ORONO LAND TRUST NEWSLETTER L

June 2000

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust  Executive Committee  Tredwell Building, Orono.
Wednesday, July 19, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust Board of Directors Tredwell Building, Orono.
Saturday, July 22, 8:30 a.m.	Orono Land Trust Canoe and Kayak Summer PaddleMeet at the Birch Stream put-in on Route 116. We'll launch there at 8:30 and paddle along Orson Island to IndianIsland, where we will visit the Penobscot Nation Museum. Then we will have car shuttles back to the put-in or you can paddle back. Distance is about 4 miles each way. Bring sun and bug protection, water and snacks. Directions to Birch Stream: Continue up Bennoch Road (Route 16), past Gilman Falls Road about 2.2 miles where 116 leaves to the right.  Just about 1 mile later, you will come to Birch Stream flowing from left to right into the Penobscot.   If you have any questions call Wendall Tremblay at 827-8675.
Wednesday, August 16, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust  Executive Committee  Tredwell Building, Orono.
Wednesday, September 20, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust Board of Directors  Tredwell Building, Orono.

______________________________________________________________

Editor:     Cheryl Daigle                Publisher:     Margaret Campbell

 URGENT: Snowe and Collins Need to Hear from You on Federal Conservation Proposal

OLT has joined (250) Maine businesses, state agencies, and sports, environmental and civic groups urging passage of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), which would make about $36 million a year available for land conservation in Maine over the next 15 years. The money would be used for conservation easements, land restoration, wildlife protection, historic preservation, recreation and research. Tom Allen and John Baldacci are among the 315 cosponsors of the House bill -- a huge show of bipartisan support in the 435-member House. However, Orono's Bucky Owen and others leading state support for the bill are perplexed by the reaction of Maine's two senators. (Neither Olympia Snowe nor Susan Collins are currently supporting the legislation in the Senate and need to hear from you): reach Collins at 202-224-2523 or 945-0417, and Snowe at 202-224-5344 or 945-0432.

 

ANNUAL MEETING SPOTLIGHTS

BICYCLE MOBILITY

Jeff Miller, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, treated over fifty members at OLT's 2000 Annual Meeting on March 31 to a rousing performance. Following graduation from College of the Atlantic, Miller received a Watson Fellowship to bicycle tour all around the world, exploring cultures that place far greater value on the bicycle, to move people as well, as we saw to our astonishment, as freight (picture 10 x 10 ft. stacks of bailed hay peddled along Indonesian foot paths). Miller came home with a fascinating slide show and many ingenious ideas about how our society could better accommodate this healthy, fun, and environmentally safe mode of transportation.

 LANDS COMMITTEE UPDATES

The Caribou Bog Conservation Project took an unexpected turn when participants discovered earlier this year that without notice to us the owner had sold the 2000-acre property covering uplands in the extensive peatland bog in Orono and Old Town.  We have since spoken and met once with the new purchaser, Les Birmingham, a veterinarian from Falmouth. Another meeting is scheduled for later this month.  Birmingham had no precise plans for the property when he acquired it, and has been amenable to discussing conservation options with OLT.  We are pursuing efforts to preserve this rare and important habitat.

 Meanwhile some progress appears to have been made on the 50-acre parcel on Pushaw Lake adjacent to Gould's Landing, which the MDOT purchased last year for wetlands mitigation.  OLT has been in frequent contact with MDOT, urging transfer to OLT and development of a nature trail connecting to town property at Gould's Landing.  MDOT recently informed us that their lawyers advise they cannot yet convey the property, as it would lose its value for future mitigation projects, but they could enter into a management agreement with us, which would permit the development and maintenance of a trail under OLT stewardship.  We are proceeding with that proposal.                -  Sharon Tisher.

