Our next trail crew session will be on Thursday, April 11th, starting at 8:30 AM. We'll meet at the parking lot for the Kelsey Brook trailhead on Litchfield Road. Please note that this is the parking lot at the beginning of Litchfield Road, not the one further down at the end.

During this session, we have several tasks to complete along this section of the trail network. These tasks include refreshing the painted blazes, repositioning a couple of bog bridges, installing the new bridge over Kelsey Brook, and dismantling the old bridge. Additionally, we'll be cutting back hemlock branches and limbs along the trail.

For equipment, FCT will provide paint, brushes, wire paint scrapers, a crowbar, a come-along, rope, loppers, and a couple of hammers. We may also require a scraper or two and possibly a couple of pairs of loppers. If you have any of these tools, please bring them along.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Jonathan Dawson at jonathan@freeportconservationtrust.org.

Hello Team! For this session, we’re excited to continue our efforts on the Kelsey Brook trail. Join us as we gather at the parking lot located at the beginning of Litchfield Road at 8:30 AM on Thursday, March 7th, 2024.

This time, our focus will be on blazing the trail up to the washed-out bridge and installing the much-needed new bridge. Let’s cross our fingers for calmer weather ahead! If time and energy permit, we'll also work on removing the old, damaged bridge—perhaps disassembling it and hauling some pieces back to the parking lot. Additionally, we'll be installing cables to secure the new bridge and prevent future washouts.

Since we'll be using paint, please wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting splattered. Don’t forget your gloves, boots, and a couple of loppers or metal-bristled paint scraping brushes. The Freeport Conservation Trust will provide paint, brushes, containers, and more.

Your participation is invaluable to the success of this project! Let's come together as a community to make a lasting impact on our beautiful trails. Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to Jonathan Dawson at jonathan@freeportconservationtrust.org.

See you there! Let's make a difference together!

Workshop: Imagining safe walking and bicycling in Freeport. Monday 12/4 @6:30pm in the Bradley Rm. of Freeport Community Services. The event is sponsored by Connect Freeport, Complete Streets, FreeportCAN, & Freeport Conservation Trust. Details: Want to ditch your car and use streets and trails to walk or bike to the grocery store, the library, Winslow Park but don’t feel safe? Come learn what safe walking and biking looks like and give us your feedback.

Join us for our next trail crew session from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM on Friday 11/3/23.  FCT will be partnering with Wolfe's Neck Farm to build some stairs and a retaining wall.  Tools will be provided so all you need to bring is energy and a pair of work gloves.  We'll meet at the operations barn on Burnett Road and hike in.  (Take Flying Point Road to Lower Flying Point Road to Burnett Road-- the operations barn is the sheet metal building on the right after the field.)  Questions?  Contact Jonathan Dawson at jonathan@freeportconservationtrust.org. 

For more information please go to: https://freeportconservationtrust.org/s/revised-sc.pdf

Please join us on Sunday, October 15 at 2 p.m. for a nature walk at Antoinette Jackman Trail led by Jack Flanagan.  Jack plans to look for clues that will tell the history of the land use and note the various habitats.

The first Casco Bay nature tour sold so quickly that we are offering second tour with Captain Peter Milholland aboard the Pamela B.  The trip is scheduled for Monday, June 12, from 10 am to noon, with a rain date of Saturday, June 10.  From the boat, we’ll view the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick, and Harpswell as we search for osprey, eagles, eiders, Common Terns, an occasional seal basking in the sun on the ledges, and note local aquaculture activity. We will also highlight the islands protected by FCT.  The cost is $30 per person.  Sign up early to save your spot..  Bring binoculars and a warm layer.  Meet at the Freeport town wharf in South Freeport.  There is parking behind The French School of Maine on South Freeport Road.

Join FCT for a Casco Bay nature tour with Captain Peter Milholland aboard the Pamela B.  The trip is scheduled for Sunday, June 11, from 10 am to noon, with a rain date of Saturday, June 10.  From the boat, we’ll view the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick, and Harpswell as we search for osprey, eagles, eiders, Common Terns, an occasional seal basking in the sun the ledges, and note local aquaculture activity. We will also highlight the islands protected by FCT.  The cost is $30 per person. Bring binoculars and a warm layer.  Meet at the Freeport town wharf in South Freeport.  There is parking behind The French School of Maine on South Freeport Road.

The Frost Gully Brook Dam Removal project, a partnership of organizations and individuals including the Freeport Conservation Trust, will begin this month. The Dam Removal project represents a significant effort to restore the habitat and ecosystem of Frost Gully Brook and its surroundings, by removing dams, managing invasive species, and reintroducing native plants. FCT is hosting a public walk to showcase the changes that will be coming and the impactful benefits of the damn removal project. Please join us for this fun and informative short walk. Please meet at the Frost Gully Kiosk at 9:30am on June 11th. If you have any questions please contact carrie@freeportconservationtrust.org.

You are invited to Freeport Conservation Trust's Annual Meeting

Wednesday June 7, 6:00 p.m.

