ORONO LAND TRUST NEWSLETTER LI
October 2000
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
Saturday,
October 14, 9:30 a.m. |
Ayers Island Field Trip Explore Ayers Island for future trail siting and
watch for report in next newsletter. |
|
Monday,
October 16, 7:30 p.m. |
Meeting of OLT Executive
Committee Tisher
Barn, Orono. |
|
Saturday,
October 28, 9 a.m., Raindate Sunday, October 29 at noon |
OLT Fall Trails Day River
Trail: Meet at
Chris Dorion's (866-7806), 79 Bennoch Rd., at 9:00 a.m. Marsh
Island: Meet at the
end of Colburn Dr., led by Peter Millard (866-3503) Colburn
Preserve: Meet at 15
Winterhaven, 9:00 a.m. MBNA: Meet at parking lot at 9:00 a.m. Anyone
who can bring and operate a chain saw call Gail White (866-0041) in advance. |
|
Saturday,
October 28, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. |
OLT Volunteer Recognition
Reception Tisher Barn, Orono. Rain or shine with Alan
Hutchinson speaking about landowners, trails and easements. |
|
Monday,
November 20, 7:30 p.m. |
OLT Board of Directors
Meeting Tredwell Building, Orono. |
Newsletter Editor: Cheryl Daigle Publisher: Margaret Campbell
UPDATE: Caribou Bog Conservation Project
Much has happened since OLT announced over a year ago the initiation of the Caribou Bog Conservation Project, a joint effort with the Forest Society of Maine, the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, and the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry & Agriculture at the University of Maine, to preserve over 2000 acres located in the central part of the Caribou Bog in the towns of Orono and Old Town. This is an area of diverse wildlife including rare and endangered species of dragonflies and plants, and a sensitive ecosystem critical for water quality of Pushaw Lake. It serves as an important research site and outdoor classroom for several departments in the University, and has high recreation value for hunting, cross-country skiing, hiking, canoeing, and birdwatching.
The
project working group was negotiating through an
intermediary
with the owner of the property, who represented that he was interested in a
conservation sale. We applied for and were awarded a $15,000 contingent grant
from the Maine Wildlife Habitat Initiative through the Maine Coast Heritage
Trust, to apply to the eventual purchase price. We then learned in January of this year, to our surprise and the
surprise of the intermediary, that the property had been sold to Les
Birmingham, who resides in Freeport.
Our working group has since had a number of communications with Mr.
Birmingham, but the prospect of moving ahead with the original plan for an
acquisition has been forestalled by Mr. Birmingham's desire to realize a
substantial profit from a resale of the property. We continue to monitor the situation closely.
~ Sharon Tisher, President
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
EFFORTS
Efforts
to raise funds in support of our new OLT Scholarship Program are off to a
terrific start. $230 funds have been
raised. Thank you to Peter Arabadgis,
Margaret Campbell, Dave Clement & Betsy Weiss, Jay Fortier, Sally Jacobs,
Jay & Ann Johnson, Bob & Jane Miller, Deta Pearce, Sharon Tisher, and
Gail White for purchasing OLT mugs in support of this program. Special thanks again to Orono potter Sandy
Houtman, who generously designed, crafted, and donated 50 mugs with the OLT
logo to get the scholarship fund off and running. The scholarship - based upon the premise that principles of
conservation and respect for the land grow naturally from an increased
understanding of the science of natural ecosystems, and that properly
supervised wilderness adventure/survival experiences can create a lifelong
respect for and love of our unique wilderness resources in Maine - is open to
Orono residents of any age, and to students and teachers in the Orono public
schools. Initial applications will be solicited once the fundraising goal of
$500 is met.
OLT CANOE ADVENTURE
Saturday, July 22, began as a foggy, cloudy, unpromising
day, but for the few who braved the weather it was an interesting and enjoyable
morning. Bob and Jane Miller, Gail
White, Dave Clement, Wendall and Trudy Tremblay got on the river just in time
for the only rainfall of the morning, but it ended soon. For the next few hours we made our way down
the river from Birch Stream to Indian Island. We saw several eagles, mallards,
wood ducks, blacks, mergansers, and some other unidentified waterfowl along
with attractive houses and cottages on the tribal islands. It was good to have Jane along - as a
longtime teacher on Indian Island, she knew most of the people we met. Our trip ended at the island's museum were
we saw artifacts, literature and videos about the culture and history of the
tribe. We missed you!
~ Wendall
Tremblay
NATURE CLIPS:
The
Industrious Beaver
The
beaver (Castor canadensis) of North America is a rodent that is both loved and
despised by humans. The unique ability
of the beaver to construct effective dams to impound water makes it a superb
creator of wetland habitat, which benefits a whole host of aquatic plants,
invertebrate, and vertebrate organisms.
Another characteristic of the beaver – that of continuously growing
curved incisor teeth – requires that
the beaver chew often to wear down the teeth so that they won't grow around
into its own jaw. Thus, when beavers
move into our neighborhoods (which we originally usurped from them!) they will
eat our horticultural trees with alacrity. To see such activity, walk quietly
in the evening on the OLT trail along the Stillwater River north of the
bridge. Beavers have taken up residence
in dens in the riverbank – if you are lucky you may even have one slap the
water with its tail to acknowledge your presence.
~ Jerry Longcore
