Protected: 108 acres along Pettengill Stream!
Midcoast Conservancy is pleased to announce the successful completion of a new conservation easement protecting 108 acres of forest, wetlands, and wildlife habitat along Pettengill Stream in Union. The property, now called Herbie Hill for the landowner’s beloved tortoiseshell cat, will remain permanently conserved, safeguarding an important stretch of land within the Upper Medomak River watershed.
A stream running through a portion of Herbie Hill.
Located off North Union Road, the conserved property includes a mix of forestland, wetlands, and open space that supports wildlife and helps protect the health of Pettengill Stream, a first-order stream that flows into the Medomak River. The easement protects approximately 1,100 feet of stream frontage, helping to maintain water quality, aquatic habitat, and the natural functions of this important tributary.
“Small headwater streams like Pettengill are the lifeblood of larger river systems,” said Erika Presley, Land Conservation Manager, “protecting the land around these streams helps safeguard water quality, wildlife habitat, and the resilience of the entire watershed.”
Conserving the lands surrounding water, and in this project ones that feed the mainstem of the Medomak River, is a huge accomplishment. Midcoast Conservancy could not do this work without landowners who have such a deep love and connection to the land and want to make sure future generations have access to these vital places. Herbie Hill is a special place, conserving a diversity of forest types, wetlands, headwaters, and agricultural land. The landowner says, “this is my opportunity to leave something good behind in the world, and this conservation easement is my gift to the planet.”
Herbie Hill includes special habitat along Pettengill Stream.
The conserved property is part of a larger 999-acre unfragmented forest block and lies within an important Focus Area and the broader 12 Rivers Conservation Corridor. The land includes approximately 10 acres of wetlands with approximately 8 acres that are classified as significant wetlands. The property also supports roughly 17 acres of Inland Waterfowl and Wading Bird Habitat.
After decades of stewarding the land themselves, the landowners approached Midcoast Conservancy in 2020 about permanently conserving the property. After several years of planning and collaboration, the project has now been completed, ensuring the long-term protection of this ecologically valuable landscape.
By protecting land along Pettengill Stream, the project helps maintain habitat for birds, waterfowl, and other wildlife while contributing to the long-term health of the Medomak River system. Conservation of headwater streams and the forests that surround them plays a critical role in maintaining clean water, reducing flooding, and supporting biodiversity across the Watershed.
Glacial erratics at Herbie Hill. Erratics can be large boulders or rocks, that have been deposited far from their source as ice melted, providing clear evidence of past glaciation. You can generally identify these as the rock type of the erratic differs from the surrounding bedrock. Often, these are large, isolated, and angular boulders that appear "out of place" in the landscape.