 OLT SCHOLARSHIP

OFF TO A ROUSING START

At the Annual Meeting in March, OLT members unanimously approved the proposed OLT Scholarship Program for environmental studies, environmental education projects, or wilderness adventure. The scholarship is 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.   The scholarship is open to Orono residents of any age, and students and teachers in the Orono public schools. Initial applications will be solicited once the fundraising goal of $500 is met. 

 Our founding donor is Orono potter Sandy Houtman, who generously volunteered at the Annual Meeting to create and donate 50 OLT mugs, which will be sold at $10 each to fund the initial year's scholarship goal.  Order your mug now from any OLT Board member!

 CARIBOU BOG FACT SHEETS

University of Maine student Adrienne Perry recently completed fact sheets for the Caribou Bog conservation project on rare dragonflies, wetlands and water quality, eccentric bogs, and the dragon’s mouth orchid, a rare plant. This writing project began last fall when students in the Environmental Rhetoric class taught by Jennifer Pixley assisted with research and writing to support our efforts to protect Caribou Bog.  The fact sheets will be posted on the Land Trust website later this summer.

 Do you like to do your shopping on-line? 

Well, here’s a way to shop and support the efforts of the Orono Land Trust at the same time! The on-line retailers listed at the website http://www.igive.com will contribute a percentage of any purchase you make to the charity of your choice if you connect to them through the iGive site.  All you have to do is register your name and designate OLT as the charity you want to support.  It doesn't cost you a thing. The list of retailers keeps changing so keep checking for your favorites.

 

NATURE CLIPS

 

"Peeps, Chuckles, Snorty Wrucks,

and Guttural Snores: The Sounds of Spring"

When out on OLT lands and elsewhere note the spring chorus of the early breeding amphibians.  One of the earliest is the Spring Peeper that gives a loud bird-like peep 15-25 times per minute to advertise his availability.  When another male is too close, the call changes to a short trill.  Mixed into this urgent peeping is the short, abrupt "wruck" call with varying staccato "quacks" or "chuckles" of the Wood Frog.  In the background the long drawn-out snore and grunts of the Northern Leopard Frog may be heard.  These calls represent only 3 of the 9 species of frogs and toads that fill the night air with sounds of spring. Take in the night air and enjoy them!                              - Jerry Longcore

 

VERNAL POOL OUTINGS

Some of the best encounters with nature are unplanned.  Cheryl Daigle's lucid and lyrical story and slide show, with sound effects, about the teeming reproductive life of vernal pools on April 29, inspired two separate groups of OLT members to trek into the soggy woods the next day to explore frog and salamander egg habitats. Deta and Andrea Pearce, Sharon and Jacob Tisher, Cheryl Daigle and Bucky Owen visited the shallow pool behind the Pearce's house, a very productive pool full of blue spotted salamander, spotted salamander and wood frog eggs. Many of the eggs appeared dead, perhaps due to unseasonable frost (John Maddaus, volunteer pool monitor for Maine Audubon, has since reported observations of many hatching larvae).  The group then went on to "Lost Pond" on the Webber property, to find a tremendous number of wood frog eggs.  Meanwhile, Joyce and Jerry Longcore, Sally Jacobs, and Jean and Woody Carville identified and explored six natural pools on the Orono tech park property next to MBNA.  For more information on vernal pool monitoring efforts around the state, call Maine Audubon at 781-2330, ext. 219.

- Sharon Tisher

 

Resources for those interested in learning more about amphibians:

· Maine Citizen's Guide to Locating and Documenting Vernal Pools, 1999, Maine Audubon Society

· Maine Amphibians and Reptiles, 1999, by Malcolm Hunter, Aram Calhoun, and Mark McCollough, The University of Maine Press (includes CD with all frog and toad songs)

 

