Loon Echo Land Trust

06/12/2026

Yesterday, on a hot and humid afternoon, we gathered to celebrate the new field loop trail at Mayberry Hill Preserve in Casco. 🎉 Connie Cross and Eric Dibner, Casco residents and founding members of Loon Echo Land Trust, cut the ribbon to honor this new community resource for Casco.

Reducing barriers to the outdoors is something we deeply value at LELT, and thanks to your support, more people can now experience Mayberry Hill than ever before. This is LELT’s third all-access trail project and our first in Casco. Donated by the Gillis family in 1990, Mayberry Hill was the first property owned outright by LELT. The Gillis’s wanted future generations to be able to access the land to explore, learn, and enjoy time outside.

There are many thanks to go around, including:
🔹 Warren Excavation for constructing the trail and completing the parking lot expansion. Kyle and Bruce are truly artists with excavators!
🔹Casco artist Courtney Walsh, who created a wonderful coloring page to celebrate this trail (with more to come!).
🔹The Casco Open Space Commission for being champions of open spaces and trails for the Casco community.
🔹 Project funders, including the AARP Community Grant Program, Morton Kelly Charitable Trust, Athletic Brewing Company's Two for the Trails program, and many local community members.

Our work at Mayberry Hill isn’t done. This summer, we’ll complete the kids’ zone just off the trail, creating a fun space for families to enjoy together.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project possible and for continuing to support access to the outdoors for all. 💚

06/11/2026

Hope you can join us for walk in Pondicherry Park today at noon! 🌈 We’ll walk for about an hour and pick our route as a group. All are welcome.

Community Walk
Thursday, June 11, 12pm - 1pm
Meeting location: Depot Street trailhead - https://maps.app.goo.gl/hEi1u4CYhwjQ4Mwc6?g_st=ic

06/08/2026

The Maine Outdoor Adventure Club is an all-volunteer organization whose members organize and lead trips and activities of all sorts. Looking for friendly folks to get outside with? MOAC might be the right group for you! Learn more at moac.org.

06/06/2026

🌲 Nature belongs to everyone—but only if everyone can access it. 🌲

This , we’re spotlighting the innovative design work that goes into building truly inclusive outdoor spaces. A trail isn't just a path through the woods; it’s a bridge to mental clarity, physical health, and community connection.

When trails are designed with less steep grade limits, wider pathways, and stabilized surfaces (like the boardwalks and crushed stone features we champion), we help open up the outdoors to as many people as possible.

Accessibility isn't an afterthought or an "add-on"—it is a fundamental baseline for modern outdoor recreation.

Let's build a future where the phrase "the great outdoors" truly means all of us. What's your favorite accessible trail? 👇

06/05/2026

Check out this Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) spotted on a LELT property today! 🐍 Eastern Milksnakes are not venomous and do not pose any danger to humans. They are found throughout southern and central Maine, often found in forested uplands, brushy fields, meadows, grassland, old buildings, and rock outcrops.

Learn more about Eastern Milksnakes here: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/species-information/reptiles-amphibians/eastern-milksnake.html

06/05/2026

Exciting news from the Town of Casco! The Casco Safe Streets Committee has been working hard to solicit community feedback and design signs and other speed reduction strategies. Quaker Ridge Road is home to two popular LELT lands - Hacker's Hill and Rolfe Hill Forest. We're happy to support the work of the Safe Streets Committee to make Quaker Ridge Road safer for everyone.

Learn more about the project here: https://www.cascomaine.org/safe-streets-committee/pages/quaker-ridge-road-proposal.

Quaker Ridge Road Update

Casco Safe Streets, with the support of the residents and the Select Board, is working to reimagine travel along Quaker Ridge Road. We hope to make the road safer and more enjoyable for all road users!

As part of this process, the Public Works department will be installing new signs along Quaker Ridge Road advising of scenic overlooks, trail crossings, and pedestrian use.

Drive Safely!

06/04/2026

Lady's slippers are in bloom. 🌱 How many do you see in the second photo? The Lady's slippers are among the showiest orchids in the eastern United States and require highly specific habitats to grow.

Learn more about these beautiful wild orchids here: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/about/cypripedium.htm

06/02/2026

The final Wednesday Wander of May brought us to Muddy River Forest and the Town of Naples' Muddy River Bog Preserve. 🌊 We dipped our nets to see what was living in the water. We found caddisflies, mayflies, stoneflies, damselflies, dragonflies, a dobsonfly and more. Yes - many flying insects begin their lives in the water! These macroinvertebrates are also indicator species, and their presence helps us assess the water quality of the river or pond where they live. From our small study, we determined that the Muddy River has excellent water quality!

The next Wednesday Wander is tomorrow at Perley-Mills Community Forest in Denmark. Join Maine Master Naturalist volunteers Leigh and Dawn from 10am - 12pm for a free guided walk. RSVP here: https://forms.gle/kfVsnLaZNbkhiD9h8