On Earth Day, April 22, I took my 9-year-old grandson Ridley Parsons and Fryeburg, Maine’s Isaac White on a pleasant stroll around the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust’s Leita Monroe Lucas Preserve located on the Conway/Chatham town line.
Though I wrote a column about this preserve last November, it is good to remind people of the unique qualities there that make for a fun walk.
kAmp7E6C 92G:?8 A:KK2 :? uCJ63FC8 2E E96 y@4<6J r2A $E@C6[ H6 962565 324< E9C@F89 E96 G:==286 2?5 EFC?65 C:89E @? #@FE6 ``b ?6IE E@ E96 A@DE @77:46 W7C@> r@?H2J[ E9:D :D E96 7:CDE =67E 92?5 EFC? ;FDE 2D J@F 4@>6 :?E@ uCJ63FC8 G:==286 @? #@FE6 b_aX]k^Am
kAm(6 4C@DD65 E96 3C:586 @G6C E96 $24@ #:G6C 2?5 962565 @FE 24C@DD E96 32CC6? :?E6CG2=6D] !:=6D @7 4@C? DE2=<D @? E96 C@25 D:56 H6C6 =67E @G6C 7C@> E9:D H:?E6C’D 7=@@5:?8] pE E96 ?6IE ;F?4E:@?[ H6 3@C6 C:89E[ 4@?E:?F:?8 @? #@FE6 ``b] (6 D@@? 2CC:G65 2E E96 ?6IE ;F?4E:@? 2?5 H6?E DEC2:89E @? vC66? w:== #@25] p3@FE b]d >:=6D 5@H? vC66? w:== #@25 2?5 ;FDE 367@C6 wFCC:42?6 |@F?E2:? #@25[ H6 AF==65 =67E :?E@ E96 E:?J A2C<:?8 =@E 7@C E96 {6:E2 |@?C@6 {F42D !C6D6CG6]k^Am
kAm%9:D ec\24C6 AC6D6CG6[ =@42E65 2E E96 3@EE@> @7 E96 vC66? w:==D[ H2D 8:G6? E@ E96 &AA6C $24@ '2==6J {2?5 %CFDE :? a_`a[ 2?5 =2DE DF>>6C E96 D>2== A2C<:?8 =@E 2?5 `]` >:=6D @7 EC2:= H6C6 3F:=E E96C6]k^Am
kAm%96 C646?E 9:DE@CJ @7 E96 AC@A6CEJ 8@6D 324< E@ E96 >:5\`g__D H96? (6?EH@CE9 w:== 2?5 9:D H:76 pCD6?2E9 9@>6DE62565 E96C6] {2E6C[ E96:C D@? C6EFC?65 :? E96 `gh_D E@ 4@?E:?F6 E96 72C>:?8 =:76] %@52J[ E96 46==2C 9@=6 2?5 DE@?6 H2==D @7 E96:C 72C> 2C6 =@42E65 2 4@FA=6 >:?FE6D FA E96 EC2:=]k^Am
kAmuFCE96C FA E96 EC2:= 2C6 E96 42D4256D @7 2 3C2?49 @7 (66<D qC@@<] x? >J EH@ E:>6D 2E E96 AC6D6CG6[ x 92G6 366? =F4<J E@ 42E49 E96D6 42D4256D :? 9:89 H2E6C]k^Am
kAmuC@> E96C6[ E96 EC2:= H:?5D FA ?6IE E@ E96 3F33=:?8 3C@@< 7@C 2 H2J[ E96? 362CD =67E FA 2?5 @G6C 2 C:586[ 2?5 5@H? E96 D@FE96C? D:56 @7 :E E@ 2 F?:BF6 4=62C:?8] x? E96 62C=J `h__D[ 2 4@EE286 H2D =@42E65 E96C6] xE H2D @442D:@?2==J FD65 :? E96 DF>>6C 3J H6==\<?@H? }6H *@C< 2CE:DED %9@>2D (:=>6C s6H:?8 2?5 9:D H:76 |2C:2 ~2<=J s6H:?8]k^Am
