Opening Celebration of the Weskeag Wildlife Viewing Platform and Trail

Opening Celebration of the Weskeag Wildlife Viewing Platform and Trail
Editor: David Mills


SOUTH THOMASTON, ME - On Saturday, May 5th at 10 am, join staff of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) and Georges RiverLand Trust to celebrate the opening of a newly built viewing platform and trail at the Weskeag Marsh.  We will meet at the Buttermilk Lane parking lot. Following a short hike along the trail, adults and youth will be able to view the birds from a safe distance at the viewing platform. Binoculars will be available for children to use, courtesy of National Audubon and Project Puffin. MDIFW staff will also make a short presentation on the migratory bird activity at the marsh.

Following a series of public outreach programs focused on the Weskeag, organized jointly by the Georges River Land Trust and Friends of the Wekseag, it became clear that people were eager to have better access to and interpretative information about the marsh.  With grant support from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, the State and Georges River Land Trust have been able to develop these important opportunities for the public: safe and unobtrusive access to the marsh, and interpretive materials about the importance of the marsh to the natural ecosystem and the regional economy.

Buttermilk Lane crossing the Weskeag Marsh - Photo: GRLT

Boy Scouts from the Troup 53 Katadin Area Council built the trail and platform for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which owns and manages the R. Waldo Tyler Wildlife Management Area.  These user-friendly access points will allow visitors to observe the abundant wildlife while protecting the actual saltmarsh and minimizing disturbance to the shorebirds, wading birds and waterfowl.  The trail complements an interpretive kiosk installed by Georges River Land Trust at the Buttermilk Lane parking lot that aids in the understanding and appreciation of this significant resource in the midcoast.

This program and celebration is part of the Georges River Land Trust's continuing series of activities connecting the public with thevast resources of the watershed and surrounding areas. Upcoming events include two Revelry on the River events, Daffodil Garden Party on May 5th and Special Tour and Tasting at Breakwater Vineyards on May 19th , plus a family Quest on the Thomaston waterfront on Saturday June 9th.  For further information on the Georges River Land Trust and its programs, visit www.grlt.org, contact them at info@grlt.org, or call 594-5166.