Few people may realize it, but the Libby River Farm property, owned by the Scarborough Land Trust, is “really a fern kingdom,” according to Kathy Mills, the trust’s executive director.
In an effort to introduce locals to the fern groves found on the property, the land trust held a guided walk last weekend, which attracted a half-dozen people eager to learn more about the unusual plant.
The Libby River Farm property also abuts the Libby River Marsh, which is part of the greater Scarborough Marsh ecosystem, and the land trust has also partnered with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to establish habitat for the endangered New England cottontail rabbit there.
The land trust purchased the Libby River Farm property, consisting of 121 acres of fields, forest, coastal wetlands and forested freshwater wetlands, 20 years ago and deeded about 50 acres of that to the state for permanent conservation.
The property also abuts Camp Ketcha, which has provided an easement across part of its property for the land trust to build trails accessible from a trail head and parking lot on Black Point Road.
The walk last Saturday was led by naturalist Mike Windsor, circulation manager at the Scarborough Public Library who also worked for Maine Audubon for many years.
There are several varieties of ferns to see on the Libby River Farm property, including the New York fern, which Windsor said is “very common in mixed woods environments.”
Other ferns he pointed out included the cinnamon fern, the bracken fern, which is one of the most popular plants producing edible fiddleheads in the early spring, and the more distinctive royal fern.
Windsor said that what makes ferns unique is how they reproduce. Unlike the majority of plants, they don’t flower, but propagate through spores, which are blown on the wind.
He said that ferns are the most ancient plants on earth. According to the American Fern Society, ferns have been around “for more than 300 million years and in that time the diversification of their form has been phenomenal.”
The society said that ferns can be found in just about every zone around the world, including in deserts, although the ferns at the Libby River Farm are more partial to moist, shady sites, Windsor said. There are thousands of fern species in the world today.
Windsor said ferns are important because “like all plants, they produce oxygen.” He also said they are good for soil conservation and for preventing erosion, which makes them a good ground cover plant for landscaping, particularly in shady areas.
Overall, he said, ferns, “can tell us a lot about soil conditions and water levels” in a particular spot.
A closer look
On Saturday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m., the Scarborough Land Trust will hold a guided walk at the Pleasant Hill Preserve, which will be led by Portland City Arborist Jeff Tarling. This event is free and open to the public. Call 289-1199 or see www.scarboroughlandtrust.org for more information.
Mike Windsor, a naturallist and librarian, led a guided walk on the Libby River Farm property last Saturday. Here he shows off a bracken fern.
About a half-dozen people turned out Saturday to take a special fern walk at the Libby River Farm property in Scarborough.
One of the many fern groves at the Libby River Farm property in Scarborough.
Mike Duddy points out the features of a New York fern.
A royal fern growing at the Libby River Farm.
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