The Little Whaleboat Island Project

The effort to protect three beloved islands in Casco Bay is a success! 

We’re excited to announce that thanks to the generosity of hundreds of donors, the trio of small islands and ledges named Little Whaleboat (West), Nate, and Tuck are now officially conserved and will be open to the public in perpetuity.

Thanks to our partners

Conserving these islands was a true team effort. Donors gave generously, and partners like Maine Beer Company and Paul’s Marina mobilized their communities to support this project. Thank you to all who gave!

To stay in the loop about Little Whaleboat Island and other places recently conserved and open to you, sign up to receive emails at the bottom of this page.

What makes Little Whaleboat Island so special

An excellent anchorage and several small beaches make the islands an ideal destina­tion for people exploring Casco Bay. Thanks to the generosity of previous landowners, locals have been visiting this island for years and it has been a stop on the Maine Island Trail. Now this campsite will be open to all in perpetuity.

It’s also an important place for wildlife, and we’re thrilled that the seal haul-out ledges, fringing salt marsh, and the wading, feeding and nesting areas for birds are protected.

These islands are a few of the many Casco Bay islands MCHT has conserved for public access. Other MCHT island preserves in the area include Whaleboat Island, The Goslings, Clapboard Island East, and Lanes Island.

What’s next?

MCHT land stewards will be busy in the new year getting to know Little Whaleboat Island, conducting a natural resource inventory, and reaching out to community members for input as we ready the preserve for public use and develop a management plan. We’ll keep you in the loop as we turn this place into a public preserve!

Support conservation efforts up and down the coast

MCHT is working to protect and open to the public more coastal places up and down the coast. If you’re inspired by the mission to keep the coast open, healthy, working, and beautiful join us and make a gift today.

GIVE TODAY

For more information about the fundraising effort, contact:

David Warren
Planned Giving & Major Gifts Officer
Maine Coast Heritage Trust
207-522-9228
dwarren@mcht.org

For more information about stewardship, contact:

Jane Arbuckle
Director of Stewardship
Maine Coast Heritage Trust
207-729-7366
jarbuckle@mcht.org

Project details
Location: Harpswell, Cumberland County
Project size: 3 islands, 22 acres
Total project cost: $1,334,523
Fundraising deadline: 12/31/2021 – we did it!

Fundraising covers land acquisition costs, MCHT’s pooled stewardship funds, and operational support.