NEWS FROM THE TRAILS

Spring Trails Day 2000

BROWNIE’S PARK / RIVER TRAIL

Saturday morning presented our Brownie's Park/River Trail group with a rare sight: a bright orb in the eastern sky and a long-since forgotten cloudless blue sky. Margaret Campbell, John and Cheryl Daigle, and Gina Purtelle combed the road shoulder, embankment, and River Trail from Brownie's Park to town for trash and winter debris. Best find of the morning was a toaster-oven in need of some repairs.  Five large bags of rubbish were collected.  A bridge girder crew was organized and included Dave Clement, Chris Campbell, Bob Dunlap, Tom Lechner, and a crew from Rose Bike Shop – Jim Rose, Bob "LaGrange" Lombardo, Jaime Brooks, and Dana Leath.  We moved the utility poles to the site, rip-rapped and stabilized the eroding stream banks, laid and leveled the stringers, then fit the cedar log decking, finally spiking everything together and building an approach ramp of wood chips.  We cleaned up and hauled the tools back home and finished at 12:30 pm. You can see the new bridge from the northbound lane of Bennoch Road, directly across from Sharon Tisher's home.  Thank you to all the volunteers who donated a gorgeous Saturday morning to improving the River Trail and stabilizing the stream banks.

- Chris Dorion, Trailmaster

 

COTA TRAIL     We were surprised and pleased to see the sun for our annual spring trail day.  A group of enthusiastic, muscular people worked on the Cota Trail (off Forest Ave) placing a lot of logs and hauling a huge amount of chips.  We redirected a piece of the trail and fixed a new section of trail.  All in all, a very successful day.  Thanks to Nancy Bauer, Deta Pearce, Jesse White, Dave Clement, Woody Carville, Jerry Longcore, Bob Miller, Cheryl and John Daigle, Gina Purtell, Wendall Tremblay and Sally Jacobs.             - Gail White

 

MBNA TRAILS     Woody Carville also led a trail crew at MBNA consisting of Bob Miller, Jerry Longcore, Wendall Tremblay, and Sally Jacobs.  Jerry Longcore and Chris Dorion will be appointed to the town committee considering the landscaping and trails at the research park.  Sally Jacobs is heading it up. There will be a meeting on May 23 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers about trails around the research park and other areas of Orono.

 

MARSH ISLAND TRAILS     The Marsh Island trails workday was warm and sunny with few blackflies and 6 volunteers. We felled and peeled a partially blown-down hemlock to use as a cross country ski bridge over Vinal Stream, drained a standing pool of water on the woods road, trimmed saplings that were encroaching on the woods road and filled in holes that resulted from previous work prying rocks off the trail.    The Marsh Island trails are in good shape but encroachment by jeeps and ATV's remains a serious problem. Jeeps once again

entered the sewer line from Washburn Terrace this spring and put massive ruts in the ski trail. While we were working, some young people who know the work of OLT (and the prohibition against ATV's) rode up on their ATV and were asked to leave.  Thanks to Jay Johnson, Margaret and Chris Campbell, Cheryl Daigle and Cameron Millard for their help.  - Peter Millard

 

Special thanks to Cal Smith for the wood chips and to Deta Pearce and Sally Jacobs for providing welcome refreshments of chocolate chip cookies and cold drinks to the Trail Day volunteers.

 

ON THE TRAIL TRAINING       Orono High Students Tim Clement and Cameron Millard have been great supporters of OLT this year.  As part of their high school Service Learning Project they worked on trails and boundaries with members of the trust's Stewardship and Trails Committee.  Recently they made their public presentation, a requirement of the program, to explain their project and the public policy papers they wrote as part of it.  The young men pointed out the importance of organizations like OLT in providing open areas for trails and outdoor recreation.  Cameron Millard said, "Before I started working with the Orono Land Trust I just took for granted all the trails we have in Orono.  Now I know that most of them are on private land and without OLT working with those landowners, protecting the property, watching for problems and solving them - many of those trails would not exist."  Gail White and Wendall Tremblay, who along with Chris Dorion work extensively with the service-learning students, attended the presentation and were very happy to be part of such a rewarding and successful project.                                   - Wendall Tremblay