kAmw6 H2D ?@E65 7@C A2:?E:?8 D@4:6EJ H@>6?[ 2?5 D@>6E:>6D A@CEC2J65 E96> @FE :? 2 DF>>6C >625@H] w:D H6==\<?@H? A2:?E:?8 “w6C>:E %9CFD9” A@CEC2JD EH@ J@F?8 H@>6? @3G:@FD=J =:DE6?:?8 E@ 2 ?62C3J 3:C5 :? 2 >625@H] w:D H:76[ H9@D6 D<:== >2J 92G6 EC2?D46?565 9:D[ A2:?E65 7=@H6CD :? E96:C 82C56?D]k^Am
kAm|2?J J62CD =2E6C[ E96 @H?6C @7 E96 =2?5[ q2CCJ {F42D[ H2D CF>>28:?8 2C@F?5 E96 CF:?D @7 E96 423:? 2?5 7@F?5 2 D>2== A@CEC2:E @7 2 >2? A2:?E65 3J %9@>2D s6H:?8] xE H2D 2 =:EE=6 DE2:?65 2?5 3C@H?[ 3FE H2D C6EC:6G65 2?5 7C2>65]k^Am
kAm%@52J[ E96 423:? =:6D :? CF:?[ 2?5 E96 3C:4< 49:>?6J DE2?5D @G6C E96 D>2== 4=62C:?8] *6E[ E96 @G2= DE@?6 H2== 2C@F?5 2 7=@H6C^G686E23=6 82C56?[ ?@H :? H665D[ A6C92AD >2C<D H96C6 |2C:2 s6H6J A2:?E65]k^Am
kAm“%@52J :D t2CE9 s2J[” x D2:5 E@ #:5=6J 2D H6 5C@G6 E@ E96 AC6D6CG6 H:E9 A:KK2 4@>7@CE23=J :?D:56 FD] “x <?@H[” 96 D2:5[ 2D :7 :E H2D @3G:@FD] x 2> 7C6BF6?E=J 2>2K65 H92E 2 7@FCE9 8C256C <?@HD ?@H252JD] (92E H6C6 @?46 C6G@=FE:@?2CJ :562D[ 56A6?5:?8 @? E96:C E62496CD @7 4@FCD6[ 2C6 ?@H 724ED] xD224 (9:E6[ H9@ :D ad J62CD @=5 ?@H[ ?@5565 :? 24<?@H=6586>6?E]k^Am
kAm(9:E6 2?5 x 925 A=2??65 E@ E2<6 #:5=6J FA qFC?E |625@H |@F?E2:? :? qC@H?7:6=5[ |2:?6] %96 EH@ @7 FD 925 5@?6 E96 DE66A `\>:=6 EC2:= E@ :ED E@A E96 AC6G:@FD H66<[ 27E6C E96 D?@H H2D 8@?6 7C@> :ED D@FE962DE C:586] qFE x H2?E65 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8 F?:BF6 2?5 A6C92AD =6DD 492==6?8:?8 7@C t2CE9 s2J] xE EFC?65 @FE H92E H6 5:5 H2D A6C764E]k^Am
kAmxE H2D H2C> 2?5 362FE:7F= H96? H6 DE2CE65 FA E96 EC2:=] pE E96 $E@?6 w:== u@F?52E:@?[ x ?@E:465 E92E E96 E6>A@C2CJ D:8?286 H2D 8@?6[ A6C92AD H:E9 >@C6 A6C>2?6?E 9:DE@CJ D:8?D @? E96 H2J 7C@> E96 =2?5 ECFDE] x 7:==65 >J 4@>A2?:@?D :? 2 =:EE=6 23@FE E96 9:DE@CJ[ 9@H E96 w:==’D D@? 925 C6EFC?65 J62CD =2E6C E@ E2<6 FA E96 @=5 =:76 E92E 96 =@G65 2D 2 3@J]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E92E[ H2?56C:?8 FA E9C@F89 E96 H@@5D[ H6 8C6H >@C6 244FDE@>65 E@ E9:D ?2EFC2= A=246] $@@? H6 4@F=5 962C E96 EF>3=:?8 (66<D qC@@< 29625] (6 2CC:G65 2E :E]k^Am
