SANFORD – Three Rivers Land Belief (Three Rivers) is main a fundraising marketing campaign with Mousam Approach Land Belief and different neighborhood organizations, with the aim of making a big recreation and conservation space in Sanford to profit the neighborhood and the area.
The 550-acre property, to be named the “Sanford Neighborhood Forest”, is among the largest remaining undeveloped areas inside metropolis limits, and Three Rivers goals to guard its ecological well being and make it obtainable for public recreation and conventional makes use of.
Of the almost $800,000 it is going to take to amass, restore, and enhance entry to the property, Three Rivers has already secured $620,000 via basis and authorities grants, and is now kicking off an brisk marketing campaign to lift the remaining funds.
“It’s so distinctive to have a big tract of forest inside a metropolis, and it is a great alternative to protect these woods,” mentioned Amy Titcomb, president of Three Rivers Land Belief. “In a time when so many people are much more appreciative than common of the outside, we’re happy to be planning trails in a forest that may be loved for a lot of generations to come back.”
This panorama of beneficial plant and wildlife habitats is loved by exploring hikers, mountain bikers, and hunters in season, who would proceed to have entry as soon as the property is protected. It already features a tough path from earlier forestry operations with entry from higher Oak Road and the Rail Path, which might be improved after the property is bought by Three Rivers. The Neighborhood Forest will present very important water high quality safety within the Salmon Falls River watershed and carbon storage all through its intensive forests.
Three Rivers has acquired a beneficiant $180,000 grant from an nameless basis to kick-off fundraising and wants to lift $180,000 extra by the top of 2021 to make this large challenge successful. Cash raised will cowl the price of buying the property, set up of a trailhead on Oak Road, creation of a neighborhood forestry plan, and can present a devoted fund to assist look after the property over time. The land belief will proceed to use for grants, however expects to lift the vast majority of the funds from neighborhood members and native companies who assist land conservation for recreation, well being, and environmental sustainability.
The western a part of the Neighborhood Forest is wealthy with wetlands, and Three Rivers has acquired beneficiant funding from the Maine Pure Sources Conservation Program to amass, restore, and steward the western 310 acres. This portion of the forest can be allowed to develop in a wilder state, with a low-impact path from which to admire its magnificence. The jap a part of the Neighborhood Forest is about 240 acres, and can be extra actively managed to display sustainable forestry and develop leisure trails. Your entire 550 acres can be open to searching below native rules and land belief tips, and the forested nature of the land can be maintained indefinitely.
Three Rivers Land Belief is coordinating this bold challenge as a part of its mission to construct stronger, more healthy communities via the conservation of untamed and dealing landscapes. Discover extra details about the challenge and easy methods to donate on the Three Rivers web site: www.3rlt.org. Sustain with challenge updates via the Three Rivers Fb web page, or by signing up for the land belief’s e-newsletter.
