Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association board members welcomed two new conservation easement donors at a signing event at the SVCA offices in Newcastle November 20.

Margaret and Victor Atkins, owners of a 24-acre property in Head Tide Village in Alna, and Karyn and Daniel Townsend, owners of a 27-acre property in Whitefield, signed conservation easement agreements that will protect their lands from any future commercial and real estate development.  Both easements allow the land to be used for forestry and agriculture.

The Atkins property, on Head Tide Road, or Route 194 is located less than 600 feet from the Sheepscot River.  A stream that passes through the Atkins property flows into a portion of the Sheepscot that offers significant Atlantic salmon nesting and rearing habitat.  This makes all the more valuable the property's forested land along the tributary, helping to preserve that stream's water quality.  Also of interest is the fact that the property is contiguous with a chain of large landholdings running north from Route 194, unbroken by paved roads for six miles, recognized by the State of Maine as an area offering critical wildlife habitat.

"I suppose you might say we did it for the salamanders," Victor Atkins said in explaining why he and Margaret decided to grant the easement.  "We both teach at two Audubon Nature Sanctuaries and that has made us increasingly aware of the need to preserve unfragmented areas of natural habitat not just for salamanders but for all manner of nature's infinite variety"

The Townsend property, on Head Tide Road north of Head Tide Village, is largely woodlands and has 860 feet of forested Sheepscot River frontage.  Its location directly upstream of Atlantic salmon nesting and rearing habitat adds importance to the undeveloped quality of this frontage.  The extensive woodlands on the property also offer significant wildlife habitat and scenic value to the surrounding community.

Daniel Townsend said "To some degree, Karyn and I granted a conservation easement on our 27 acres because we view it as a way to contribute to the community. The goals of preserving green space and protecting natural habitat are, of course, motivating factors for us. Perhaps we hope that our action will serve as some small example that will motivate others to consider taking similar steps with their lands. But at its essence, we donated the easement for purely selfish reasons -- we want to be sure that this little piece of the north woods and riverfront, with which we have fallen in love, is never in danger of being developed and lost. What we did was simply the right thing to do, for us."

Conservation easements allow a landowner to retain the ownership of his property while restricting selected future uses of the land.  These restrictions are captured in a deed, recorded at the county registry and run with the land forever, even if the land is sold or given to future owners.  The Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, as the land trust holding the easement, takes on the responsibility, forever, to ensure that those restrictions are upheld.  Monitors for the Association visit properties yearly to meet with the landowners and ensure that the easement is being honored.  Executive Director Maureen Hoffman said, "Donors like the Atkins and Townsends are helping us keep the Sheepscot River the healthy ecosystem and scenic treasure that it is today.  Their easements will benefit all of us who love the river."

The Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association is a member organization advocating shared stewardship of Maine's 58-mile Sheepscot River since 1969.  Today, more than 2,200 acres and 13 miles of riverfront are protected.  The SVCA's ongoing monitoring of water quality helps ensure the watershed's ecosystems stay healthy, including its Atlantic salmon habitat.  SVCA's mapping services, technical support and educational programs encourage prudent land use so the resources people value today are conserved forever.

For more information, visit www. sheepscot.org or contact SVCA at their headquarters at 624 Sheepscot Road, Newcastle, ME 04553, phone 207-586-5616, e-mail s vca@sheep scot.org .