Bradley Rm. Freeport Community Center 53 Depot Street

The evening will feature Freeport resident Bob Olney's wildlife videos in the Little River Watershed. Followed by local artist Michael Boardman talking about his Art, Sketches, and Stories of Climate Change and connections from Maine to the Arctic. Michael has been a strong advocate for conservation and uses his artwork to raise awareness about the importance of protecting natural habitats. His paintings have been featured in exhibitions and have won numerous awards. FCT Past President Ed Brainard said, "Michael has noted migrating birds that he’s seen nesting in the Alaskan Arctic stopover at FCT Walsh Marsh preserve. It’s rewarding to see the value of FCT’s work locally and in a larger context."

Please join us for a gathering at 6:00 p.m. with a program to follow at 7:00 p.m. Register at

freeportconservationtrust.org or call 865-3985 x212.

FCT & FCS have teamed up to offer guided, gentle walks on local trails this spring. Walks are led by Jonathan Dawson, FCT Stewardship Coordinator. The fifth installment of 2023 will be Thursday, 5/18, 10:00 am. The age-friendly guided walk will be at Tide Brook Preserve. Please park at the trail head located at 38 Bartol Island Rd.. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

This workshop, presented by Jefferson Navicky, centers our love and grief for the natural world. He will discuss a wide range of poems, spend time outdoors in Jackman Woods, and reflect on and write about our own experiences with loss. For more information or to register please go to www.jeffersonnavicky.com/new-events.

Please join us from 8:30 to 10:30 on Thursday 5/4/2023 for a trail maintenance / improvement session at our Frost Gully Preserve. The trail head is located at the back NE corner of the Burr Cemetery on Route 136 (aka 56 Durham Road) in Freeport. Please park in the gravel parking lot at the trail head (and not at the crematorium). There’s a stream restoration / dam removal project happening on Frost Gully Brook early this summer and we’ll be touching up the trail system in anticipation of a higher than usual volume of visitors. We will focus on trimming back over-hanging branches, cleaning up small blow downs, building an 8 foot bridge to replace the one smashed by a fallen giant silver maple, touching up trail blazing and if time permits creating a trail spur so visitors can observe the restoration / dam removal work. FCT will bring its assortment of tools (new pole and Fiskar saws, loppers, etc.). Please bring gloves and drinking water for yourself. Questions? Please contact Jonathan Dawson at jonathan@freeportconservationtrust.org.

Please join us for a slow walk at Freeport’s beautiful Florida Lake trails to look for signs of spring. April 16th @ 3pm-4:30pm. Lead by FCT volunteers Lucy Birkett and Ed Brainard. We’ll focus on some very cool wetland plants, look for Maine’s first bloomers (which may surprise!), and discuss seasonal phenology (biological life cycles, and how they line up with the seasons/climate, and critters). Perhaps we’ll see and hear spring migrating birds as well. Bundle up, observe, learn, share, and be amazed! We'll gather at the parking lot. Rubber boots recommended. Everyone welcome, all ages.

FCT & FCS have teamed up to offer guided, gentle walks on local trails this winter! Walks are led by Jonathan Dawson, FCT Stewardship Coordinator. The fourth installment of 2023 will be Thursday, 4/13, 10:00 am. The age-friendly guided walk will be at Pettengill Farm. Please park at the trail head located at 31 Pettengill Rd. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

Please come and support Freeport Conservation Trust and Freeport Community Services for Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day. All donations will be going to both organizations.

FCT & FCS have teamed up to offer guided, gentle walks on local trails this winter! Walks are led by Jonathan Dawson, FCT Stewardship Coordinator. The third installment of 2023 will be Thursday, March. 16th at 10:00am. The age-friendly guided walk will be at Hidden Pond. Please park at the trail head located at 135 Grant Rd. We will bring snow shoes to share if conditions are snowy.

Please join Lucy and Ed for the next FCT Nature Walk. We'll be led by birder, naturalist, and watercolor artist Michael Boardman, along with FT volunteers Ed Brainard & Lucy Birkett. Bundle up, observe, learn, share, and be amazed! We'll gather at the Parking lot by the gate. Bring binoculars if you have them and remember to dress in layers as the weather can be unpredictable.

Please join Freeport Conservation Trust and Maine Coast Fishermen's Association for a presentation about local fisheries on 3/7, 5:30-7 pm. The panel presentation, "Fisheries in Our Town" will explore the variety of seafood that is harvested locally and supports our economy, working waterfront, and feeds our community. From clamming to lobstering and aquaculture, the breadth of our marine resources is impressive. Please visit freeportconservationtrust.org to learn more and register for the event.

FCT has exciting things happening this summer with the dam removal and restoration of Frost Gully Brook. In preparation for that work, the March Trail Session will be cutting down a few trees to create space for some heavy machinery to access the dams. Please meet us on Thursday 3/2 at 8:30 at the Frost Gully Preserve parking area located at 56 Durham Rd. We'll hike in about 1/2 mile and get to work. Tools du jour: 2-3 chainsaws, 2 limb loopers, peavey, log hook or two, a couple small buck saws, gloves. Please contact Jonathan Dawson with questions, jonathan@freeportconservationtrust.org