Trolley Marsh Preserve Purchased by Land Trust

Over one hundred acres of open fields, young hardwood forests, mature pine, wetlands, perennial streams and marshland are now conserved by the Georges River Land Trust as a permanent asset to the Warren community and surrounding area for local residents to visit and explore. With grant funding from the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program and Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, the Land Trust negotiated a sale with the Anderson Heirs, a family with a long history in the area. Eva Turner, one of the heirs who recently passed away, raised her family nearby and remembers growing blueberries as well as using the expansive land to be outdoors and explore the historic trolley route that ran along the river in the 1900’s.

With this 113-acre parcel, the Land Trust will ensure the valuable habitats and historic features found on the property will remain intact. Next door to the Trolley Marsh Preserve, the Land Trust holds an easement on the Oyster River Winegrowers property, owned and managed by Allie Willenbrink and Brian Smith. These two properties provide significant protection along the river, as well as for the woodlands and open fields. Estuarine wetlands found on this portion of the St. George River are not just a priority for Georges River Land Trust but also for the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program which directs its funds to projects that restore, enhance, and/or preserve high quality natural resources throughout the state. In addition, the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund uses its funding to acquire and manage wildlife conservation areas of statewide significance.

The third of a mile of riverfront is home to coastal wading birds and waterfowl, and includes a large 18-acre salt hay marsh. This stretch of the river is inundated by the tides, and is a popular stretch of river to discover by boat. Eagles, osprey and great blue heron can be found swooping over the marsh, in search of food.