The Friends of Reid State Park worked with park staff and Surfriders, Maine on Saturday and Sunday to collect Christmas trees in support restoration of beach and dunes. The dunes are a critical habitat for the endangered piping plover and least tern. Over a dozen volunteers scoured Georgetown and Arrowsic and collected over 100 trees; none were wrested out of people's living rooms. Another 100 are expected Monday from a Christmas tree farm.Many residents delivered their trees to the park and what I heard most from them was appreciation of being a part of this project, due to their strong and long-standing connection to the park. As a result of an article in the Times-Record and a piece on MPBN, folks from other towns traveled to the park to be a part of the project. The grand prize winner was a couple from Belgrade Lakes, who drove an hour and a half to deliver their tree because Reid was an important part of their childhood. We are still working on a suitable prize.Based on the final number collected, the Park Manager will determine if another round of collection will be held and the schedule for installation on the beach. The FRSP and Surfriders volunteers will be there to help park staff with that phase. The project is being designed by a geologist working with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. He was the lead on the successful project at Popham last year.
“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."Get in Touch
-John Muir
