WELLS — Animal-devouring plants sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but in Wells these plants and other unique species of plants and wildlife are thriving ”“ for now.
Members of the Wells Conservation Commission are hoping residents will approve a measure on the June 8 ballot to preserve habitat for unique species ”“ like the carnivorous, insect-eating pitcher plant ”“ by purchasing two parcels in town that total more than 400 acres of largely undeveloped land, if the town can reach an agreement with the landowners.
Wells Conservation Commission Chairman Dr. Owen Grumbling said in an interview this week many varieties of plants and wildlife ”“ including moose, deer and fisher cats ”“ inhabit what is referred to as the Tilton property in Wells, the first of two properties the Commission is looking to purchase. Both parcels recently went up for sale.
Grumbling hopes residents will see the value of this land and approve expending funds from the town’s land bank to allow the group to negotiate for the parcels.
“It’s a really wild and unique place,” Grumbling, a professor in the University of New England’s Department of Environmental Studies, said of the Tilton parcel.
Grumbling said the parcel has more than 50 feet of frontage on the Merriland River, which is a Class 1 brook trout fishery. It is also full of peat, which makes for an acidic environment where black spruces thrive.
“There’s a huge biodiversity,” he said.
On the June 8 ballot, Wells voters will have the option to authorize spending up to $450,000 of the $650,000 in the land bank account to allow the Conservation Commission to negotiate ”“ and hopefully purchase ”“ both parcels for conservation and recreation, Grumbling said.
The people of Wells have appropriated the land bank funds over the years, and he said it’s time for those funds to be spent. The money would not be raised by additional taxation, but upon selectmen approval, could be disbursed if deals are reached between the sellers and the town.
Grumbling said the town needs to plan for the future and preserve green spaces that are home to many species of plants and wildlife. Conserving such areas is crucial for water quality and provides space for people to hunt, fish and hike, he said.
“It’s the kind of habitat that’s disappearing in southern Maine,” Grumbling said, and if development continues, parcels like the two in question may become few and far between.
In addition to the Tilton property, the Conservation Commission has its eye on a 288-acre parcel know as the Granite State land. Granite State Gas purchased the property about 10 years ago for a natural gas liquefaction plant, he said, but the plan never came to fruition. Recently, the current owner put up the parcel for sale.
What makes the Granite State land special is that it is home to endangered species like the New England cottontail rabbit and threatened species like the spotted turtle, according to Grumbling. New England cottontails like very specific habitat and due to their endangered status in the state, he said grants and other sources of funding may be available to help keep the land in top shape for the rabbits.
“I believe that human beings are going to be able to manage the resources they need to live ”¦ if they know how it works and have a direct perspective of it,” Grumbling said. “That’s an education that’s crucial.”
Grumbling hopes educators will utilize the lands if they become preserved. Several years ago, a sixth grade teacher in Wells had a program for students in which they went to the George and Effie Fenderson Wildlife Commons, a parcel that was donated to the town in 1985. The program has not been active for several years, he said, but he hopes to get it going again and encourage more programs if the new parcels are acquired.
Tin Smith, a board member of the Great Works Regional Land Trust, has been working on the acquisition of the Granite State parcel with the Conservation Commission. He said the area needs to be preserved to maintain water quality in the area. Smith said the wetlands and streams are crucial for maintaining water quality, and any development could cause the habitat to be disturbed and water quality to degrade.
Although Smith and Grumbling say the groups have been researching both parcels for a decade, some believe more research needs to be done.
Selectman Jim Spiller, who joined Selectman Chris Chase in voting against putting the warrant article forward, said he’s not convinced these are the right parcels on which to be spending town funds.
“I have a real concern that it came to the selectmen’s attention in the very last days before it could go on the ballot,” Spiller said this week.
Spiller said deals of this nature typically take a year to finalize, and he was not convinced the funds needed to be approved so soon. He said the board has not discussed the Granite State parcel and only briefly discussed the Tilton property, which may not need to be preserved, he said.
Spiller said because the Tilton land is so wet, much of it could not be developed. Grumbling said the concern there is that developers in Wells are generally able to count wetlands toward the total lot size of a parcel, and even though structures cannot be built directly on wetlands, cluster developments and smaller house lots may be permitted.
Spiller said he is in favor of land conservation, but proper discussion needs to take place.
In April, Selectmen Richard Clark, Karl Ekstedt and Robert Foley all supported putting the question to voters. At the time, the three agreed the residents put the money in the land bank, and they should decide whether they’d like to spend it.
“The opportunity is here,” Clark said. “I think it’s up to the people in the Town of Wells to decide.”
— Staff Writer Robyn Burnham can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 329 or rburnham@journaltribune.com.
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