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Mount Desert Island’s Local Land Trust

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Maine Coast Heritage Trust is a statewide leader in land conservation, guiding the network of more than 80 land trusts working throughout the state and collaborating with partners to conserve land along Maine’s iconic coast.

MCHT’s work on MDI

Our work began and continues to thrive on Mount Desert Island (MDI) where we were founded in 1970 and where we have the honor and privilege of continuing to serve as the local land trust. 

Today, based out of our office in Mount Desert, we serve many unique roles in the MDI region. Through collaborations like the Acadia Land Legacy Partnership with Acadia National Park, Friends of Acadia, and through our work with numerous other community organizations and nonprofits, MCHT protects special places and addresses community needs on MDI from workforce housing to food access.

Explore MDI Preserves
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Kelley Farm

At a Glance

40

preserves in the MDI region

1.5k

acres protected

6

islands with preserves

113

partner projects since 1970

How we serve Mount Desert Island

MDI Beauty

Protecting the Iconic Scenic Beauty

The MDI region is a place unlike any other, where stunning vistas are always just a step away. MCHT has had a hand in protecting many of the iconic places and viewsheds that make this region so special, including many islands filling Frenchman Bay.

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Strengthening ecological resilience

We conserve land to ensure wildlife can move freely through connected landscapes, and to boost the ecological health and resilience of this special island. Here on MDI and elsewhere, we’re focused on conserving and restoring tidal marshes, which have an outsized impact on the health of the coast.

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Keeping Farmland and Fresh Food on MDI

MCHT has worked with landowners to protect more than a dozen farmland properties on MDI. Preserving these farmlands allows us to support local food production and important wildlife habitats. We also provide community gardening plots at two locations, including Babson Creek Preserve in Somesville and Kelley Farm Preserve in Bernard.

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Offering More Places to Explore

We’ve worked with landowners and other partners to create over 30 preserves in the region, free and open to all. From the historic Stone Barn Farm in Bar Harbor to the secluded Marshall Island preserves, our preserves offer experiences ranging from community gathering and family picnic places to unique, off-the-beaten-path adventures on coastal trails and offshore islands.

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Partnering with Acadia National Park

By protecting land around Acadia National Park, we help complete Acadia’s boundary and keep ecosystems intact and resilient. To date, 19 places first protected by MCHT are now part of Acadia National Park. Learn more about the Acadia Land Legacy Program.

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Let’s keep in touch!

If you live in the MDI area or have a connection to this unique region, we’d love to share more about our conservation work and local events. Sign up to get MDI conservation updates and invitations to local events, plus an “off-the-beaten-path” map to help you explore.

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FEATURED MDI STORY

The Seal Cove Pond Fishways Project

Maine Coast Heritage Trust has been conserving land in the Seal Cove Pond area for decades. Now, we’re turning our attention to restoring fish passage from Seal Cove to Seal Cove Pond. When sea-run fish are able to make their annual pilgrimage from the sea to upstream ponds and lakes, watershed ecosystems work the way they’re supposed to. This benefits the land we protect.

 

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FEATURED PROJECT

Enhancing Accessibility at Stone Barn Farm Preserve

Stone Barn Farm is one of the best-known landmarks on Mount Desert Island. Through support and donations from many, Stone Barn Farm officially became a preserve of MCHT in 2019. To make Stone Barn Farm a safe, welcoming environment for people to engage with the land and one another, MCHT has invested in critical upgrades to the historic buildings and infrastructure on the preserve.

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