 

BUSY BEAVERS!               Jay Johnson reports that the beaver have been more active along the Stillwater River than any time he can remember:  “They regularly take down trees the size of one's arm, and have taken what seems like a larger than usual number.  They are going after much larger ones as well.  The very high water seems to have inspired them, and undoubtedly made it easier and safer!  They have felled two in our upper swamp, each over a foot diameter, have worked seriously on three in our lower swamp almost as large, and have worked seriously on one over a foot in Brownie's Park.”  A walk along the River Trail is sure to provide you with a glimpse of their handiwork, or the beavers themselves swimming along the river’s edge!

 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT!

Channel 5 News recently featured a story on the OLT, with  Chris Dorion highlighting the importance of open spaces, stewardship, and the growing network of trails in Orono. A few trail users were also interviewed as they walked the River Trail near Brownie’s Park.

 

ORONO LAND TRUST MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Please mail this form with your check made out to “Orono Land Trust" to Orono Land Trust, Treasurer, 152 Bennoch Road, Orono, ME  04473.  OLT is a publicly supported charitable organization 501(c)3.

 

Name_____________________________________________Address___________________________________________________

 

Telephone_______________________________E-Mail_________________________________________

 

____$15	Family Membership	____$100	Business/Sponsor Membership
____$35	Steward Membership	____$1000	Life Membership
____$50	Donor Membership

 

I'd like to make an ADDITIONAL $_____donation to help preserve green space in Orono.

 

I want to help the Land Trust activities in the areas of:

____Lands	____Public Relations
____Stewardship and Trails	____Newsletter
____Program Activities	____Membership
____Website	____Other

OLT posts its newsletter and members of committees on its web page.  Does OLT have your permission to list your email address _____ and/or phone number _____ on the OLT web page?

 152 Bennoch Road
Orono, Maine  04473

http://www:bairnet.org/organizations/olt

 

Return to Orono Land Trust Homepage

Return to "Choice of Newsletters" page

 

 

 

Orono Land Trust
Newsletter XLIX

                                                                            March 2000

ANNOUNCING THE FOURTEENTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Friday, March 31, 7 p.m.
United Methodist Church of Orono, 36 Oak Street, Orono

Guest Speaker:  Jeffrey Miller

"Two Wheels Abroad . . . and Back Home:

Exploration of Bicycling Societies and Lessons Learned"

Orono Land Trust members and friends are cordially invited to the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Orono Land Trust.  Jeffrey Miller, Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, will present a slide show of his around-the-world bicycle study tour, lessons he learned, and how communities can employ some of the successful practices used elsewhere.  Over a 14-month period, Jeff visited 15 countries including Japan, China, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Austria and the United Kingdom.  This presentation will be of interest to the whole family.

Please come at 7 p.m. to socialize with friends and neighbors and enjoy dessert and coffee before the presentation at 7:30.

 Following this special program, the business meeting with the presentation of the Annual Report and the election of Directors will take place from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors will be held immediately following the adjournment of the General Meeting.
Please bring the following agenda with you to save paper and printing costs.

ROLL CALL:  Please sign the membership list on the table at the entrance.

Please check to see if your address and the annual membership information are correct.

If your name does not appear on the list, please sign your name if you wish to receive our mailings.

Annual dues may be paid at this time to Treasurer Nancy Rampe or mailed to OLT Treasurer, 152 Bennoch Road, Orono, ME  04473.

 THE ANNUAL REPORT INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL REPORT AND THE SECRETARY'S MINUTES WILL BE AVAILABLE PRECEDING THE MEETING.

