearly 2,400 feet of river frontage directly on the Mousam River it is invaluable in terms of water protection. The preservation of this parcel extends buffer area around the plains thus helping to ensure the continuation of important management practices.

The property was purchased from long-time residents Mike and Ruth Hickson, of Webber Hill Road. “Ruth and I felt that it was our responsibility to preserve a large undeveloped intact portion of land on the Mousam River - there’s over 2,000 feet on the Mousam River….” said Mike. “By doing so we protect the quality of life for our son, Sam, and the children raised today in Kennebunk.” 

With development pressures as they are in York County, wildlife habitat is disappearing at an unforeseen rate. The opportunity to protect nearly 100 acres of diverse landscape including: vernal pools, upland forest, scrub oak and hardwood is uncommon. The acquisition of this preserve contributes in an important way to the protection of habitation for numerous bird species including: wood duck, blue heron, kingfisher, various warblers and thrush. Musk rat and beaver may be observed from the water’s edge, and fox, coyote, deer and moose roam the property. 

Kennebunk Land Trust is most appreciative of the opportunity to work with Mike and Ruth Hickson on the preservation of this valuable property.  

KLT wish list

• laptop computer
• digital camera
• gravel for preserve entrances