In a year like no other, the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) remains committed to protecting important landscapes to benefit wildlife, today’s communities, and future generations. Over the past month, KELT completed two conservation projects to contribute to the network of protected lands, the Whiskeag Creek Wetlands property in north Bath and the Burr property in south Bath.

The Whiskeag Creek Wetland property, running along and into Whiskeag Creek and into the Kennebec River, has been identified as important habitat for wading birds and fragile plant species. This property was acquired with funding from the North American Wetland Conservation Act and the land is primarily to maintain crucial habitat for sensitive species, particularly in the context of a changing climate. Local real estate broker Sam Lambert, the previous landowner, purchased this property in 2017 to prevent a planned subdivision from diminishing the integrity of the landscape. Through conserving the land with KELT, Sam has demonstrated an understanding for the importance of protecting these special natural resources, “Things are changing. It’s important to save some of it to preserve the important links of habitat in our Estuaries. Long term visions are needed these days.”

On the other side of town, folks sharing this same vision showed their own commitment to conservation by donating over 10 acres of land to KELT. By conserving these 10 acres, known as the Burr property, KELT has accomplished a crucial step in connecting the Lilly Pond Community Forest preserve to the Losier-Rogers property, which would protect a substantial block of Bath’s largest remaining intact forest. Connecting these conserved lands will maintain interconnected habitat for wildlife and create opportunity for a long-distance trail system to be enjoyed by hikers, bikers, birders, and more (learn more about the Lilly Pond Community Forest project at https://www.kennebecestuary.org/lpcf-expansion). John and Karen Burr, the generous donors of this land, also cited their devotion to future generations as their motivation for conservation, “The more we all have access to, to learn about and engage in our natural environment, the more we will all be invested in preserving its future – our future”.

These two properties collectively contribute approximately 33 acres to Bath’s conserved lands. Although these land protection projects support different habitat types and species, they and their previous land owners share the same goal of maintaining a healthy environment for the benefit of our collective future.