Local lands are beginning to see the effects of climate change, Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT) Director Nick Ullo told an in-person and Zoom audience of about 35 July 29 at Boothbay Region Historical Society’s third guest lecture. 

Ullo also presented a slideshow, “Preserving Land in the Boothbay Region: The Story Behind Thirty-five Miles of Nature Trails.”

“The mission of  (BRLT) is to conserve for the public benefit the natural habitat, scenic beauty, and working land of the Boothbay region,” explained Ullo. “Our vision is that of a community that's really engaged in things like land use planning, maintaining clean air and water, and the biological diversity of our region.”

BRLT was founded in 1980 by a group of concerned citizens to preserve the habitat surrounding Little River Dam in East Boothbay. In 1983, Nathaniel Porter donated his land on Barter’s Island which would become Porter preserve, the trust’s most popular preserve. BRLT expanded Porter’s preserve to include Robert’s Wharf and allows lobster fishermen to store and load their gear there.

“When people say, ‘Well, where can I go to kind of experience that Rachel Carson coastal Maine,’ I send them to Porter’s. It is that quintessential coastal Maine spruce forest, and it's gorgeous, with beautiful views. It's even a wonderful place to visit in the winter,” said Ullo.

BRLT is one of 84 land trusts in the state. Ullo explained there are so many trusts because 94% of the land in Maine is privately owned. “For a state that relies so heavily on its natural beauty for hunting, fishing, visitors (and) relies on outdoor recreation, there’s a major concern because if private landowners decided that it was too big of a concern to let people continue to recreate on their land they could close it to the public.”

This is why Maine has some of the strongest landowner liability protection laws, said Ullo, but because people (mostly out-of-staters) don’t know this, they still privatize. Trusts have formed in reaction, to preserve and maintain public-use lands. BRLT conserves lands in the Boothbay Region, Southport and Edgecomb.

Ullo also highlighted Indiantown Island, Lobster Cove Meadow, Wildcat Creek’s Zak preserve and Damariscove Island. Ullo was a caretaker on Damaricove for seven years and it’s one of his favorite preserves. In 1604, the first year-round colony was established on the island but it had been used for decades as a seasonal fishing outpost by Native Americans and European colonists. Damaricove was also reportedly visited by the Plymouth colony and the Mayflower. 

In 2018, BRLT acquired Oak Point Farm on Hodgon Cove. The 1800s farmhouse has become BRLT’s visitor center and headquarters. The organization has been working to make the area accessible and hopes the two thirds of a mile trail will be open to everyone regardless of mobility in the next few weeks. BRLT will also begin construction on a natural play area for children and families. 

“As a nonprofit that relies on charitable contributions, we feel an obligation to make sure (our preserves are) accessible to everybody and that we are helping to develop that appreciation for the natural environment,” said Ullo. “So that way, we continue to have supporters into the future.”

BRLT has no current plans to acquire more land and is focusing on maintaining its 16 preserves (1,169 acres). BRLT has seen increased shoreline erosion due to rising sea levels resulting from climate change. “The land trust is not currently taking steps to address that. However, one of the considerations is properties that are going to be more resilient to the devastation of climate change,” said Ullo. BRLT is instead focusing on how to continue the preservation of habitats, such as marshes, that may migrate with the rising sea levels.