Staff, board members and the general public were on hand on Wednesday, Aug.12, for the official opening of the Cross River Preserve. Long-time preserve advocate Joan Rittall cut the branch/ribbon, thus ending 15 years of uncertainty for the 19-acre parcel that extends from Route 27 to the mud flats of the Cross River in Boothbay.

"This is an event that we have been waiting for since May of last year," said Boothbay Regional Land Trust (BRLT) Executive Director Nick Ullo.

It was May 5, 2014, when residents at town meeting voted by a secure majority for BRLT to assume permanent stewardship over land that had been held in limbo by selectmen since it became tax acquired property in 2000.

In 2013 temporary control was handed over to the Boothbay Civic Association; the association made improvements to signage and parking. 

“We were afraid it would fall into the hands of developers,” said Rittall.

Ullo said in comments on Wednesday that the civic association did not have the manpower or financial support to complete the trail work to provide public access to all of the property. In 2013, Boothbay selectmen posted a request for proposals and chose BRLT’s bid to be placed before voters.

In the past year the land trust has completed trail work, erected a visitors’ kiosk and upgraded parking and signage at the site off of Route 27 just north of the turn-off to River Road.

A volunteer recently bush-hogged growth around the parking area and trailhead. Further improvements are expected with interpretive signage and a possible nature center at the site, according to Ullo.

BRLT Land Manager Michael Warren said that he cut many of the trail blazes on trees this winter, which are located higher on the trunks than normal since he was walking over deep snowdrifts. The trail offers differing woodland environments, wetlands, a stream crossing and views of the Cross River. The route can be traversed in less than an hour even by slow walkers. A shorter loop can be negotiated in a few minutes, Warren said.

Warren said that clamdiggers have been using the trails for access to the mud flats even in the dead of winter.

Financial contributions to the project have been acquired through grants from the L.L. Bean Maine Land Trust and the Fields Pond Foundation.

Related:

Plans for Cross River Preserve underway (Oct. 2014)

Boothbay Region Land Trust offers to enhance Cross River property (March 2014)

Cross River Center: A new gateway to the region? (Dec. 2013)

Cross River Center discussion flares up again (June 2013)

Boothbay seeks proposals for ‘Smith property’ (May 2013)