The Town of Wells has led the way in public land conservation at the municipal level, and its conservation commission continues to actively grow its land bank, and work with residents to preserve and protect important open space within town borders.
Last month, the town dedicated a trail at the Fenderson Wildlife Commons in honor of the late Maurice “Moe” Fenderson, who donated conservation lands to the town. The wildlife commons is named for George and Effie Fenderson, Moe Fenderson’s parents, who first owned a portion of the acreage on which the son added.
Since 1985, Moe and his wife Evelyn donated approximately 350 acres to the town, which makes up about half of the wildlife commons.
Others have also donated and the town has been able to use funds from its lank bank to purchase valuable parcels once they have become available.
Another person leading the charge has been Wells Conservation Commission Chairman Owen Grumbling.
Grumbling himself was honored in October for his leadership in conservation: He was given the Robert G. Shafto Award by the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions.
Grumbling has served as chairman of the commission in Wells for 30 years, and is a professor of environmental studies at the University of New England in Biddeford. He also received the Lifetime Service to the Environment and Human Health award in 2006 from the New England Environmental Protection Agency.
In a recent interview with the Journal Tribune, Grumbling discussed the commission’s most recent project: to work with land owners to preserve and protect the Merriland River.
The river plays an important role in maintaining the town and region’s water quality, Grumbling said.
In the 1670s, the first saw mills were built along the Merriland River, which begins in Sanford, travels through Wells and ends at the border with Kennebunk. The first grist mill was located along the river in the 1740s, and in the mid-19th century, a woolen textile mill was constructed on its banks.
None of these mills remain today, according to Joseph Hardy, a local resident who is in the process of writing a book about the history of the mills along the Merriland. Despite the industry booming along the river’s edge, Hardy said, the nearly 13-mile river was able to return to a healthy body of water ”“ being highly ranked by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is a tributary of the Little River, a tidal river flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, and due to its important role in the ecosystem, the conservation commission wants to ensure it remains a high quality water source.
The commission would like to develop a strategy to protect water quality in the Merriland River’s watershed, and commission members plan to engage and educate abutters about ways to protect it without using excessive regulation, according to Grumbling.
Commission members are available to consult with landowners at no charge to discuss how to protect the water quality, said Grumbling, who added he doesn’t think conservation efforts will be a hard sell to property owners.
Town leaders and conservation commission members have certainly blazed the trail in efforts to conserve land and protect open space for future generations as well as the long-term health of the area’s lands and water sources. It’s encouraging to see that the town is also actively engaging landowners to do their part. Wells has done the legwork to prove efforts to conserve land can be fruitful, and we hope other towns and cities will follow its lead in preserving open space in a state known for its natural beauty.
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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham Rousseau on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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