Get Outside for Physical and Mental Wellbeing but do it Safely.

For Immediate Release

Media Contacts

Warren Whitney, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, wwhitney@mcht.org
Jeremy Cluchey, The Nature Conservancy in Maine, jeremy.cluchey@tnc.org 
Jim Britt, DACF, jim.britt@maine.gov

Get Outside for Physical and Mental Wellbeing but do it Safely.

AUGUSTA, Maine – Biking, boating, hiking, fishing, birdwatching, and other outdoor activities are great ways to stay healthy in the age of COVID-19 – provided they are conducted in accordance with all public health restrictions and guidance. As summer weather is fast approaching, Maine’s conservation and recreation communities, natural resource agencies, and outdoor brands developed the following checklists to help us all enjoy Maine’s outdoors in ways that are safe and responsible during this difficult time. Before you hit the trail, cast a line, or launch a canoe, please be sure to:

 Find the Right Time and Place

• Know What’s Available: Consider visiting a nearby Wildlife Management Area, or a less-trafficked state park, public land, or local land trust (Maine Trail Finder is a great resource!)

• Check before you go: While some popular conservation lands have closed recently due to overuse and crowding, the vast majority remains open to the public. Visit websites to see the latest information on closures or conditions. Please respect all property closures.

• Have a plan B: If the parking lot is full, the destination is too crowded. If your first destination has a busy parking lot, go to the next spot on your list!

• Avoid peak times: Get out earlier or later in the day.

Be Prepared Before Heading Out

• Expect limited services: Facilities like public restrooms could be closed, so plan accordingly.

• Dress for success: Be aware of current conditions and bring appropriate gear to match those conditions. Local outdoor brands are open for online sales and are available to give advice on appropriate gear and equipment.

• Support local businesses: Many local businesses – from restaurants and retailers to guides and lodges – are working hard to provide services in ways that are safe and in keeping with public health rules and guidance. If you’re comfortable, consider finding ways to support them while you’re enjoying the outdoors.

• Don’t take risks: Stick to familiar terrain and avoid unnecessary chances to avoid injuries, which add stress on first responders and medical resources.

• Be aware of the rules: Check before you go to see what activities are allowed. If dogs are permitted remember to bring a leash and to properly dispose of waste.

• Watch out for ticks and biting insects: Wear light-colored pants, closed-toe shoes, and apply EPA-approved bug repellent.

• Leave home prepared with sanitizer and disinfectant.

Heed All COVID-19 Health Warnings

• Practice social distancing: Stay at least six feet away from other people who do not live in your household. If necessary, step aside when passing other people on the trail.

• Don’t linger: Shorten your stay when visiting natural stopping points such as waterfalls, summits, and viewpoints so everyone can enjoy them while maintaining a safe distance.

• Bring a mask: When you’re in the vicinity of others, even with six feet of separation, a mask will help keep everyone safer.

• Don’t touch: Avoid touching signs, kiosks, buildings, and benches to minimize the potential spread of the virus.

• If you’re sick, stay home: It puts others at risk when you leave home while exhibiting symptoms related to COVID-19, or if you have recently been exposed to the virus.

If we all follow these guidelines and put public health first, we can enjoy Maine’s natural resources in safe and responsible ways as we work through this difficult time together.

Parking Areas, an update

We have updated our Property Guidelines page with some new information about our parking areas. Due to the coronavirus, natural areas and parks around the globe are seeing an increase in visitors. While we are thrilled to provide access to the outdoors, an increase in use does come with challenges. KLT always strives to be a good neighbor, to protect our natural resources, and to provide a positive experience for visitors.

Remember, even if hikers are able to be physically distant on a trail, it is not always easy to keep distant when there are too many cars in a lot or on a road.

Overcrowded parking lots can create safety hazards, particularly if they are on high-speed roads.

We continue to encourage you to visit nature in your own neighborhood or community.

Additional parking guidelines are below:

• Please be courteous of our neighbors. Never block driveways or roadways.

• Leave No Trace, always, including in parking areas.

• Most of our conservation areas have limited available parking. Please plan your outing during a time when the property may have fewer visitors (early morning, weekdays). If the parking lot is full, please move on to another location.

Please check individual property pages for specific information about parking.