                      OLT CORPORATION ANNUAL MEETING
                                           AGENDA                                           AGENDA

1. Jeff Miller PRESENTATION
2. APPROVAL OF THE SECRETARY'S MINUTES
3. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TREASURER - Nancy Rampe Financial Records reviewed by Trudy Tremblay
4. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT - Sharon Tisher
5. OLD BUSINESS
6. NEW BUSINESS
        A. Proposal to increase annual dues structure as follows:
            $15 family/individual membership (increase of $5)
            $35 steward membership (new category)
            $50 donor membership (existing category)
            $100 business/sponsor membership (new for businesses)
            $1000 life membership (existing category)
            Justification: The OLT dues structure, with a basic $10 membership where most members join, has been unchanged since the inception of the Land Trust in 1986.  Over recent years, the work of the Land Trust has expanded into serveral areas:  trail maintenance ($609 cost of supplies for 1999); statewide networking and participation in regional Land Trust conferences ($330 conference registrations for 1999); land conservation and acquisition projects ($750 for contribution to staffing costs of Caribou Bog Conservation Project; $100 to support Land for Maine's Future campaign; $1300 for acquisition of Penobscot Street property (expected to be eventually reimbursed). A membership telephone poll conducted by Board members suggested that there would not be opposition to a $5 increase in basic membership dues to defray these mounting costs.
It is also hoped that many of our loyal members will elect to join at the new "steward" level.

        B. Proposal to initiate the Orono Land Trust Scholarship for Educational Projects, Environmental Studies and Wilderness Adventure:
Modeled after a very successful program of the Boothbay Regional Land Trust, the Board would like to initiate a scholarship program to assist teachers in the Orono public schools, as well as needy residents of Orono and students in the Orono schools. The scholarship would be available to teachers for special environmental education projects, and to individuals for environmental studies or wilderness adventure/survival experiences. The Trust would expect to award up to $500 annually to one or more applicants. The scholarship is 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. The Board does not desire to fund this program through its existing savings, but, rather, to raise funds specifically designated for this program from membership donations and special fundraising events. The program will be initiated this year after $500 is raised. Donors to the Scholarship Fund will be specially recognized in each OLT Newsletter.

C. Election of Directors. The Nominating Committee proposes the following directors for three-year terms expiring in 2003:

New: Terri Hutchinson; Cheryl Daigle

Continuing: Chris Dorion, Jay Johnson, Deta Pearce, Sharon Tisher

Many thanks to retiring Board members Woody Carville, trail steward par excellence, and to Kathy Carter, who has generously agreed to continue to maintain our membership lists.

Nominations will also be accepted from the floor.

Summary of Board terms: 
    Expiring 2001: Margaret Campbell, David Chase, Steven Colburn, Jerry Longcore, Bob Miller, Wendall Tremblay, Gail White

Expiring 2002: Jean Hall, Sally Jacobs, Bronco Quick, Peter Millard, Nancy Rampe, Jim Rose

Expiring 2003: Terri Hutchinson, Cheryl Daigle, Chris Dorion, Jay Johnson, Deta Pearce, Sharon Tisher

D. Suggestions for Spring Activities

E. Spring Trails Day to be held Saturday, April 29, 9:00 a.m. with a Raindate of May 6; at 7 p.m. also on the 29th Cheryl Daigle to discuss Vernal Pools at the Orono Community Center.

F. Other Business

ADJOURNMENT OF THE GENERAL MEETING FOLLOWED BY THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
All corporate members and friends are invited

AGENDA FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE OLT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. WELCOME TO NEW DIRECTORS
3. SECRETARY'S MINUTES
4. TREASURER'S REPORT
5. REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Nominations for the following slate of officers for 2000-2001 of the OLT Board of Directorsproposed by the Nominating Committee:
    President - Sharon Tisher
    Vice President - Jay Johnson
    Secretary - Steven Colburn
    Deputy Secretary - Gail White
    Treasurer - Nancy Rampe

6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

7. ADJOURN

ORONO LAND TRUST SKI TRAILS ON MARSH ISLAND
Until recently, cross-country skiing has been fantastic in Orono and OLT members have enjoyed a new trail in the Marsh Island Natural Area.  This trail, developed by OLT members with the permission of local landowners, uses existing woods roads to connect Crosby Street to the end of Colburn Drive.  From Colburn Drive, the trail ascends to Piney Knoll and loops around the OLT Natural Area, finally dropping down at the end of Marsh Lane and crossing Route 2 (just north of Colburn Drive) to join up with the "Boy Scout Trail" on University of Maine property.  The Boy Scout Trail then joins up with the existing ski trail on the cornfield just below the botanical gardens.

