Sebago to the Sea Collaborative Initiative - News Update
The PRLT has recently received over $21,000 in grant funding to help facilitate Phase Two of the collaborative initiative—Sebago to the Sea. The Sebago to the Sea project goal is to establish a contiguous trail from Sebago Lake to Casco Bay connecting trails in Standish, Windham, Gorham, Westbrook, Portland and Falmouth.

A 3-5 year project, first initiated by the Presumpscot River Watershed Coalition, the Sebago to the Sea Trail collaborative initiative includes numerous Advisors and Coalition Members including Portland Trails, the National Park Service, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Portland North Land Trust Collaborative, the Town of Windham, Windham Parks & Recreation Department, the City of Westbrook, the Town of Standish, Presumpscot River Watershed Coalition, Portland Water District, the Mountain Division Alliance, Healthy Maine Partnerships, and many more.

A fully collaborative project, Phase Two project goals include public outreach, community and coalition meetings, marketing, mapping, and fundraising for Phases 3-5 of the project.

Foundation support for Phase One of the project included grants from the Maine Community Foundation through the Fund for Maine Land Conservation and the Undapassawona Fund; the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust; and the Davis Conservation Foundation.

Phase Two of the project will be made possible thanks to recent grant awards from the Maine Community Foundation, through the Cumberland County Environmental Fund; Maine Community Foundation, through the Fund for Maine Land Conservation; Maine Community Foundation through the Rines/Thompson Fund; the L.L. Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program through the Maine Coast Heritage Trust; Healthy Maine Partnerships; the Edward H. Daveis Benevolent Fund; and the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

"This project will help connect different trail segments and create a contiguous trail from Sebago Lake to Casco Bay, much of it along the Presumpscot River," said Richard Curtis, Board President, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. "This is a great collaborative effort that will give Maine residents and visitors a wonderful recreational opportunity."

"Portland Trails has built four miles of trails on the Presumpscot River in Falmouth, Portland, and Westbrook—working with such a great group of partners to extend the trail upriver is incredibly exciting," said Nan Cumming, Executive Director, Portland Trails.

Anyone interested in learning more about this project should contact Tania Neuschafer at (207) 272-2847 or prlandtrust@yahoo.com.

Sebago to the Sea Trail website now on-line!
www.sebagotothesea.org

More details to come!