Circle this one on your calendar for interesting things to do coming up in the Windham area as Presumpscot Regional Land Trust has scheduled a “Daylight Savings Hike” from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8 at the East Windham Conservation Area.
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| Maine Master Naturalist Jeanne Christie will lead a 'Daylight Savings Hike' on Sunday, March 8 at the East Windham Conservation Area sponsored by the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. The hike will explore how plants and animals respond to more sunlight and milder temperatures in nature. COURTESY PHOTO |
The hiking group will learn how plants and trees change from dormant to vibrant, why some birds show up early, how hibernators wake up, and more.
A posting promoting the event on the PRLT website says that this is a slow walk with many stops to observe signs of spring and talk, so dress warmly with footwear appropriate for early March. There may be snow and/or icy patches from Maine’s normal freeze and thawing from winter, so plan for the possibility that hiking poles or ice cleats may be needed for added stability.
The East Windham Conservation Area was conserved in September 2023. The Town of Windham owns the outdoor recreational site, and the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust holds a conservation easement on the 700 acres of land, which is the size of Bradbury State Park. This area is now part of a 2,000-acre conservation corridor and is larger than any state park in Southern Maine.
This project is the largest wildlife habitat, clean water, and recreational trail corridor in Greater Portland. The Trail access corridor provides a 30-mile trail network connecting Lowell Preserve, North Falmouth Community Forest, and Blackstrap Hill Preserve.
Land at the site is 99 percent forested and includes 661 acres with 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, some 38 acres of wetlands and numerous headwater streams. Through its conservation, the area helps to protect the water quality for Little Duck Pond, Highland Lake, Forest Lake, and the Pleasant River. About 10 miles of new multi-use trails have been built at the site by the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and the land also includes a 150-acre Deer Wintering Area, a traditional site for hunting by permission, and the 580-foot Atherton Hill, the tallest spot in Windham.
With its completion, the East Windham Conservation Area directly abuts more than 1,000 acres of other conserved land in Windham and Falmouth, including Lowell Preserve, North Falmouth Community Forest, and Blackstrap Hill Preserve, providing 20 miles of interconnected trails and five trailheads for public access. It has become part of the largest wildlife habitat and trail access corridor in the Greater Portland area, providing 2,000 acres of conserved land and a 30-mile trail network connecting Lowell Preserve, North Falmouth Community Forest, and Blackstrap Hill Preserve.
The funding to create the East Windham Conservation Area was about $3.7 million and included a $1 million grant from the Land for Maine’s Future initiative. In 2021, voters from Windham approved a $1.8 million conservation bond using open space impact fees and another $400,000 raised privately from public donations. A Land and Water Conservation Fund federal grant for $500,000 was obtained to pay for the infrastructure improvements at the site.
Activities offered at the site include hiking, running, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking and the property is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
The hiking event on March 8 is free to attend, but registration is required. To register, visit https://www.prlt.org/events and click on the Daylight Savings Time Hike. <
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