Royal River Conservation Trust

Are YOU interested in conducting basic trail maintenance and monitoring an RRCT preserve on your own schedule? Looking for a way to volunteer but can’t make it to Trail Crew? Join our volunteer Trail Steward Program! Volunteers are assigned to a preserve and are our eyes and ears, inspecting the trails year-round, after storms and normal wear and tear. We currently are seeking Trail Stewards for: - Thayer Brook Preserve (Gray) - Mèmak Preserve (North Yarmouth) - Intervale Preserve (New Gloucester) - Dunn’s Depot Trail (North Yarmouth) Interested? Learn more about our program at the https://lnkd.in/eM5Pu9k4 or email Steward@RRCT.org.

**Royal River Restoration Meeting** Hosted by the US Army Corps, on Wednesday October 9th at 6PM, Patriot Insurance Conference Room, 701 Rte 1, Yarmouth. Join members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to learn more about the ongoing Section 206 study of the Royal River and the recently selected Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP). More information on Town of Yarmouth, Maine website: https://lnkd.in/gm6zPgw9

The Royal River Conservation Trust Board of Directors has launched the search for RRCT’s next executive director! The successful candidate will partner with the board in developing long-term strategic plans to advance RRCT’s mission, increase membership, and fulfill stakeholders’ shared vision for the watershed. She/he/they will foster a positive and inclusive organizational culture that encourages forward-thinking, collaboration, innovation, and high performance. The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Directors and bears responsibility for the overall management and strategic direction of the organization. This individual leads RRCT’s dedicated team, oversees the Trust’s day-to-day operations, ensures RRCT’s financial stability, and represents the organization to stakeholders and the broader community. Compensation is $85,000-$100,000 plus benefits. The application deadline is October 21, 2024. Learn more about this opportunity here: https://lnkd.in/ePJe4csb #rrct #royalriverconservationtrust #mainenonprofit #conservemaine #mainejobs #jobsearch #yarmouth #northyarmouth #pownal #newgloucester #gray #durham #auburn

Our first Native American Intern is an inspiration. Read more! https://lnkd.in/gaY6dxrr

Royal River Conservation Trust (RRCT) and Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) announce the establishment of a 150-acre conservation easement including conservation of one mile of Royal River shoreline, on a farm on Cobbs Bridge Road in New Gloucester. The farm will remain in private ownership, with a conservation easement held by RRCT. “We are truly indebted to the generous vision of the landowners, who worked with us over several years. The establishment of this conservation easement protects valuable Maine farmland and mature forest and will provide fishing and bank access to the Royal through River Elf Trail,” said RRCT Executive Director Alan Stearns. “With the naming of the trail, we acknowledge the Wabanaki people who have lived on and stewarded all of the land within the Royal River watershed – and beyond – for thousands of years.” https://lnkd.in/g-rn9U_T

Good progress. Yarmouth moves closer to dam removals on the Royal River https://lnkd.in/g5Uue-i3 (Via Press Herald)

Proud to welcome Amanda Lessard to the RRCT Team as Conservation Director. As Conservation Director, Amanda directs all aspects of land conservation including donations and purchase of conservation land, conservation easements, trail easements, and agricultural conservation easements. She leads conservation planning initiatives for RRCT and key partnerships with the watershed’s seven towns and cities to assist with municipal land conservation goals and projects. Amanda joined RRCT in April 2024. She is an experienced natural resource professional with a history of team-oriented project management roles handling land acquisition, planning, and major capital projects. She joins RRCT after ten years with the Town of Windham most recently as Director of Planning where she played a leadership role alongside Presumpscot Regional Land Trust in the acquisition and development of the groundbreaking East Windham Conservation Area. She previously worked as a planner for the towns of New Gloucester and Rangeley, and for the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine State Planning Office. Originally from Central Maine, she now lives in Westbrook with her young family.

Royal River Conservation Trust is pleased to unveil a series of three Wabanaki-led hikes, intended for indigenous and non-indigenous people alike, designed to explore and acknowledge the rich history of Native American culture along the Royal River (Wescustogo) and in Maine as a whole. The first of three treks will be March 23, 2024 (Saturday), at 10:00 am at Spear Farm Estuary Preserve on the Royal River (Wescustogo) in Yarmouth. For more information and registration (required) see RRCT.org

This coming Saturday. Best event of the year. Details at RRCT.org. Free marshmallows, too.

On February 13th at 6pm the US Army Corps will discuss its January 2024 selection of a “proposed alternative” for Yarmouth’s two town-owned obsolete dams. The Corps or the Town will at some point distribute Microsoft Teams access for the Feb 13 6pm public briefing. Restoration of fish passage by dam removal or other alternatives would return a sea run fishery, bald eagles, and more to Chandler Brook in North Yarmouth, Pownal, and Durham, and to the East Branch reaching Freeport and Brunswick, and to Meadow Brook in New Gloucester and Auburn. Restoration of fish and predators on the main-stem of the Royal in Gray and New Gloucester would make compelling next steps of restoration of Collyer Brook and its cold-water spring-fed trout habitat. Restoration of the Royal will feed more fish to Casco Bay, enhancing its sport fishery and the ecologically significant areas of northern Casco Bay. It's time. Free the Royal.