The best access points are:
·         The cul de sac at the end of Colburn Drive (next right after Thriftway)
·         The cul de sac at the end of Marsh Lane (left off Colburn Drive)
·         The cul de sac at the end of Washburn Terrace (right before Thriftway)
·         Crosby Street between Pierce and Peters
·         The end of Penobscot Street (off North Main Avenue)

The trail is a great way to see OLT's Marsh Island Natural Area.  One OLT member got lost, though, and was rescued without incident shortly after dark, so when exploring this area bring along the map on the other side of this page!  Dashed lines represent ski trails.

 

COMING EVENTS:

March 26, 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Gilsland Farm Sanctuary, Falmouth or April 15, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Field's Pond Nature Center, Holden	Vernal Pool Volunteer Monitoring Workshops.  Pre-registration required.  To register or for more information, call Maine Audubon’s Volunteer Coordinator, Stephanie Cox at 207-781-2330 ext. 219 or e-mail scox@maineaudubon.org.
Friday, March 31, 7:00 p.m.	Fourteenth Annual General Meeting of the Orono Land Trust and Presentation by Jeffrey Miller.  United Methodist Church of Orono.  Dessert and coffee will be served.
Wednesday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.	OLT Executive Committee Meeting. Tredwell Building, Orono.
Saturday, April 29, 9:00 a.m., Raindate: Saturday, May 6, 9:00 a.m.	Spring Trails Day.  For more information, call Gail White at 866-0041.
Saturday, April 29, 7:00 p.m.	Why Did the Salamander Cross the Road?  A Presentation on Vernal Pool Ecology. Orono Community Center.  Cheryl Daigle will present a slide show on the ecology of vernal pools and the salamanders, wood frogs, and fairy shrimp that rely on them for breeding habitat.  These temporary to semi-permanent wetlands also play an important role in the forest ecosystem by serving as a source of food and water for other woodland or wetland-dependent animals.  Learn how to locate vernal pools in your neighborhood or elsewhere in Orono, and what you can do to help protect these special wetlands.  Information on the "Very Important Pools" Volunteer Monitoring Project coordinated by the Maine Audubon Society will be provided.
Saturday, May 6	Maine Land Conservation Conference, Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Maine.  Conference to include workshops on land conservation, networking with colleagues and field trips to nearby preserves.  For more information call 207-729-7366.
Wednesday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.	OLT Board of Directors Meeting, Tredwell Building, Orono.
Wednesday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.	OLT Executive Committee Meeting, Tredwell Building, Orono.

 BE COUNTED IN CENSUS 2000
 It is critically important for Orono's financial well-being that all residents be counted in Census 2000.  In Orono, each resident counted means approximately $90 in revenue sharing every year for the next 10 years.  One uncounted person means a $900 loss over ten years.  One uncounted family of four means a $3,600 loss over ten years.  Due to a low census count in 1990, Orono lost a few million dollars over the last 10 years.  Don't let our town be short changed again.  Get counted!  It's the easiest way for Orono to get more money.  Forms will be sent to all residences on March 15th.  Be sure your form is filled out and mailed back on or before April 1st!  For more information, call Nancy Bauer, Orono Counts Committee, Orono Town Office, 866-2556 ext. 237.

 Thank you to resigning Karna Olsson for doing the newsletter layout from the January 1999 issue to the January 2000 issue and to Bryan and Deta Pearce for helping with the current newsletter's layout.

