For Boothbay Harbor residents Maria Jenness and Travis Journagan, both work and play are tied to the natural world. Jenness is stewardship manager for the Maine Island Trail Association and Journagan is owner of Tidal Transit Kayak Company. Both are Maine kayak guides and spend a lot of their recreational time enjoying the outdoors in boats and on foot. That they are members of the Boothbay Region Land Trust is no surprise.  

Journagan may not have been born with a paddle in his hand, but he has made up for lost time since then. His youth was spent canoeing in the Ozarks of Missouri, and he went on to become a river and wilderness guide in Arizona and New Mexico. Arriving in Boothbay Harbor in 2001, Journagan began guiding for Tidal Transit, a company he bought in 2005.

Jenness grew up in Vermont but spent summers on Southport Island, so she has a long association with the region. She, too, is an avid paddler and began working as a kayak guide at Tidal Transit in 2005. Jenness worked for the Medomak Valley Land Trust in Waldoboro prior to joining the Maine Island Trail Association staff. 

Being members and supporting the Boothbay Region Land Trust is important to both Jenness and Journagan. 

“It’s a great community resource,” Jenness said, “Working for a non-profit, I know how important community support is to the success of the Land Trust.”

“For me, having publicly accessible land is a huge thing for people,” Journagan said. “It’s so convenient. Living here in town, we can walk to either Lobster Cove Meadow or Penny Lake preserve. I think the Land Trust is important to the health and well-being of the entire community.”

Journagan, Jenness and three-month-old baby Roy frequent Penny Lake and Lobster Cove Meadow regularly, but they are also drawn to the Land Trust preserves located on coastal waters. Ovens Mouth East and West and Porter Preserve, with their spectacular ocean and river views, are favorites.

“We also like to paddle to Indiantown Island, which feels almost untouched,” Journagan said. “We both love Damariscove Island. It’s a really special place,” Jenness added. 

As local business owners, they also understand that preserved land isn’t just important to residents; it’s a major attraction for visitors to the region.

“We work on an overall theme or feeling in town that this is an outdoor-oriented place. We have great sailing, kayaking and water-related activities, and great hiking as well. You come to Boothbay for the environment. It’s an outdoor activities destination,” Journagan said.

“I give out hundreds of Land Trust brochures every summer to my customers,” Journagan said. He added that customers frequently come back in awe of the beauty so easily accessible to everyone. 

Land Trust Executive Director Nick Ullo said, “We are pleased to provide so much opportunity for outdoor recreation and public access to land and water. Members like Travis, Maria and Roy are critical to our continued success.”

The Boothbay Region Land Trust would not exist without the support and generosity of its members. March is membership drive month at the Land Trust. To renew your membership or to join the Land Trust, visit them on the web at www.bbrlt.org, stop in their office on Townsend Avenue, or send your contribution to BRLT, P.O. Box 183, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

Sue Mello can be reached at 844-4629 or sumello@boothbayregister.com