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Exciting News - Plans for a Great Pond Preserve II
We are thrilled to let you know that CELT has a contract to purchase a 20.99 acre parcel of land adjacent to the Greenbelt Trail at Great Pond. We are very fortunate that our purchase of this property, which has been on the open market for many years, is finally coming to fruition. This acquisition is the first new conserved parcel for CELT in over four years.
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A view into the woodlands near Great Pond
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I would like to thank the CELT Lands Committee and Board, landowner Barry Glew, and our prior Executive Director, Chris Franklin who set this process in motion. We will soon be able to extend the Great Pond trail network into the beautiful woodlands and vibrant wetlands of this new parcel. I look forward to leading an introductory walk on the property after
August 1st, the closing date
. We will announce celebratory events in a future newsletter!
For now, we will be holding informational community meetings in neighborhoods near the property. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Thank you for your support. By being a member of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, you make this work possible!
Cynthia Krum
Executive Director
Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
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We've Scheduled Several Fun Outdoor Events This Spring
 Due to very popular demand - our generous CELT volunteers have agreed to take us on a second
Nighttime Owl Walk this month. Erika Carlson Rhile, Lisa Gent and Tony Owens will help us learn about and search for owls, the evening of March 30th (7 - 8:30 p.m.) We'll start the program with slides and recordings of owl calls, then carpool to several sites in town. Using an audiotape of owl calls, we'll stroll quietly while trying to locate owls by sound and sight. Bring a flashlight and wear quiet walking shoes or boots.
Participants should be prepared to stand outdoors quietly for 10-20 minutes at a time. (Sorry, but no children under the age of 16 can attend.) All participants must
register at least 48 hours in advance (and will receive notification of changes or cancellation).
Later this Spring, we'll be exploring Ram Island Farm. Join us April 9th (9 - 11 a.m.) for a very special event:
A Winter Tree Identification & Cottontail Habitat Discussion.
Sprague property managers John Greene and Todd Robbins will treat us to a rich lesson in tree identification, as well as share insights on how we might improve the New England cottontail habitat. This unique opportunity to visit one of Cape Elizabeth's most beautiful properties, while learning about nature in Maine, is not to be missed!
Visit our website for more details and registration information. Our
Upcoming Events page has additional listings.
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Alewife Monitoring This April - Calling for Volunteers
 Thanks to the town of Cape Elizabeth Conservation Commission offering matching funds, CELT has a compelling proposal into the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) to support CELT oversight of alewife monitoring in Alewife Brook. Although contingent upon funding from CBEP, the plan is to start monitoring by April 15th. Since this is only a few weeks away, we've begun compiling a list of volunteers who would be available to assist with this project.
Monitoring will take place at
8 a.m.
every three days between
April 15th and June 15th
. If you would like to be on the volunteer list, please call Cindy or Katye at the office (767-6054). CELT plans to coordinate training and to supply waders!
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Come Experience Our 'StoryWalk' in Robinson Woods
As part of Cape Elizabeth's Authorfest 2016, CELT will host a StoryWalk at Robinson Woods. Merging reading and hiking, StoryWalk is a great way to hit the trails and take in a goo
 d story at the same time! Beginning April 4th, visitors to the Robinson Woods Preserve Wildflower Trail will see
posted along the trail sides, excerpts from the sweet and inspiring storybook,
And Here's to You, which is written by David Elliott and illustrated by Randy Cecil. The book's publisher, Candlewick Press, has this to say about
And Here's to You:
"Here's to the birds and the bears and the bugs! Here's to the weird and wacky, the cute and creepy! From toothy fish to ... sleeping cats to lick-lick-lick-lick-lick-lick dogs, every creature is unique and lovable ... especially you! The infectious joy of David Elliott's wonderful read-aloud poem and Randy Cecil's brilliant, amusing artwork is sure to have children reciting along. Here's to exuberant read-alouds! This picture book ode to joy invites us to celebrate the world's vast diversity -- and feel pretty happy with our place in it, too."
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An Innovative Way to Give: Conservation Tax Credit
In December 2015, Congress made permanent the federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations. The federal conservation tax deduction allows landowners to deduct all or part of the value of a donated easement. The Land Trust Alliance summarizes that the tax incentive:
- Raises the deduction a donor can take for donating a conservation easement from 30 percent of his or her income in any year to 50 percent;
- Allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100 percent of their income;
- Extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take tax deductions for a voluntary conservation agreement from 5 to 15 years.
