Scarborough to preserve small but mighty 18 acres

Over 1,200 feet of the new, 18-acre conservation parcel runs along Silver Brook. Contributed / Town of Scarborough

The Scarborough Town Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to help the Scarborough Land Trust acquire and conserve an 18-acre parcel on the west side of town.

While relatively small, “the ‘wow’ factor of this property’s connectivity is perhaps the most important factor to positively affect wildlife outcomes,” the town’s Parks and Conservation Land Board said in its recommendation to the council.

The parcel along Hanson Road, with more than 1,200 feet of Silver Brook frontage, abuts other conserved land. The acquisition will create over 730 acres of contiguous land conserved in Scarborough and Buxton, including Broadturn Farm.

“I know this is only 18 acres, but I love ‘the wow factor,'” Councilor Karin Shupe said.

Earlier this year, the town council set a goal to conserve 30% of the town’s land by 2030, dubbing it the 30×30 goal. As of this summer, the town had roughly 17%, or 5,391 acres, of land under conservation with a goal of 9,421 acres.

“We have 18 acres going towards our 30×30 (goal) and we’re building towards the connectivity as well,” Shupe said.

Wildlife species that require multiple habitats for eating, roosting and reproducing will benefit from the enlarged conservation area, the land board said. For example, the endangered little brown bat, which has been detected at Broadturn Farm, can travel 100 miles from its home base. Giving wildlife ample room to move around in a preserved area free of manmade threats is vital, the board said.

Council Chair Nick McGee said the acquisition is important for public access.

“That connectivity, being able to go from one portion of the town to another – it’s a huge bridge,” he said.

The council voted to contribute a maximum of $210,000 to the roughly $270,000 purchase, with the remaining funds coming from the greater community with the land trust at the fundraising helm. The conservation land board noted in its letter of support that Bass Pro/Cabela has awarded a $3,000 grant toward the project.

The town’s portion will come out of its Land Acquisition Reserve Fund, which was created in 2000 and is routinely funded by voter-approved bonds. In 2019, voters approved $2.5 million to be added to the fund and the town has since spent over $1.3 million of that toward conservation work.