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Paint for Preservation - Tenth Annual Wet Paint Auction
Tickets on Sale May 1st!
Mark your calendar for July 9th for CELT's tenth annual Wet Paint Auction!
Thirty talented artists from Maine, Massachusetts, Delaware and Pennsylvania have been chosen from a highly competitive field. Many thanks to Kelley Lehr and John Danos, new owners of Greenhut Galleries, who, along with gallery founder Peggy Greenhut Golden, selected this accomplished group of artists. Visit our website to see samples of the participating artists' work. 
Our signature summer event will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the home of Tilly Hagen on Breakwater Farm Road in Cape Elizabeth, overlooking Richmond Island. The catered reception will feature a live auction of "wet" artwork painted en plein air throughout the weekend, along with sales
of unmarked mystery boxes containing smaller paintings. With live music and a delicious array of locally sourced foods from Cape native and chef
Brett Cary, this an event not to be missed.
Be sure to
get your tickets
before they sell out!
We look forward to celebrating some of Cape's most beautiful vistas with these artists, and with you and your friends!
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Need a Gift? How About
a Membership in CELT?
May and June are filled with many gift-giving opportunities: Mothers' and Fathers' Days, graduations, weddings, birthdays, retirement parties....
Instead of trying to remember what you gave someone last year, celebrate a special occasion with a gift membership that your friends and family members will enjoy throughout the year, and for generations to come.
When you give a membership to CELT, your loved one will be welcomed into the community of dedicated individuals committed to protecting Cape's most treasured places. Your "giftee" will receive:
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Courtesy of Mary Anne Cary
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a personalized card announcing your gift,
- a map showing Cape Elizabeth's public access trails,
- opportunities to join in walks, talks and myriad stewardship activities,
- updates on conservation efforts and invitations to special events throughout the year.
And if you give before August 31st, CELT will include a $10 coupon to any local participating farm!
Most importantly, your donation will help to preserve and protect the beautiful and treasured landscapes of Cape Elizabeth. To make your gift, go to our website or call Patty Renaud in our office at 207-767-6054.
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Upcoming Events this Spring
Vernal
Pools and Wildflowers in Robinson Woods
Learn about Cape's natural habitats and their unique flora and fauna from naturalist Tony Owens.
 Little Explorers
Join Lisa Gent on a gentle hike through Robinson Woods to search for birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plant life. Lots of hands-on exploration and games included!
Medicinal Herb Walk
Mischa Schuler, owner of Wild Carrot Herbs, will guide a walk through Robinson Woods, to see the plants reawaken to spring. Our evening will be rich with herbal folklore.
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Invasive Plants Management is an Increased Focus in Robinson Woods Preserve
It's well established that a wide range of invasive plant species negatively impact the natural habitats that CELT is focused on conserving. CELT Stewardship volunteers and local school groups have made progress in recent years with eliminating stands of Japanese Barberry, Asiatic Bittersweet, Honeysuckle, and other invaders using manual pulling methods. This has created opportunities in the wooded understory for native plants to reestablish and begin to flourish in several locations.
 However, one plant has become particularly aggressive in woodland and field habitats at Robinson Woods, and CELT is weighing options for how to effectively manage this in the years to come. Black Swallowwort has been spreading from a neighboring property and has enveloped hundreds of square feet near Belfield Road and in the meadow. The trend is for this infestation to accelerate if not addressed by CELT. Learn more about this plant from the Maine Natural Areas Program.
In 2016 volunteers manually cut the mature plants to reduce seed dispersal, but this was only a stopgap measure that is unsustainable and unfortunately won't effectively contain, no less eliminate, these plants. This habitat restoration project will have many benefits including conservation of monarch butterflies that are attracted to, but then poisoned by Black Swallowwort.
CELT is now considering several management alternatives including targeted mechanical and herbicide treatment. Stewardship is working with local and regional subject experts to assess the cost and benefits of alternatives on the environment, visitors, and the organization. Expect to hear more on this important initiative in the months ahead.
To learn about volunteer opportunities and share any comments on this initiative, email us at info@capelandtrust.org.
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Land for Maine's Future Marks 30th Year
Established by Maine voters in 1987, the Land for Maine's Future program celebrates its 30th  anniversary this year.
LMF has conserved more than 150 special places, totaling over 600,000 acres.
CELT is thankful for LMF assistance for the purchase of a Jordan Farm easement and acquisition of Robinson Woods I.
It has made Maine a more desirable place to live and raise a family, while strengthening some of our state's most important industries, including tourism, forest products, agriculture and fishing.
Key
to
the program:
- expanding public access to the outdoors has greatly expanded the availability of world-class outdoor recreational opportunities for citizens and visitors alike;
- supporting communities by making investments in land trust and municipal properties has provided a catalyst for community development, spurring partnerships among landowners, municipalities, small businesses, and other local organizations that have strengthened their communities;
- bolstering local economies by conserving 40 farms, 24 commercial waterfronts, and more than 250,000 acres of working forestland has been vital to these industries. At the same time, expanding public access for hiking, hunting, birdwatching, snowmobiling, and fishing have greatly benefited the state's tourism economy;
- broad public support for the publicly funded LMF has been shown through six bond issues that have been overwhelmingly endorsed by Maine voters.
