Whiskeag Field Project— Success!
We are absolutely delighted to officially announce the success of the Whiskeag Field Project!
Please read the official announcement letter from KELT’s Executive Director Becky Kolak— and join us on April 5th to toast the Field!
March 29, 2024
Dear Friends of Whiskeag Field,
On behalf of the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT), I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your donation to the Whiskeag Road Field project in Bath! We are delighted to announce that thanks in part to your generous donations, we have officially raised the necessary funds to close on this special property! We are honored to be entrusted by our community with stewarding this natural space, and we are so pleased that we can officially welcome these 10 acres into the vibrant network of conserved land within this region of Maine.
For every new property KELT acquires, we work with our Stewardship Team to determine the natural and human-community resources associated with each parcel. We will be conducting a thorough assessment of the ecology of Whiskeag Field to ensure that we understand the role it can play as wildlife habitat in the region, as well as looking at how the Field can be incorporated into the bordering Sewall Woods Preserve and Whiskeag Trail. Due to the community-driven nature of this project from its inception, we will be offering a public engagement period to discuss the next stage of the project, during which we want to hear your ideas about how this field and forest can best serve the Bath community. Make sure you are signed up to receive KELT emails so you can stay informed with the latest news from the Field! (Visit www.kennebecestuary.org/sign-up if you do not yet receive our emails.)
Our closing date is set for April 5th, and as a supporter of this project, we’d love for you to join us for a happy hour to celebrate this milestone! Please join us at KELT’s office (872 Washington Street, Bath) any time between 4 and 6 pm on Friday, April 5th– we’ll have cake, beers and non-alcoholic beverages for all! Parking is available along Washington, Summer and Linden Streets and at the library. We look forward to being able to thank you in person for your support of this project!
Sincerely,
Becky Kolak
KELT Executive Director
You can still donate to Double Your Impact!
KELT HAS BEEN AWARDED A MATCHING GRANT CHALLENGE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN!
The Paul H. Johanson Foundation generously awarded a matching grant challenge (up to $100,000) for the second half of the Community Campaign to conserve Whiskeag Road Field.
The Community Campaign to conserve this property has closed, but all donations are still being matched!
Give today toward this project and your donation will be matched one-to-one. $25 becomes $50! $1,000 becomes $2,000!
Donate today!
Questions? Contact Becky at bkolak@kennebecestuary.org or 207-442-8400.
THANKS TO SHARON DRAKE REAL ESTATE FOR THEIR GENEROUS MATCHING CHALLENGE DONATION OF $10,000!
how did this project come about?
The Whiskeag Road Field Project is entirely possible thanks to the Bath community! The story begins in September, when this beautiful property went on the market. If you spend time in Bath, you know the one: a sunny open field backed by forest on the corner of Whiskeag Road and High Street — seen on the way to a hike at Thorne Head Preserve or bike ride through Sewall Woods. Neighbors came to KELT and asked how we could collaborate to conserve the parcel out of passion for preserving Bath's natural spaces. KELT moved quickly to place the parcel under contract, and now we need your help.
How can you help?
Due to the community-driven nature of this project from its inception, we will be offering a public engagement period to discuss the next stage of the project, during which we want to hear your ideas about how this field and forest can best serve the Bath community.
This is what community conservation looks like: you tell us what natural spaces you care about, and we strive to use our expertise as an accredited land trust to protect and steward those spaces for generations.
SUPPORT WHISKEAG ROAD FIELD PROJECT TODAY!
Project Details
Your support of this project will:
Protect field and forest that have been a part of Bath’s scenery for decades. Once a part of Governor William King’s historic estate, this scenic parcel has graced the corner of High Street and Whiskeag Road for decades. An undeveloped street corner in our bustling City – it’s a rare opportunity!
Enlarge a popular network of contiguous conserved lands and trails. These 10 acres directly abut the entrance to Sewall Woods Preserve — a public preserve minutes from downtown Bath, just south of Thorne Head Preserve, and linked by the popular Whiskeag Trail. It will ecologically safeguard upland pine-oak forest and native meadow habitat, along with a section of creek that empties into the Kennebec River.
Provide the opportunity to expand recreational opportunities, educational programming, and community well-being. KELT has decades of experience as a community-focused land trust in balancing visitor and wildlife needs. With plans to solicit community input, KELT desires to utilize the land in creative and sustainable ways that will engage our neighbors and visitors of all backgrounds to foster lifelong appreciation for the estuary’s diverse landscapes, which is central to KELT’s mission.
as of March 2024; Click to enlarge
Property Features:
10+ acre parcel that directly abuts the 117-acre Sewall Woods Preserve and the Whiskeag Trail, a 5-mile multi-use trail that runs throughout Bath
A short bike ride, walk, or car ride from downtown Bath
An open field that can provide habitat for native plants, wildlife, and pollinators as well as sustainable outdoor community spaces
Questions? Contact: Becky Kolak, KELT’s Executive Director at (207) 442-8400 or bkolak@kennebecestuary.org
