Goose River peace Corps Preserve
The 54-acre Goose River Peace Corps Preserve was donated to MVLT in 2001 by a group of friends who met in Turkey while serving as Peace Corps volunteers.
The Story of the Land
Goose River Peace Corps Preserve comprises two parcels of land.
The first parcel, the 54-acre Goose River Peace Corps Preserve, was donated to Medomak Valley Land Trust in 2001 by a group of friends who met in Turkey while serving as Peace Corps volunteers. In donating the parcel to MVLT, they wanted to ensure that the land would remain forever wild, managed as natural wildlife habitat while allowing for the continuation of low-im-pact recreational activities, such as hiking, cross-country skiing, and fishing.
The second parcel was acquired by MVLT in 2005 and was originally known as Mill Pond. This 44-acre parcel of land was once the source of wood for a sawmill that was in operation in the early 20th century. The mill and dam were rebuilt in 1957, but the mill ceased operation ten years later. The mill building was carried away by a spring flood in 1977, and pieces remain strewn along the river bed and banks downstream from the dam site.
These preserves are owned by Midcoast Conservancy, and are connected by a trail that crosses private land. Together the preserves total 98 acres and protect over 700 feet of frontage on the Goose River. In order to maintain the ecological integrity of these preserves, the use of motorized vehicles is limited to snowmobiles on the designated trail.
What You Might See
Visitors can explore the Goose River Peace Corps Preserve via a trail that follows the Goose River before looping back through the woods to Finntown Rd. The Mill Pond Trail begins across the road from an extension trail of the Goose River Loop. It continues over private land along the edge of a bog and ends with a circular trail to the southern edge of the pond. All trails are marked with blue blazes and wooden arrows at the intersections. Follow the white fiberglass poles through the fields. Please be respectful of their property while on these trails.
A dense understory of herbs and ferns is found throughout, with starflower, Canada mayflower, bunchberry, bracken fern, New York fern, and cinnamon fern frequently present. This trail is one of the best places to view spring wildflowers in the Midcoast.
The preserves are mostly forested, and include several wetlands as well as a beautiful, babbling stretch of the Goose River. Common tree species include red spruce, balsam fir, white pine, hemlock, red maple, red oak, birch, beech, and bigtooth aspen. The forest is all second growth and is relatively young, with the oldest trees dating from the 1920’s.
Directions:
Goose River Peace Corps Preserve
Finntown Rd.
Waldoboro, ME 04572
From Waldoboro: Follow Route 220 South for 4.8 miles. Make a left onto Finntown Rd. The preserve entrance is located on the right 0.9 mi from Rte. 220 and parking is available along the sides of Finntown Rd.
From Friendship : Head North on 220 for 5.4 miles, then turn right onto Finntown Rd. The preserve entrance is located on the right 0.9 mi from Rte. 220 and parking is available along the sides of Finntown Rd.
