Phippsburg Land Trust Mission

The Phippsburg Land Trust preserves, protects and stewards special wild and natural places in Phippsburg for the benefit and education of our children, grandchildren and future generations.

The properties of Phippsburg Land Trust are open to all, year round, free of admission from dawn to dusk.

Phippsburg Land Trust 50th Anniversary Celebration

Join us at Sebasco Resort, Thursday, August 15th, 2024 from 5 to 8pm.

Buy your tickets to the Phippsburg Land Trust Celebration Buffet Dinner -(you will be directed to a secure webportal to buy your tickets).

https://donorbox.org/events/634698

In 1974 several Phippsburg residents with a vision set about starting something that at the time was a relatively new and potentially divisive idea; land conservation for public benefit.

In those fifty years, the support offered by the community has helped the land trust preserve some of our most unique and beautiful places – all done by volunteers! This is a special year for us, one where our mission is on full display. After 50 years, multiple generations have been able to enjoy Phippsburg’s special places, and will continue to do so for the next 50 and beyond.

Join with other members to celebrate our accomplishments and volunteers since 1974!

$50 per person, you may pay via Debit or Credit Card with the link above or mail a check to Phippsburg Land Trust, PO BOX 123, Phippsburg, ME 04562

Summer Hiking at PLT

Summer is upon us, and the weather can still change “if you wait a minute.” We encourage you to enjoy the Land Trust trails this time of year keeping in mind that our preserves are open dawn to dusk. Be aware that the woods may be more humid, if less sunny than your backyard. Prepare carefully; sturdy, waterproof boots, with good traction are recommended no matter the weather, downpours can be unexpected and create large puddles quickly. Hiking poles will help you navigate those puddles. If you discover impassible areas that are flooded, please let us know via our Facebook page.

Please refrain from walking off the trail to avoid muddy spots. Walking off the trail to avoid mud or water widens the trail, and in the long run will make the puddle/mud problems worse. If you find a section of trail that you think requires our immediate attention, please email us at Stewardship@phippsburglandtrust.org and we will asses the problem.

Questions can be directed to phone 443 5993 and we will be glad to get back to you.

Don’t forget about Ticks, they are present all year…

Many of us believe this is the best time for hiking the Maine woods, and Phippsburg is no exception – but remember the ticks are still out there, and this time of year looking for the meal that will hold them through winter. Ticks should be assumed to be present at any PLT preserve. Better safe than sorry.

So some basic preventative measures will help:

Stay on the trails – Ticks are more likely to be found in the leaf layers and in thick undergrowth, less likely on the trail itself.

Tuck pant-legs into socks so that ticks can’t get to you, and wear light colors so it is easy to find and dispose of them. Your winter skiing gaiters can also do double duty as tick guards.

If you have dedicated hiking shoes/pants etc. treat them with Pemetherin and wear them when hiking — Pemetherin spray can be found locally, and clothing with the Pemetherin already in it is available commercially from several outdoor retail providers. For your skin, Deet has been found to repel Ticks very reliably, Picaridin effectiveness has not been fully established, but does repel other insects well.

Check yourself/loved ones/pets carefully at the end of your hike… and don’t forget that the ticks could be in the backyard as well.

Know your ticks – see this link – the Black Legged or Deer Tick is the one that is the biggest problem- and also, if you do find yourself with an attached Tick, that does not mean you are going to be infected with Lyme. You have (according to recent studies from Connecticut) up to 72 hours before an infection can be passed from the Tick to you. Of course if in doubt, consult your doctor.

Art in the Wild…

Artist Kevin Sudeith, a self-described “petroglyphist” has been working at various PLT preserves since being the speaker of our annual meeting in 2019. As petroglyph implies, his medium is the rock formations on the land which surrounds us. The artistic work integrates images of the world around us with the natural landscape itself; thereby creating a lasting record of the world as we see it now. Echoing the cave paintings of Lascaux and others, Sudeith’s work is perhaps the most permanent form of documentation, and centuries from now may inform the Phippsburg residents of the future of what we see today.

