Sebasticook Regional Land Trust

The Waldo County Trails Coalition (WCTC) invites the public to the official opening of its downtown Unity-to-MOFGA trail on June 1 – National Trails Day. The opening and hike will begin at the wooden bridge on Main Street in Unity, across from the Health Center, at 10 a.m.

The WCTC consists of nine organizations that are creating a new through-trail – the WCTC Hills-to-Sea Trail – to link existing trail systems in Waldo County, initially from Unity to Frye Mountain and eventually all the way to Belfast.  The organizations are the Unity Barn Raisers, Unity College, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), Maine Farmland Trust, Sebasticook Regional Land Trust, Future MSAD3 and Mt. View, Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance, Georges River Land Trust and the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition.

At the June 1 event, WCTC chair Doug Van Horn will briefly introduce the coalition’s work and the trail at 10 a.m., after which members of the public are invited to join a hike with a coalition volunteer or walk any part of the trail themselves.

Those who want to hike the entire 6 miles will be shuttled in a van to the trailhead at MOFGA shortly after 10 a.m., and they can hike back to downtown Unity. This hike is expected to take about 2 1/2 hours.  Those preferring shorter hikes are welcome to hike from downtown Unity and leave the trail at their own convenience to hike back downtown.

For more information about the WCTC, please visit www.waldotrails.org.

SRLT was a proud sponsor of the 2nd annual Benton Alewife Festival on Saturday, May 18.  The day featured a wide range of activities at multiple venues, including a Sebasticook paddle, visits to the dam to see the alewife in the fish lift, a live birds of prey program, and much more.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has released a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Carlton Pond Waterfowl Production Area and Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.  A copy of the draft plan is available at the Unity College Quimby Library.  In addition to Carlton Pond WPA, there are two Sunkhaze Units in the Sebasticook Watershed in Benton and Unity.    Public comment will be accepted until May 31, 2013.  Direct comments to Lia McLaughlin, USFWS, 300 Westgate Center Dr., Hadley, MA  01035, 413-253-8575 (p), 413-253-8468 (f), email northeastplanning@fws.gov.  Your subject line should be “Sunkhaze Meadows and Carlton Pond CCP”.

Sebasticook Regional Land Trust thanks the residents of Albion, Benton, Burnham and Unity for their overwhelming support.  We are sincerely grateful for your vocal support of the Trust and proud to be your trusted local partner for land and water conservation.  Thank you!