ORONO LAND TRUST MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Please mail this form with your check made out to “Orono Land Trust" to Orono Land Trust, Treasurer, 152 Bennoch Road, Orono, ME  04473.  OLT is a publicly supported charitable organization 501(c)3.

 Name__________________________________________

 Address__________________________________________

 Telephone_______________________________E-Mail_________________________________________

 

____$10	Annual Family Membership	____$100	Sponsor Membership
____$50	Donor Membership	____$1000	Life Membership

I'd like to make an ADDITIONAL $_____donation to help preserve green space in Orono.

 I want to help the Land Trust activities in the areas of:

____Lands	____Public Relations
____Stewardship and Trails	____Newsletter
____Program Activities	____Membership
____Website	____Other _____________________________________________

I'd like to share these other interests and talents:

 OLT posts its newsletter and members of committees on its web page.  Does OLT have your permission to list your email address _____ and/or phone number _____ on the OLT web page?

152 Bennoch Road
Orono, ME  04473

OLT Website:  www.bairnet.org/organizations/olt/default.htm

Return to Orono Land Trust Homepage

Return to "Choice of Newsletters" page

---

 

 

ORONO LAND TRUST NEWSLETTER XLVIII

January 2000

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

 

Saturday, January 15, 10 a.m.	Caribou Bog Ski Outing led by Sally Jacobs, weather permitting.  Meet at the entrance to the dump on Forest Road.  Bring a lunch.  Hot drinks will be served.  Call Sally at 866-4520 for more information.
Wednesday, January 19, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust Board will be held in the Tredwell Building across the street from the Community Building on Bennoch Road.  All OLT members and friends are encouraged to attend.
Saturday, January 22; Raindate:  February 5.	Great Caribou Bog Wicked Winter Ski Race and Tour.  Call Peter Millard 866-3505 or Chris Dorian 866-7806.
Wednesday, February 16, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust Board will be held in the Tredwell Building across the street from the Community Building on Bennoch Road.  All OLT members and friends are encouraged to attend.
Wednesday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.	Meeting of Orono Land Trust Board will be held in the Tredwell Building across the street from the Community Building on Bennoch Road.  All OLT members and friends are encouraged to attend.
Saturday, March 25.	Winter Outing:  Overnight at the Birches for the Kineo Challenge Ski Race.  Rooms at the Birches on Moosehead Lake in Rockwood are $68 to $88 per person per night including breakfast and the evening meal.  If you are interested call David Chase at 866-3993 before January 17 as the Birches fills up for this event.
Friday, March 31.	Annual Meeting.  Mark your calendars.  This year's speaker is Jeff Miller, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.  His presentation reviews his 'around -the-world-bicycle-study-tour' with an emphasis on the connection between out transportation systems, their impact on our economy, environment and communities.  Jeff is a dynamic speaker and his slide-show presentation promises to be exciting.  Community Building on Bennoch Road.
Saturday, April 29; Raindate:  Sunday, April 30.	Spring Trails Day.  Mark your calendars.
Saturday, May 6.	Maine Land Trust Network Conference.  Brunswick, Maine.

 

 

THANK YOUS:

 

Fall Trails Day Report

 

A great deal of work has been accomplished on our trails and fields this fall.  Sue and Bucky Owen trimmed the Spring Ridge Trail.  Bucky Owen mowed Colburn Field.  Sue Erich, her sons and their friend helped clear brush in Brownie's Park.  Also working in Brownie's Park were Jay Johnson, Sally Jacobs, Ethan Hall and Margaret Campbell.  Deta Pearce stopped by to take pictures and then joined Gail White's crew behind MBNA where Dave Clement and his son, Tim, built the bridge.  Jim Rose and his son, Cameron, along with Wendall Tremblay and the Orono High School Service Learning Crew - Brandon Mace, Chas Ouelette and Adam Whitehead did habitat improvement on the Marsh Island Preserve.  They opened up an overgrown field along the railroad tracks at the Northeast corner of the property. Also, we have a big thank you to the unknown worker or workers who cleaned up the party area in the Pines in Sklar Park.

