North Branch Wild Shores Initiative Sees Major Step Forward: DRA has recently closed on the purchase of a forever-wild conservation easement protecting 25 acres and 2,300 feet of tidal wetland at the headlands of the North Branch of Johns Bay in South Bristol. We are thrilled to announce this success, which caps nearly five years of discussions and negotiations involving many people and organizations. Our special thanks go to former board members Tom Arter and Ann Swanson for their generous work in bringing this project to a successful finish.

     The North Branch of Johns Bay contains some of the least developed shoreline in Midcoast Maine. Human disturbance is still limited here and habitat quality is still very high. Extensive mudflats, sheltered open water, and an unfragmented forested corridor along the shore all help to make this region a haven for wildlife. Based on field surveys conducted by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, nearly all of the North Branch is classifed as a High Value Coastal Water Bird Concen-tration Area. The North Branch Property owners Samuel and Louisa Kaymen were “honored to be a part of the DRA’s vision.” A few photos of the area are available here.

     Tidal Wetland project, which is the focus of this protection success, is one of the few tidal marsh wetlands within the Johns Bay complex. This type of wetland is extremely impor-tant to migratory birds as a resting and feeding area, and also provides a refuge for many wetland wildlife species throughout the year. It affords a quiet refuge away from the off-shore winds of coastal storms and it represents a natural funnel that concentrates juvenile fish and invertebrates, thereby making food relatively easy to access at various times during the year.

     This characteristic also makes the North Branch a favorite
feeding ground for striped bass, mackerel and blue fish
when they are plying our shores in search of food. As the
keystone property in the North Branch, the conservation
of this parcel has been made possible through two very
generous grants: one from the Parker Poe Charitable Trust
and the other from the USFWS North American Wetland
Conservation Act Fund.

     Involved landowners are a key component of any suc-
cessful land conservation effort. Successful conclusion of the
North Branch Tidal Wetland project has therefore been
possible only with the enthusiastic cooperation and com-
mitment of property owners Samuel and Louisa Kaymen,
who live there and share a first-hand appreciation of its
extraordinary natural and scenic values. The Kaymens
embrace DRA’s vision for the North Branch and have
worked closely with us to achieve a conservation outcome
that benefits all of us. “We are pleased and honored to
be a part of the Damariscotta River Association’s vision.
Preserving areas where wildlife can live and thrive un-
disturbed is so important. We are grateful to the DRA for
all its good works which benefit wildlife, the environment
and the community.” said the Kaymens.

     We want to express our particular appreciation to them
and hope that their example will encourage others to join
us in our continuing efforts to protect this exceptional
resource.

Return to Events/News