Francis Small Heritage Trust Inc

CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROVIDE FOR OPEN SPACE, PUBLIC ACCESS, AND EDUCATION.

COMPLETED THE PURCHASE FORTY ADDITIONAL ACRES ON SAWYER MOUNTAIN, THE DRISCOLL PARCEL. THIS LAND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR LOW-IMPACT RECREATION INCLUDING HIKING, HUNTING, AND A SNOWMOBILE TRAIL. THE LAND IS NOW PERMANENTLY PROTECTED BY A FOREVER-WILD CONSERVATION EASEMENT HELD BY THE GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION GROUP, AN INDEPENDENT 501-C3 ORGANIZATION WHICH WAS GRANTED $1,000 TO AID IN THEIR STEWARDSHIP OF THIS PARCEL. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HIKE THIS PARCEL EVERY YEAR. WE ALSO PURSUED, BUT HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL LANDS FOR PUBLIC USE IN THE PORTER HILLS AREA OF OXFORD COUNTY MAINE. FINALLY WE CONTINUED NEGOTIATING THE HOLDING OF AN EASEMENT ON LAND KNOWN AS FOX FARM IN THE SAME AREA.

PROVIDED STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH ON APPROXIMATELY 1,400 ACRES OF LAND IN AND AROUND LIMINGTON, LIMERICK, BALDWIN, PORTER, AND CORNISH, MAINE. THESE PROPERTIES CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, ENJOYMENT, AND EDUCATION. STEWARDSHIP INCLUDED LAND TAXES, AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE. THE STATEWIDE RECOGNIZED RESOURCE HAS AN ESTIMATED 5,000 VISITORS A YEAR, INCLUDING SCHOOL GROUPS. OUTREACH INCLUDED DISTRIBUTING 1,000 FREE HIKING MAPS TO THE PUBLIC, ALL TO ENCOURAGE HIKING IN THE AREA. DESIGNED AND PRINTED A NEW HIKING MAP FOR THIS AREA. GRANTED $1,100 TO THE TOWN OF LIMINGTON AS PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES (PILOT). THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PAID LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES OF $3,952 IN LIMERICK, BALDWIN, PARSONSFIELD, PORTER, AND CORNISH EVEN THOUGH THE ORGANIZATION COULD BE TECHNICALLY EXEMPTED FROM SUCH TAXES. OFFERED GUIDED HIKES.

CONTINUED OUR EDUCATION OUTREACH TO LOCAL SCHOOLS THE "WATER LITERACY" PROGRAM ENTITLED "GET WET" INCLUDING TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM AND WATER QUALITY ISSUES. PROGRAM WAS REDUCED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS DUE TO COVID. APPROXIMATELY 125 STUDENTS WERE SERVED BY THE PROGRAM. A GRANT TO THE GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION GROUP (AN INDEPENDENT 501-C3 ORGANIZATION) OF $1,000 WAS GIVEN TO HELP PAY FOR A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR AND CLASSROOM SUPPLIES. WE ALSO ESTABLISHED A "FOREST CARBON WORKSHOP" AREA ON SAWYER MOUNTAIN WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN MEASURE THE CARBON CONTENT OF THE FOREST AND CAN INVESTIGATE WAYS TO MANAGE A FOREST FOR MAXIMUM CARBON SEQUESTRATION. APPROXIMATELY TWENTY VOLUNTEERS ESTABLISHED THE PROGRAM AND THE FOREST PLOTS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.