 

Orono High School Volunteer Program

 

The Orono High School volunteer program organized by Connie Carter provided OLT with three enthusiastic volunteer trail workers for their "Make a Difference Day".  A big thanks to Connie and the students, Johann von Hoffmann, Robin Sewall, and Lucas Meservey.  Sally took them out to the bridge on Ruth Reed's property behind MBNA and we nailed all the decking boards down on the bridge which had been built by Dave and Tim Clement on Gail White's Trails Day crew.  The day was warm and clear so we moved on to hauling downed cedar to a soggy spot on the trail and cutting logs for some corduroy work. We are determined to keep your feet dry.  Go see!

 

 

Should a land trust cut its forests?

Dr. Malcolm Hunter, Professor of Forestry and Conservation Biology,

University of Maine, Orono

 

Editor's note: As land trusts acquire more forestland, the question comes up about timber management.  Maine Coast Heritage Trust invited Dr. Malcolm Hunter, a nationally recognized expert in conservation biology, to share his perspective.  Dr. Hunter gave permission to reprint this article in our newsletter.

 

Looking at the question from a land trust perspective is complex and interesting. The answer all depends on your goals.  Certainly if making money is one of your goals then cutting timber is an obvious choice.  Of course, making money is not central to the mission of land trusts but they do have financial needs that could be offset by some income from timber sales.  As non-profit organizations, land trusts are primarily driven by a social and ecological mission, not financial goals.

 

Perhaps the major argument against logging on land trust forests is that unlogged forests are so rare.

 

Let's first consider some pro-logging arguments.  Logging can be used to generate the kind of forest structure that people want to enjoy when they visit a forest. Scenic vistas can be opened up; park-like vegetation with large, stately trees and little understory can be maintained; historic types of managed forests, perhaps a traditional sugar-bush, can be recreated.

 

Ecological goals may also be well served by careful logging.  For example, many members of our native flora and fauna find their preferred habitat in the young or broken-canopy forests that are usually created by logging.  Even some species that are in jeopardy of extinction are favored by logging.  For example, the New England cottontail (a rare relative of the eastern cottontail found in southwestern Maine) thrives in young, scrubby forests.  Similarly, a rare forest orchid, the small whorled pogonia, seems to respond well to winter cuts that avoid soil damage but open up the forest canopy.

 

In short, social and ecological goals for a forest often suggest manipulating forest vegetation and logging is one of the best tools for doing this.

 

Let's turn to some social and ecological arguments against logging on land trust lands.  Perhaps the most obvious is that in the aftermath of conventional logging a forest often looks like it has been ravaged - some remaining trees are scarred, forest floor plants are torn up, soil is eroded, and so on.  Much of this damage can be mitigated by careful logging; most of it will disappear after a few years, but the bottom line is that there is almost always some short-term negative impact.

 

Perhaps the major argument against logging on land trust forests is that unlogged forests are so rare.  In Maine less than 2% of our forests are formally excluded from logging (Baxter State Park is the only really large example and about 15% of it is subject to logging).  Furthermore, although many owners of small woodlots don't plan to harvest trees because plans and owners are constantly changing it is unusual to find very old forests in private hands, especially large tracts.

 

Why do we need these forests?  Forests that are off-limits to logging have great aesthetic and spiritual appeal for many people as places where the hand of humanity is barely felt. They are habitat for many species that need big trees, snags, rotten logs, and other elements that are rare in an intensively managed forest.  And they serve as benchmarks that allow scientists to better understand forest ecosystems.  In short, old forests have dominated the landscape of Maine for several thousand years but now they and the values they represent have become very uncommon.

 

So how should a land trust find its way through this morass of complex issues?