Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is pleased to announce the installation of four new interpretive panels along the trails at the Salt Bay Farm Preserve. The displays were funded by the Maine State Archives and the Maine State Cultural Affairs Council through the Maine Semiquincentennial Commission, a grant program that funds inclusive, community-centered initiatives honoring Maine's past and inspiring its future as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. 

Coastal Rivers’ interpretive signage project invites visitors to explore how natural resources have shaped human life in the Damariscotta region for thousands of years. They connect past and present land use through the stories of oysters, alewives, timber and shipbuilding, and farming. 

Developed in partnership with Green Goat Maps, the 24- x 18-inch signs feature historic photos and detailed narratives that connect visitors to the evolving human and ecological history of the Damariscotta River and Great Salt Bay. To ensure historical and scientific accuracy, the project drew on insights and consultation with local historians, representatives from the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration, area oyster farmers, and researchers at the Darling Marine Center. 

"Our goal with this project is to encourage visitors of all ages to see themselves as part of an ongoing relationship with the natural world and gain a deeper understanding of how local history connects to Maine’s and the nation’s broader story," said Amelia Neilson, conservation coordinator at Coastal Rivers. 

Each of the four panels highlights a specific cornerstone of the region's environmental and economic heritage. The first panel focuses on oysters, showcasing the Damariscotta River's ideal habitat, from the ancient shell mounds built by Native Americans over thousands of years to the region’s nationally renowned modern oyster aquaculture. 

The second panel explores alewives, highlighting the historic and ongoing importance of the spring alewife migration while examining both the historic impacts of dams and modern community efforts to ensure safe fish passage at the Damariscotta Mills. 

The third panel details timber and shipbuilding, exploring the legacy of historic local shipyards and illustrating how past shoreline clearing for timber brought immense wealth to the area while fundamentally altering the bay's natural ecosystems. 

The final panel traces the agricultural history of Salt Bay Farm from early colonial pastoralism to the modern organic growing practices of the Twin Villages Foodbank Farm, which currently utilizes the land to supply fresh produce to local food banks. 

The new signs are now on permanent display and open to the public. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to walk the Salt Bay Farm trails to experience the new installations firsthand. 

For more information, email info@coastalrivers.org or visit coastalrivers.org.