You Heard It Here First…

This past year Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) protected 7.53 miles of shorefront and seven coastal islands with the help of thousands of generous donors. There’s still work to do, trails to build, signs to put up, etc., but we want to make sure these amazing places—just a few of our favorites protected in 2016—are on your radar.

High Island, St. George

High is lovely, edged in quartz-veined rocks, its trails lined with ripe raspberries in August. Plus it’s fairly easy to get to, just a half mile from shore. Have you been?

One of the things we love best about High Island is how much its conservation means to the community of St. George. The community held a parade to help raise funds toward the purchase, and since the spring of 2016 neighbors have been working with MCHT steward Amanda Devine on trail-building and site improvements to make it an even better destination for locals and visitors alike.

Old Pond, Hancock

There aren’t a lot of wild places left along the coast of Maine. Where they remain, MCHT often played a role. Old Pond is one of those increasingly rare places where nature still rules, and this year we made progress in keeping it forever safe from over-development and open for exploration.

One of the things we love about the Old Pond area is how you can park just off of Route One, walk for a few minutes, and find yourself in a place that feels truly remote. If you haven’t experienced the three-mile Old Pond Railway Trail MCHT partnered with Crabtree Neck Land Trust to protect, we suggest you check it out. Here’s some info on Maine Trail Finder. Or visit the Crabtree Neck Land Trust website.

Ram Island, Machiasport

If you’d like to run your imagination wild, locate Ram Island on a map. This place is as barren and beautiful as you’d expect. And you’ll actually find sheep here, and quite possibly a shepherd. 

Now Ram Island is permanently protected and will remain open to the public (warning: experienced boat handlers only). If you’d rather not venture so far out, we suggest checking out Hickey Island, also protected by MCHT, which has a similar topography.