This article is reprinted from the LEWISTON SUN JOURNAL
Realizing a dream
By Donna M. Perry, Staff Writer
October 13,2004
Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
WORTH THE EFFORT: Weld General Store owner Jerry Neering, who
is also a Tumbledown Conservation Alliance member was one of many
to work hard to conserve for public access nearly 26,000 acres in
the Tumbledown Mountain/Mount Blue State Park region in Township
6 North of Weld and Weld over the last five years.
WELD - It wasn't the mountain setting planned for the
celebration, but it didn't seem to matter.
State leaders and residents joined Tuesday to celebrate the
conservation of nearly 26,000 acres in the Mount Blue State
Park/Tumbledown region.
Townspeople decided five years ago to protect land around the
park, the mountains and the hiking trails from development, to
keep them for public use for future generations.
Members of the Tumbledown Conservation Alliance sold their dream
to state and federal officials, land conservation groups, members
of the public and six private landowners.
A partnership was formed, and they worked together either to buy
the land outright or conserve it by easement to ensure public
access.
Tuesday's festivities were to be held at the overlook on Center
Hill Road, where the mountains and Webb Lake could be seen. An
hour before the ceremony, because of rain and predicted high
winds, the event was moved inside. People began preparing Weld
Town Hall for the event.
Conrad Heeschen of Wilton, a member of Tumbledown Conservation
Alliance, attached corn stalks to a post in the hall. Pam Prodan
of Wilton, another alliance member, set pumpkins and flowering
cabbages in front of the podium.
Mount Blue Park Manager Bruce Farnham worked on a computer to
project a picture of Tumbledown to a screen while his wife,
Dianna, spread leaves on the floor.
Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
MEET THE SENATOR: U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, talks to Weld
Elementary School students Tuesday in Weld before a celebration
of protecting nearly 26,000 acres of land in the Mount Blue State
Park and Tumbledown Mountain region. Students asked Sen. Collins
for her autograph and she obliged.
Members of the Trust for Public Land set up food and information
tables.
Jerry Nering, owner of the Weld General Store and a member of the
alliance, described the mood.
"They're very happy," he said.
'This is a gem'
Federal, state and private funds were used to protect 7,464 acres
inside the park, as well as 18,311 acres on Tumbledown Mountain,
including public hiking trails. There were 13 separate real
estate transactions, five public funding sources and more than
800 private donations.
The money came from $4.27 million in appropriations secured by
the Maine congressional delegation from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Forest Legacy Program, grants totaling $2.61
million from the Land for Maine's Future Program, a $370,000
grant from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, $100,000
from other state funds, and more than $500,000 from private
donations.
Both Gov. John Baldacci and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said
during their speeches that the area around Mount Blue State Park
and Tumbledown Mountain has been listed as one of the best
recreation and vacation areas in the U.S.
Both praised the efforts of those involved in making the dream
become a reality. Others praised Baldacci and former Gov. Angus
King, the state's congressional delegation, and state legislators
and departments, along with conservation organizations.
"I can't think of another land conservation effort I am more
proud of in the state of Maine," Collins said. "This is
a gem."
The conservation effort is not only about protecting the
mountains, speakers said, but also protecting working forests,
water and air quality, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat,
recreation and tourism, and is about creating jobs.
People's initial concerns about land's coming off Weld's tax
rolls were eased once people learned that most of the land was in
state tree-growth protection, and that development comes at a
cost because it usually means more services will be needed,
Nering said. Plus the majority of land was in the township, not
the town, he said.
"I think it's a very good thing," Weld Selectman Laurie
Pratt said. "It's definitely a beautiful area and I think
there is a lot of growth in Weld. It does take it off the tax
rolls," she said, "but it brings people in. It's kind
of a balance."
By 11 a.m., the hall was filled with people, including a number
of children from Weld Elementary School.
Chelsea Frey, 11, sitting next to friend Karen Schwartz, 12, said
she thought the conservation effort was good.
"I think it would be good for people," Frey said.
"People don't really have many places to hike around
here."