kAmp DF3DE2?E:2= 42D4256 :D ?@E D@>6E9:?8 J@F D66 G6CJ @7E6? :7 J@F 5@?’E 92?8 @FE :? E96 >@F?E2:? 6?G:C@?>6?E] x 4@F=5 E6== >J 4@>A2?:@?D H6C6 56=:89E65] (6 564:565 E@ 3FD9H924< 2 =:EE=6 5@H?DEC62>] s6D46?5:?8 ?6IE E@ E96 DEC62>[ H6 23D@C365 4@=5 >@:DEFC6 H:E9 @FC 3C62E9[ 2?5 E96 =@F5 >FD:4 @7 E96 3C@@<] r2C6 H2D ?66565 @? D=:AA6CJ =6586 2?5 @442D:@?2= :46]k^Am
kAm(6 H6C6 :? E96 C62=> @7 42C67F= A=2J]k^Am
kAm{2E6C[ H6 C6EFC?65 E@ E96 EC2:= 4@?E:?F65 FA :E ?6IE E@ E96 3C@@<] %96 EC2:= 3@C6 =67E FA E@ 2 E2== 96>=@4< 8C@G6[ E96? 56D46?565 8C25F2==J D@FE9] w6C6 E96C6 H2D 7C6D9 566C D42E] pE E96 8:2?E FAEFC?65 C@@E DJDE6> @7 2? @=5 96>=@4<[ H6 E@@< EFC?D 4=:>3:?8 FA E96 324< D:56 @7 :E E@ 2 9@=6 7@C 2 7246 A@CEC2:E :? E96 C@@ED]k^Am
kAm$@@?[ H6 C624965 E96 4=62C:?8 H:E9 E96 CF:?D @7 E96 s6H:?8 423:?] x E@=5 E96> 23@FE E96 2CE:DED 2?5 E96 A2:?E:?8 E92E H2D F?62CE965[ A6C92AD >@C6 E92? e_ J62CD =2E6C]k^Am
kAmuC@> E96 4=62C:?8[ H6 324<EC24<65 2 76H 766E @? E96 EC2:= H6 925 2CC:G65 @?[ 2?5 E@@< E96 =2DE =68 @7 E96 =@@A EC2:= 324< 5@H? E@ E96 w:== 72C> 7@F?52E:@?[ E96? C624965 @FC 42C] }62C E96 3@EE@>[ (9:E6[ H9@ H@C<D 92C5 7:G6 52JD 2 H66<[ D2:5 D@>6E9:?8 23@FE 36:?8 :? 962G6?]k^Am
kAm#:5=6J ;FDE E@@< :E 2== :? DEC:56 — 2 >6>36C @7 2 ?6H 86?6C2E:@? E92E :D 36:?8 :?DE:==65 H:E9 G2=F6D E92E H:== 9@A67F==J[ D2G6 E96 A=2?6E 2?5 @FC D@F=D]k^Am
kAm(92E 5@ x >62?n x?E6C:@C 64@=@8J :D G:E2= 7@C 6IE6C:@C 64@=@8J] ~?46 :? E96 C646?E A2DE x 8@E FAD6E 23@FE D@>6E9:?8 H96? x H2D H:E9 #:5=6J] w6 DF886DE65 x 5@ “y65: 3C62E9:?8]” w6 56>@?DEC2E65[ 9@=5:?8 9:D 92?5D 2E 2 A@:?E 23@G6 9:D 9625 H:E9 9:D 2C>D DEC2:89E[ 6I92=:?8 2D 96 3C@F89E 9:D 2C>D @FE 2?5 5@H?[ E96? :?92=:?8 H9:=6 3C:?8:?8 E96> 324< FA] w6 5:5 :E 2 4@FA=6 E:>6D]k^Am
kAm“(96C6 5:5 J@F =62C? E92En” x 6I4=2:>65] w6 5:5?’E D2J] x 5:5 :E]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.