A Maine island made famous in the iconic children’s book “One Morning in Maine” will be protected as a place of inspiration and wonder, thanks to a donation by the family of writer and illustrator Robert McCloskey to the Nature Conservancy in Maine.
The conservancy announced the donation of the 6.2-acre Outer Scott Island in Penobscot Bay, off Deer Isle, on Monday. The McCloskey family donated a conservation easement on the property to the Nature Conservancy in 1974. Monday’s announcement of the ownership transfers further ensures its protection, the conservancy said.
“We’re honored that the McCloskey family has entrusted this special place to our care for so long,” Nancy Sferra, director of stewardship and ecological management for The Nature Conservancy in Maine, said in a press release. “And with this wonderful gift, they’ve ensured the permanent protection of an island gem.”
McCloskey wrote “Make Way for Ducklings,” “Blueberries for Sal” and “One Morning in Maine.” The latter, published in 1952, features Outer Scott Island in the story. McCloskey died in 2003 at age 88.
“My father was a part of this place,” daughter Sarah McCloskey said in the press release. “He wanted to make sure that future generations have a chance to enjoy it like our family did.”
In an interview with the Press Herald in 2015, another daughter, Jane McCloskey, said her father valued the privacy of his island home.
Outer Scott Island will be among the conservancy’s network of preserves in Maine and will be managed according to the restrictions outlined in the conservation easement placed on the island in 1974. Daytime visitors are welcome, and the island is only accessible by boat. There are no services or hiking trails on the island.
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