People and the Land: Mark Robinson, Fayette town manager

By Jonah Raether
Kennebec Land Trust

FAYETTE — As town manager, Mark Robinson is very aware of the resources that make his town so special. The extensive shorelines of Lovejoy and Parker ponds, Echo Lake and other area ponds and streams are a draw for residents and visitors of all ages. The small population ensures a tight-knit community.
Robinson is also aware of threats to the community and the natural environment — the unstable future in the wake of climate change; local forests and waters threatened by the introduction of invasive species; the need for federal and state funding for education; concerns about the growing population of older individuals and their needs for future support as they age in place; and, as in many rural Maine communities, a concern about how a fast-growing population would impact the municipal budget and corresponding taxes for families and landowners.
He sees natural areas in Fayette as fundamental to addressing multiple issues at once, as long as the resources are sustainably managed with long-term consideration for future generations. In particular, large undeveloped and un-fragmented parcels of land, including those used for sustainable agriculture and forestry, or those providing “public value” through hunting, fishing or recreation, are resources that can benefit the entire community. These lands, mostly held by private landowners, provide valuable ecosystem services, like protecting drinking water, providing clean air, and helping mitigate climate change. Further, they help to ensure a viable
As an example, many of the largest parcels in town have dense conifers, lots of cedar, and large trees, all of which are requirements for a healthy deer wintering area. At a time when the number of DWAs across the state is declining, property owners in Fayette are helping to support their survival by keeping existing woodland intact. This is important to the town, because deer hunting brings visitors throughout the fall, and visiting hunters provide a boost for local businesses.
Ensuring sustainable wildlife habitat, however, is only one element of Fayette’s conservation goals. Robinson would like to see the “protection of a rural working landscape” all over town. In particular, there is a need for lands that are actively used for farming and forest management that will support and diversify the local economic base, while also contributing to statewide and global private and public conservation efforts.
The open expanses of land in Fayette are an asset to the community, but only if the parcels remain intact and undeveloped. Through partnerships and community-based land and resource management efforts, Robinson and the town are working to ensure long-term success for the community and the region.

In 2019, Kennebec Land Trust intern Jonah Raether interviewed five Kennebec County community members about their relationships and connections to the land and natural spaces. The Kennebec Land Trust works cooperatively with landowners and communities to conserve the forests, shorelands, fields and wildlife that define central Maine. The trust welcomes the public to explore its trails and properties, making their own connection with the natural world. For more information visit www.tklt.org or call 207-377-2848.

Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area Temporarily Closed

Last Updated: April 30, 2020 - 7:52pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 30, 2020

Contacts: Sarah Fuller, Chair, Winthrop Town Council, 207.446.6462; sarah@fullerink.com; Jeffrey Kobrock, Town Manager; 207.377.7200 ext 423; manager@winthropmaine.org

Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area Temporarily Closed

WINTHROP, Maine – The Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area, a popular hiking destination managed by the Town of Winthrop and The Kennebec Land Trust will be closed to the public beginning Friday, May 1, 2020. Despite signs requesting hikers use other recreational properties if the parking lot was full to ensure uncrowded trails and safe parking and road conditions, vehicles have been overflowing the lot and creating safety issues along the roadway.

The town, in conjunction with staff at the Land Trust, have attempted several tactics to keep the property open. Recent roadside parking bans designed to limit the number of people on the property at one time and maintain road safety were unsuccessful with people continuing to park along the road and on the private property of local residents, and created difficulty for service vehicles trying to access private homes along the road.  

“This is an unfortunate change as we recognize that people need places to get outside, but given the repeated flouting of parking and regulations designed to keep the number of people limited for physical distancing, trails safe, and the roadway uncongested, it’s a step we must take,” noted Sarah Fuller, Chair of the Winthrop Town Council. She added, “As conditions warrant, we will re-evaluate the situation and hopefully will be able to open Mt. Pisgah to visitors again soon.”

The area will be regularly patrolled by Winthrop Police and violators will be subject the Governor’s orders under against the Safer-at-Home regulations and may be fined.

The Kennebec Land Trust has been working with the Town to expand the existing parking lot at the Mt. Pisgah property but resources are still being collected and plans finalized to add several additional spaces. “More off-road parking would be welcome, and likely adequate under usual circumstances, but the number of cars we are getting along the roadway far exceeds even that potential capacity. Having people and cars lining the roadway is an accident in the making,” commented Winthrop Police Chief Ryan Frost.

Winthrop’s Emergency Management Agency will be examining the Town’s additional recreational facilities and what options are available as certain restrictions for public access and gatherings are adjusted based on the phased plan Governor Mills announced earlier this week.

For additional Winthrop notices:

As a reminder: people can sign-up to receive updates on the new town website under the section marked “Winthrop Alerts.” This new email notification system will provide updates as they are available, as well as on the Town’s Facebook page and those of the emergency departments (EMS/Ambulance, Police, Fire).

Questions for school-related activities and polices should be directed to Superintendent Dr. Cornelia Brown: 377-2296 x2001.

Questions for municipal-related activities should be directed to Town Manager Jeffrey Kobrock, 207.377.7200 ext 423.