“Storytelling and documenting, in a lasting way, some of the cool stuff from our moment in time. My hope is that people see themselves in the images I carve and feel a place in history.” — Kevin Sudeith describing the purpose of his work.

One of the life sized petroglyphs in Center Pond

Sudeith has completed several petroglyphs already on the Cooley Preserver at Center Pond, and is near completion of a larger work at Ridgewell Preserve; and would like to complete further carvings. However says Sudeith, “the most memorable petroglyphs are those that are suggested by community members, images that speak directly to their image of the community, I can only get those ideas from community members.”

Kevin’s work can be found in person by following purple circular blazes at the above named preserves. In addition you can see more work at Petroglyphist.com , and if you would like to help Kevin cover his expenses and get rewarded for this volunteer work you can support it (tax deductible) here: Phippsburg Petroglyph project

Visiting PLT properties, things to consider.

Outdoor spaces are a wonderful piece of free medicine at all times, but especially now, and as such PLT preserves will remain open to the public from dawn to dusk; overnight parking is prohibited at all of our preserves.

Our preserves tend to have small parking lots, which means if the lot is full, there may be no other safe parking area. To maintain safety for our visitors and those driving the roads, including first responders, we ask that if the parking area for the preserve you were planning to visit is full, consider a visit to a different preserve for this trip.
Many of our preserves are surrounded by private properties. Please be aware of this, and do not stray onto adjacent properties. Please keep dogs under control at all times, and prevent them from straying onto private property as well.
We adhere to CARRY IN – CARRY OUT principals; please help to keep our trails clear of human debris (and pet deposits) so all walkers can enjoy the outdoors at our preserves.
Trails are often narrow. If other walkers are approaching to pass from the opposite direction or overtaking your pace, please step off the trail to allow for safe physical distancing even outside.
As much as we might wish to, we cannot control the ticks, mosquitos, or blackflies on our preserves. So come prepared and exercise good tick control measures.
The Phippsburg Land Trust relies on volunteers to monitor and maintain our preserves. Please let us know if there is a problem with a trail (like a fallen tree, for example) so we can keep our trails accessible! Call 443-5993 or email stewardship@phippsburglandtrust.org

Please enjoy our preserves, and stay safe and healthy!

Paying Our Share — Thanks to Member Support

Dogs are Welcome on Land Trust Property

We get this question periodically, so to be clear about our policy – dogs are allowed on lands owned by the Phippsburg Land Trust. In accordance with Maine state statutes, and Phippsburg ordinances, all dogs must be under the control of their owners at all times. Many of our properties are adjacent to private property, and as well behaved our dogs may be off leash in our own yard; new sights and sounds may elicit a different response at a preserve. As such while in our parking lots, please keep your dog leashed. As with anything else, please use common sense: do not allow your dog to threaten or interfere with wildlife, and remember that dog owners share our preserves with other walkers, who may feel threatened by your dog’s enthusiasm, no matter how well-intentioned. Please keep your dog nearby, so that you are able to ensure others (wildlife, humans, or other pets) are not harmed. We also expect that you “carry out” any waste, especially when near a water body, including bogs, streams or vernal pools. Finally, be sure your pet wears orange during hunting seasons.

Be aware that for lands where the Land Trust holds an easement, landowner policies may differ. Some easements, such as Mary’s Woods, involve passing through a landowner’s yard and near their home. To preserve the privilege of bringing your pet to these lands, be sure your dog is a well-behaved guest.

Help us in 2024: Volunteer!

At this time, Volunteer events will be back in full in 2024, information on a Fall week long event, along with several other Stewardship workday events through the early summer. We will of course make every attempt to accommodate any safety needs required. The Land Trust is a volunteer organization. We rely on the volunteer help of interested members of our community like yourself! If you are willing to help please email us at volunteer@phippsburglandtrust.org . No experience is needed, check out our Volunteer page for more details, and to see our scheduled events!