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Trundy Point; photo by June Eiesland
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The now permanent tax incentive can be a win-win for both landowners and land trusts wishing to protect land. The Land Trust Alliance has compiled
a rich resource page which includes a brochure for landowners, frequently asked questions, and a memo from the IRS. It's a must-read for those wishing to learn more about the Conservation Tax Credit.
The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust recognizes that each property and each landowner is unique. We encourage landowners who may be considering the donation of land or of a conservation easement to contact us to learn more about this innovative way to give (and receive!). We're happy to talk with you about the Conservation Tax Credit, what it means to hold an easement, and the criteria that CELT uses to evaluate property acquisitions.
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Naturalist's Corner:
A Short 'Tweetment' of Bird Nesting Behaviors
Last week I started to notice all sorts of signs that spring was upon us, such as the daffodil bulbs popping up around the CELT office. I also noticed a little bird nest in the woody shrubs
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Last year's nest next to the CELT parking spaces.
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next to our parking spaces, looking a little disheveled from winter but still firmly attached to the branches. As I write this, there is fresh snow on the ground, and the beautiful snowflakes just keep coming! But it's clear that the inexorable march of the seasons has turned toward spring, and we are entering prime nesting season.
This nest near our parking lot is unlikely to get used again. Most birds build new nests every year, and if they typically lay two clutches of eggs, will even build new nests for each clutch. Herons and birds of prey will build upon the same nest each year, and as a result their nests are often very large platforms of sticks and twigs with a firm foundation. Other birds rely more on camouflage than structure to
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Shorebird eggs are well camouflaged in their rocky 'scrape.'
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protect their eggs. Many shorebirds simply scrape their feet along their preferred substrate to make a ground nest called a 'scrape,' where their highly camouflaged eggshells blend with ease.
Our little nest is neither of these types. It is about four feet off the ground and about five inches in diameter. It's primarily constructed of twigs and sticks, with some mud packed down in the center. Based on these characteristics, I think it likely belonged to a robin or gray catbird, which wasn't very afraid of humans and their cars. I hope the bird comes back this year and constructs another nest close by.
Keep an eye out yourself these next few weeks to see what nests - and nesting behaviors - you can find! - Linden Rayton, CELT Education Coordinator
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Share your Experiences in Robinson Woods
We're coming up on one year since the
Robinson Woods Access Plan was put into place May 1st,
 2015. Within the next couple of weeks we'll be circulating a survey to collect feedback on your experience at Robinson Woods within the plan's first year.
We'll distribute the survey link via this newsletter platform. (So if you you receive this newsletter, you'll receive the survey too.) We will also make it available on our website and post about it on the CELT Facebook page.
Thank you, in advance, for taking the time to engage with us about this very special property.
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Planning to Assist with a Clean up Project for Earth Day?
Earth Day is April 22nd! What better way to celebrate than with a good old-fashioned cleanup? Whether you're picking up pieces of errant trash that may have been plowed into y
our yard over the winter, or tackling a neighborhood cleanup with a team, being well-prepared is the key to safety and success. We recommend compiling a cleanup toolkit containing these helpful items:
 Gloves - rubber-tipped gloves are great for picking up sharp objects; - Bags galore - trash bags for trash, paper bags for recycling, Clynk bags for redeemable bottles and cans, several small bags for dog waste;
- A trash picker for hard to reach items;
- A first aid kit, sunscreen, and bug and tick repellent;
- Water and snacks.
Most importantly, be sure to dispose of the collected items appropriately. Our earth and oceans will thank you!
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Seasonal Trail Updates Regarding Bikes and Dogs
This early, wet spring means lots of muddy trails;
CELT properties are currently closed to bikes. We're following the Cape Elizabeth Conservation Commission's determination on when to re-open trails. Please do heed the open/closed signs on our properties so that together we can keep our trails safe and healthy for the long haul. Thank you!
Also, a trail update for dog owners:
 Now that we've "sprung ahead" to Daylight Savings Time, regular off-leash hours have returned to Robinson Woods. Dogs are allowed off-leash at the Robinson Woods II Pond Trail before 10 a.m. daily. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the Robinson Woods I Outer Loop Trail only after 4 p.m. daily.
As a reminder, dogs are required to be on leash at all times along the Canter Way Trail and the Wildflower Trail. Complete details of the Robinson Woods access plan can be found
here.
Dog waste bags are available at the kiosk at Shore Rd. Please clean up after your dog and please do not allow dogs to swim in ponds or streams.
Happy trails!
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