NEWS:
Land Trust Receives $35,0000 For Repairs on Damariscove
A $35,000 grant from the 1772 Foundation has been awarded to the Boothbay Region Land Trust for structural repairs and the installation of public restroom facilities on Damariscove Island. The island, five miles offshore from Boothbay, provides working waterfront facilities to local fishermen as well as a destination for boaters who visit to spend the day hiking or picnicking.
The grant will allow the land trust to complete repairs to the historic stone pier used by fishermen and to replace the ramp and dock used by visitors to the island, This work will provide safe access to the island for fishermen, visitors, and students participating in the educational programs that fulfill part of the land trust’s mission. The funds will also be used for much-needed work on the caretaker’s cottage, including roof replacement, and work on the building’s sills and siding. The land trust also proposes to build a public bathroom facility with two composting toilets and their enclosure.
In March 2005, The Nature Conservancy transferred to the land trust ownership of the 210-acre Damariscove Island, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places because of its importance to the early history of New “England. Between the 2004 and 2005 summer seasons, the caretakers logged an increase of 1,200 visitors on the island, emphasizing the need for improvements.
Damariscove is part of an archipelago of islands that stretch from the mouth of the Damariscotta River to the mouth of the Sheepscot. It is the largest of these islands and sits at the entrance to Boothbay, leading to Boothbay Harbor and Linekin Bay. The northern part of the island is a bird sanctuary with restricted access during the breeding season.
Acquisition of Damariscove fits well into the land trust’s mission to preserve the special beauty and natural resources of the region, which encompass a broad range of coastal, island, forest, meadow and wetland properties. Providing educational opportunities about the wildlife, ecology, conservation and local history is an important part of that mission.
BRLT President William Logan said that he was grateful to the 1772 Foundation for awarding the $35,000 grant. “Damariscove Island has always been an important and intriguing part of the Boothbay region’s history. This grant will allow us to make it more accessible to our local population – students, fishermen and folks just wanting to walk on the island – and to visitors who are curious about the islands off of our coast,” he said.
The 1772 Foundation was named in honor of its first restoration project, Liberty Hall, the home of New Jersey’s first Governor William Livingston. The foundation’s mission, which has been carried out throughout the country, is to preserve and enhance historical buildings. In Maine, the foundation has awarded grants to about 20 organizations, including The American Lighthouse Foundation, Cape Elizabeth; the Nickels-Sortwell House, Wiscasset; Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland; and the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum in Owl’s Head.
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