There has never been a better time to get out and enjoy the incredible bounty that LMF has made available to the people who love Maine. Take a moment this year, with friends and family, to experience these special places for yourself. To learn more about the
properties protected by LMF
, visit the
Land for Maine's Future website.
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Watch for Signs to be Installed in Robinson Woods
We are excited and very grateful to have received a grant from the Ed Meadows Conservation Fund to  provide interpretive signs for our Robinson Woods Preserve. The signage will help educate visitors about the unique ecological features and human history of the 146-acre preserve which is a favorite of so many school children, walkers, mountain bikers, Nordic skiers, snowshoers, and dog-walkers.
Later this fall, you'll begin to see the signs at various points around the preserve. An Education Subcommittee has been instrumental in creating the signs, and they'll be installed and maintained by our devoted Stewardship Committee,
Funds for this project were provided by the Ed Meadows Conservation Fund of the Maine Community Foundation in honor of Ed's parents who instilled their love of nature and commitment to community service in him. Ed Meadows was Maine Department of Conservation Commissioner from 1988-1995 and Director of the Bureau of Public Lands from 1987-1988. For over 40 years Ed played a key role in the conservation of millions of acres in Maine, Michigan and other states, working in partnerships with land trusts and public agencies. Maine Coast Heritage Trust partnered with the Maine Community Foundation to administer the proposal process.
Unfortunately, this project is not yet fully funded, and the effort will require more support to fully accomplish our goals. Please contact Cindy Krum or
Patty Renaud (207-767-6054) if you'd like to help with this important project.
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Naturalist's Corner:
Ticks and Lyme Disease Prevention
All ticks are parasites. They feed off blood from various hosts, sometimes needing more than one host to complete their lifecycle. Their lifecycle progresses from an egg to a larva, to a nymph and then to an adult.
 Deer Tick (
Ixodes scapulars
, sometimes called the "blacklegged tick"): These ticks transmit Lyme disease, caused by a bacterium called
Borrelia burgdorferi
, which they acquire from feeding on small mammals (not deer!). They are mostly found in mixed forests, and along brushy edges of fields and suburban landscapes.
American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis): These ticks do not transmit Lyme disease. There may be other tick borne diseases, please research if you are interested. They're easily distinguished from other ticks by their larger size and ornate patterning. 
Lyme Disease Prevention: Most ticks are in vegetation at ankle and calf level. Wear light-colored pants when hiking; those make it easier to see ticks. Wear long socks, and tuck your pant legs into your socks. When using pesticides, only use those that claim to repel ticks. Apply pesticides to your shoes, ankles and calves. Check yourself for ticks every night, paying special attention to your waistline and pelvic area. Use mirrors or a partner to check your back. Some believe drying clothes at high heat after returning from the outdoor environment will kill any ticks.
Lyme disease transmission from an attached tick takes 36 hours. Experts do not recommend sending in ticks for Lyme disease testing because it takes a long time for the results to come back, and the tests are not very accurate. If you think you're at risk for Lyme disease, see your doctor right away; immediate treatment with antibiotics is very effective.
Please
click here
for more information, including news about Lyme disease in pets.
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Linden Rayton, CELT Education Coordinator
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From Our
Executive
Director...
Over 450 people participated in this year's Maine Coast Heritage Trust's Maine Land Conservation Conference April 22nd. CELT had a strong showing with seven participants! I was particularly moved by the keynote address: The Poetics of Place, Home and Nature by Richard Blanco. He powerfully conjured images describing his sense of belonging to nature and culture. His poetic depictions reminded us of the hope many of us hold that the lands to which we're most attached will not change over time.
Anne Carney, our Board President who participated in conference workshops, reported that it was,
 "neat to spend the afternoon with a lot of people who are dedicated to conservation, working on mini-mappettes, watercolor maps that reflected their personal favorite conservation place." The workshop was facilitated by Molly Brown, another Cape resident. Anne also enjoyed, "a cold and rainy walk on the Pleasant Hill Preserve's universal access trail." If you haven't yet been to the trail, it's close by in Scarborough!
Linden Rayton, our Education Coordinator noted, "I was particularly impressed by two workshops I attended, one about Acadia's Youth Technology Team and the other about Native tribes and land conservation. From the first, I learned about the way Acadia has supported youth in creating incredible photography and videography for the park, and became committed to visiting the park as soon as possible! From the second, I learned about the budding partnerships between Native tribes and land trusts, and the deep emotional and legal work that those partnerships are fostering."
Being part of such a large gathering of people committed to protecting special Maine lands and connecting community members to these properties was very inspiring for all of us. If you'd like to participate in this conference next year, please let me know.
Cindy Krum
CELT Executive Director
Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
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