The Woodie Wheaton Land Trust

Three of the Chiputneticook Lakes
(From Forest City, NB looking west across northern Spednic, Mud and southern East Grand Lakes, toward Weston, Maine in the distance.)
Photo - Courtesy of the St.Croix International Waterway Commission

...to Protect and Preserve Land and Waters in the Chiputneticook Lakes Region of Maine and New Brunswick.

A FRAGILE COUNTRY:
The lakes country of the northern St. Croix watershed is one of nature’s gems. Rolling hills and unbroken forests meet unspoiled waters to create miles of granite-strewn shoreline, an area bountiful in fish and wildlife and soothing to the soul. Here lies the longest undeveloped stretch of boundary water east of Ontario and Minnesota, where you can sense wildness and taste serenity.

The shorelines and vistas of the Chiputneticook Lakes - North, East Grand, Mud, Spednic and Palfrey, offer remote and pristine values that have been lost elsewhere. Can we preserve these treasures?

Changing land ownership on both sides of the border, increased development and recreational use, as well as the fragmentation and over-harvesting of our forests are among the factors that can irrevocably alter our lakes region. Some of the things we have always taken for granted, such as unbroken shorelines, the sounds and sights of nature, and tranquility, are now at risk.


A COMMUNITY RESPONDS:
Observing these and other changes, a small group of Maine guides and local citizens in the Forest City area put together one of the first proposals before the Land for Maine’s Future Board. They garnered support from all quarters. This effort resulted in the State of Maine’s 1993 purchase of a 523-acre peninsula lying between Spednic and Mud Lakes including a magnificent stand of first-growth forest, the American side of Mud Lake Falls, conservation easements along the Spednic Lake Road and the outlet stream from East Grand Lake and fee simple ownership of four miles of lakeshore.

The success of the Spednic acquisition ignited the passion of many people to do more to defend the wild and natural beauty of the lakes region. It also provided a cornerstone for the preservation of important tracts of shoreland for future generations to enjoy. The Woodie Wheaton Land Trust was born in November 1994 when potential development of a small out-lot on Mud Lake, in the middle of the State of Maine acquisition, threatened the natural integrity of the earlier effort. The land trust raised money through contributions, shared the purchase cost with the State, and preserved the property in its original wooded condition.


WHAT IS THE WOODIE WHEATON LAND TRUST?
The land trust is a group of citizens like you, who share a genuine affection for the Chiputneticook Lakes region, and who are willing to do what they can to protect the natural beauty and remaining wildness of the area. Named for a legendary Maine guide who died in 1990, the land trust defends the lakes and shore lands of the northern St. Croix watershed.

Dedicated to preserving natural areas and habitat for the benefit of the general public, the WWLT works quietly on a willing buyer–willing seller basis. As a nonprofit corporation, the land trust can own property, engage in conservation easements, and use other conservation tools. The WWLT is not an advocacy group, although it will encourage and advise landowners, public and private, to manage their property with good stewardship and priority for natural values.

The Woodie Wheaton Land Trust is incorporated in the State of Maine as a nonprofit conservation organization (1995), has Internal Revenue Service status as a Section 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, and is governed by its own bylaws. Business is conducted by a diverse thirteen-member Board of Directors and group of officers. The WWLT is a member of the Maine Land Trust Network and has a good working relationship with many state and regional conservation organizations.

WWLT has received formal recognition or awards for its outstanding conservation work from the St. Croix International Waterway Commission, Maine Governor Baldacci, Wagner Forest Management, Inc. and the Northern Forest Alliance. By 2005, more than 270 families and individuals were members, representing local citizens in both Maine and New Brunswick, and many distant states. Like you, these folks have a great affection for the lakes area and want to give something back. Their financial support has made a real difference. By 2009, our membership has exceeded 480.

Wild Iris
(Photo by Bill Walton)

SOME WWLT ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

1994: Cost-shared a small lot on Mud Lake and guided its sale to the State of Maine as part of an earlier Land for Maine's Future Board (LMFB) acquisition. This property is currently managed by Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

1995: Actively promoted a 500-foot-easement along more than 16 miles of Spednic shoreline conveyed by Baskahegan Company to the State of Maine through LMFB funding. Also part of the transaction was the fee simple purchase of seven islands including Walker, Monument, and Woodie Wheaton Islands. One unnamed island has an active eagle’s nest.

1996-1998: Purchased 25-acre Birch Island and Little Birch Island on Spednic Lake, which were threatened by cottage development. Secured major grants from Wildlife Forever and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with additional help from the Chiputneticook Lakes International Conservancy and many individuals. Birch Island was later transferred to the State with strict deed covenants to protect public use for low intensity outdoor recreation. Little Birch Island remains forever wild under WWLT ownership.

1999: Urged the Province of New Brunswick to maintain the wild character of Crown lands along the entire St. Croix waterway. Upon purchase of Georgia-Pacific woodlands in N.B. in 2001, the Province created a 63,966-acre Protected Natural Area along the east side of Spednic Lake. The WWLT accepted, with forever wild provisions, the gift of Freda Island, lying in the outlet stream of East Grand Lake, as a second island holding.

