Standish Woodland Acquisition Fund
Maine Woodland Owners is raising funds to acquire a parcel of woodlands in the Town of Standish to add to 423 acres already held in our Land Trust nearby. This is an opportunity to increase this mosaic of intact forests and catalyze conservation in a part of the state facing increasing development pressures.
Protecting Wildlife Habitat, Water Quality, and Public Access
Only 30 minutes outside of Portland, Maine’s largest municipality, the land proposed for conservation in Standish, along with other remaining forests are the last line of defense for one of Southern Maine's few unspoiled watersheds. Watchic Lake is currently a well- protected body of water, a popular place for boating, fishing, and swimming, and serves as habitat for eagles, ospreys, loons and migratory birds. This acquisition will preserve public access for recreation such as hiking, hunting, and bird watching, and will continue serving as a working woodland.
An Incredible Opportunity
While we don’t usually purchase land - our Land Trust is made up almost entirely of donations - we now have an incredible conservation opportunity in the Watchic Lake watershed through the purchase of this 120 acre parcel. The map shows our current ownership in proximity to the proposed acquisition. In 2015, two anonymous donors gave Maine Woodland Owners its first parcel in Standish - 289 acres. In 2018, the organization took a huge leap of faith and raised funds to acquire an abutting 134-acre parcel, also at below market rate. Under our care, this additional parcel would be sustainably managed (it is well stocked with white pine and oak trees), conserved as forestland in perpetuity, and open to the public.
Thanks to contributions already received from foundations and individual donors, as well as pledges for donations, we are nearly halfway to meeting our goal to raise $300,000 to acquire the land by the end of 2024.
A Leap of Faith for Conservation
A Leap of Faith for Conservation
The original Watchic Woods Conservation Watershed parcel, shown with the yellow border, was 289 acres. The purchase of the second parcel (in red) allowed us to conserve another 134 acres of forest.
In 2018 we did something we have never done in our history: take out a loan to buy woodland for our land trust and expand our conservation “footprint.”
Purchasing the land was a stretch, but it was a decision the Board of Directors and staff saw as necessary. We already owned a significant parcel in Standish and a key parcel adjoining that holding came on the market, which would ensure access to our original parcel. This new piece represents some of the finest tree growing land in the area, as well as abundant wildlife, recreational trails, and water resources. With the acquiring of the second parcel, our total contiguous ownership increased to 423 acres.
