Provincial Preservation

Down East Maine is blessed with a great many natural resources - trees, lakes, rivers, and bays. And, is even more blessed to have a great many caretakers of these natural resources. Once such caretaker is the Frenchman Bay Conservancy.

The FBC is a private, not-for-profit, nationally accredited land trust in Hancock, Maine. It's mission is to build lasting relationships and commitments that conserve the distinctive landscapes and natural  resources of the Frenchman Bay and Union River watersheds. Since 1987 it has worked to protect over 6,600 acres through conservation easements or FBC-owned preserves.  The easements cover a variety of land uses, including an organic farm, a working woodlot, blueberry fields, wild forest and marsh.

There are 18 such preserves scattered about the Frenchman Bay area and we are fortunate enough to live right next to one of them, Indian Point. Despite it's decidedly non-PC name, our local FBC preserve is a marvelous little nature walk.

The trail winds through piney woods, over bog bridges down to a crest overlooking the Union River.  The path continues to the scenic point at the confluence of the Union River and Card Brook.  Once there, you can view downtown Ellsworth, or look across the river, to where eagles and ospreys can often be seen.  

The spectacular view of Ellsworth is well worth the short 1/2 mile hike from the trailhead...  

...which is less than 100 yards from our back door.