2001: Completed the ambitious Spednic Lake/St. Croix River Project, protecting a 500-foot-corridor along 50 miles of pristine lake and river frontage in collaboration with the New England Forestry Foundation, the State of Maine, and the St. Croix International Waterway Commission. This $3 million project was conceived and nurtured by WWLT and brought to fruition with the help of many individuals and organizations. The WWLT retains an easement along 15 miles of Spednic Lake’s shoreline now owned by the State of Maine.

2003-2005: Actively participated in the Downeast Forest Conservation Easement spearheaded by NEFF and Downeast Lakes Land Trust to extinguish development on 315,000 acres of working forest in Washington County. The easement protects 6500 feet of shoreline on East Grand Lake, commercial forest abutting conserved lake frontage, and 155 acres in Forest City.

2006: Our East Grand Lake Initiative (to conserve a 5,000 acre forest tract with 20 miles of waterfront along East Grand Lake) included an extensive land use and market analysis of the subject property, contact with partner organizations, the commercial landowner and a community outreach program to develop and solicit public support for a future conservation effort. We staffed a booth at the Danforth Summerfest and visited local cottage owners via canoe.
The land trust targeted additional properties and approached those land owners regarding our interest in working with them to develop a viable conservation option for their property. These properties include the Castle Road landing site on Spednic Lake, the Forest City landing site on Spednic Lake, lands along the Thoroughfare, the headwaters of East Grand Lake and other lake front lands in the Town of Orient along East Grand Lake
We started to plan for the Woodie Wheaton Land Trust Conservation Center to build the land trust’s capacity for addressing future land conservation needs, a 2,000 sq. ft. building, to conduct the business of the land trust and offer environmental interpretation opportunities. The building will also be available for use by other community organizations.
We developed an official newsletter as a tool to inform members about our activities, offer organizational transparency, and bring to light important conservation needs and opportunities.
To ensure the future effectiveness of our organization we began a strategic planning effort in December 2006.

2008: The WWLT provided financial collateral to the Downeast Lakes Land Trust of Grand Lake Stream for it's project to conserve a 22,000 acre parcel of land along West Grand Lake. For ten weeks during the summer, we hosted two graduate student interns who were charged with visiting many shorefront campowners to familiarize them with our East Grand Watershed initiatives ... the forerunning process to develop a base of members with which we hope to activate our plans to conserve and preserve all undeveloped shorelines on the northern Chiputneticook Lakes of East Grand Lake and North Lake along with contributary waters of The Thoroughfare and Deering (Longfellow) and Brackett Lakes.

2009: The construction phase of the Woodie Wheaton Land Trust Conservation Center was completed and its large meeting room was dedicated to the memory of Burton Gwirtzman, a long time friend and benefactor. An Endowment Fund was activated and funded for the WWLT Center and, with a major bequest from the Estate of Robert C. Hector, an Operations Endowment Fund was activated. A Properties Endowment and a General Operations Endowment Fund were also authorized by the WWLT Board of Directors.

PRESENT & FUTURE: The WWLT continues to work to conserve shorelands on East Grand, Brackett, Deering and North Lakes, providing stewardship for previously conserved properties, seeking protection of traditional public water access sites, and exploring new opportunities to protect undeveloped lands on both sides of our international border. The WWLT continues to work to educate and inform landowners and the public on wise land management and conservation practices.

Finally, as we continue to wrap-up our current campaigns, new land conservation opportunities are emerging that are huge, one-time and cannot be postponed out of convenience. They will soon dominate our focus and energy.

Preparing Lunch
Guides Alva Harriman & Bud Brooks (working) with sports Don Wissel, Jim Curley, & Bob Horsman (watching, hands in pockets)
(Photo by Bill Walton)

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Become a member! Your support and enthusiasm are important. WWLT accepts contributions of all sizes and all are tax deductible. A donation is all that is needed to establish membership in the WWLT. These funds directly work for the protection of this area and provide an important anchor for obtaining matching grants. If you can afford a substantial gift, please consider the benefit it will provide for future generations. Contributions may also be made in the form of appreciated stock or a charitable bequest in your will, all of which will help sustain our work. Memorial gifts are a meaningful legacy to those who loved this special area. Woodie Wheaton Land Trust accepts gifts of local land or conservation easements, and will work with property owners toward good stewardship of their land. Families are increasingly turning to WWLT to protect the property for which they have a special fondness.

Get involved. Your ideas, contacts, energy and time are all part of a successful organization. We need you ... become a member of the Woodie Wheaton Land Trust.

Membership contributions may be made and mailed to:

"Woodie Wheaton Land Trust"
William P. Walton, III, Treasurer
82 Schoolhouse Road - BOX 2
Orient, Maine 04471-4204

WWLTmembers <AT> aol.com

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