Pierce Pond Watershed Trust

Land protection mwwt works cooperatively with other Watershed landowners to conserve the wildlife, water quality, and other natural resources of the Pierce Pond Watershed. Mwwt has conserved 10,500 acres and over 30 miles of shoreline, through the purchase of conservation easements and land. Mwwt has established agreements with two sporting camps to ensure the continued traditional operation of these historic camps. In 2022 mwwt continued its efforts in support of acquisition of the 6,800 acres of Watershed lands that are currently under commercial timber management - the cornerstone of its long-term goal of permanently protecting and providing exemplary management of all Watershed lands. In 2022 pursuant to a pledge formerly made by split rock llc, mwwt accepted the donation of all of the islands in Pierce Pond, comprising approximately 31 acres and valued at 100,000. This singular donation will enable mwwt to provide extra protection for these fragile islands while still facilitating public access through a lease-back arrangement with cobb's camps.

Education building on the Trust's 2021 outdoor-education programming planning study, mwwt identified and contracted with a secondary-school science educator and master naturalist to design and coordinate the program's initial steps. Initially stalled by a covid resurgence, project planning resumed in earnest in the fall of 2022 for 2023 programming. Mwwt also began planning for its first in-person annual meeting, banquet, and auction since 2020, with a target date of 4/1/23. Mwwt's 2022 annual meeting was held online using the zoom platform, and the Trust took the opportunity to engage and educate the membership using videos and slideshows. The process of education and engagement was continued in the 2022 Trust newsletter, including information about the donation of the Pierce Pond islands to mwwt, details about damage that occurred to a popular campsite island resulting from a storm microburst, and the results of the Maine if&w's trap-net sampling of trout and salmon.

Stewardship mwwt board of directors oversees a stewardship program that helps ensure the continued responsible use of Watershed lands. This includes regular inspections of easement properties to ensure compliance with easement terms, and purchase of insurance to cover any necessary enforcement of easement violations. In 2021 mwwt continued work on the Pierce Pond Watershed trails plan, with the support of grant funding as well as trail volunteers. The 2022 effort focused on: finishing the gale trail along the thoroughfare including clearing, leveling, and placing bog bridges; clearing connector trails to the north end of the gale trail (.35 mile) and south end of the gail trail (.16 mile) to link it up with the three ponds loop trail (blue dashed lines on map); and transporting and setting the gale trail marker stone honoring late ppwt benefactor and director ben gale. In 2022 mwwt incurred a one-time stewardship cost caused by the need to enforce a conservation easement, in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations.