LOVELL — Greater Lovell Land Trust (GLLT) has completed two more purchases, totaling 354 acres, to add to the 932-acre acquisition announced in December 2022.

The parcels, together with one remaining parcel still to be finalized, will create the land trust’s largest conservation area,1,300 acres in western Maine.

The two new holdings will expand the frontage on the Kezar River to over two miles and add the slopes and top of Patterson Hill, with its expansive views of the White Mountains and the surrounding landscape. Located in the southeast corner of Lovell, along the Waterford and Sweden town lines, the complete “Kezar Corridor Lands” will include forests, ponds, wetlands, and recreational opportunities for public use.

The Land for Maine’s Future Program and U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest Program provided a combined $445,000 toward the total cost of this second phase of the Kezar Corridor project, and the Open Space Institute’s (OSI’s) Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund, which supported GLLT’s 932-acre purchase in 2022, also contributed. Several other generous donors, including The Conservation Fund through its Oxford County Land Conservation Grant Program in partnership with the Stifler Family Foundation, and many private individuals, helped to complete the fundraising campaign for this special project.

This phase of the Kezar Corridor project involved two separate landowners, both of whom agreed to hold these important properties for the two years of the fundraising campaign. The large riverfront property, which also includes falls and drops along one and a half miles of Patterson Brook, was part of the 15,000-acre Chadbourne Tree Farm holdings that were purchased by The Conservation Fund in 2020 through an affiliate to protect the iconic and historic working forest and enhance public recreation opportunities on the land. The national nonprofit prioritized the acquisition through its Working Forest Fund®, which is dedicated to mitigating climate change, strengthening rural economies and protecting natural ecosystems through the permanent conservation of at-risk working forests.

The second property, a very special 23 acres encompassing the summit of Patterson Hill, was critical in fulfilling the overall project vision. Owners, Wade and Mary Staniar, who are longtime summer residents of Lovell, have owned the property, with its spectacular view from a 950-foot-high summit, for many years. The hilltop is a popular destination for hikers and from the snowmobile and ATV-trails that access it. The Staniar family was inspired to make this important property a legacy for the future. It will be a key recreational feature of the complete Kezar Corridor Lands property and the major conservation project. 

“We are very grateful for the vision and generosity of the landowners and the donors in support of the conservation mission of the land trust. Their support of our work, and their commitment to the future will be enjoyed by all for generations to come,” said Jill Rundle, president of the GLLT. “We are proud to be a part of sharing that legacy with the community and stewarding these important lands and waters for the benefit of all.”

“GLLT and our partners also thank the Maine U.S. congressional delegation, Senator King, Senator Collins and Representative Golden, for their continued support of the Community Forest Program, which played a crucial funding role in completing this project.”

OSI’s Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund supports land protection along the Appalachian Mountain range, an area that is home to the world’s largest broadleaf forest, stores most of the nation’s forest carbon, and provides essential refuge for plants and animals at risk of habitat loss from climate change. The Fund is capitalized with major support by the Doris Duke Foundation in addition to support from other private foundations.

“The successful protection of these lands is a resounding achievement toward the Open Space Institute’s long-term efforts to protect the fragile forests of the Northern Appalachians, and the wildlife they support, in the face of climate change,” said Joel Houser, OSI’s Director of Capital Grants. “We thank the Greater Lovell Land Trust for their tireless efforts to secure these lands, forever.” 

The Kezar Corridor Lands project is adjacent to other conserved properties owned by GLLT, by the State of Maine, and by private landowners who have placed conservation easements on their properties in the Kezar River watershed. The corridor of conserved woodlands and waterways totals nearly 2,000 acres and includes the entire shoreline of Dan Charles Pond and more than two miles on both the Kezar River and Patterson Brook. Some of the area’s iconic features are found in this larger landscape, including Sabattus Mountain and the historic Eastman Hill Stock Farm. The area is part of the headwaters of the Saco River system, and also supports native brook trout habitat, important waterfowl habitat, hiking trails, managed forests, a state-recognized groundwater aquifer, and more. 

GLLT will be completing the Kezar Corridor Lands project later this spring with one final purchase of 30 acres along the Kezar River. Watch for new signs, new trails, and learning opportunities in the months and years to come. In the meantime, visit the GLLT office or go to gllt.org for more information, and feel free to explore the 1,300-acre landscape on your own.