LINCOLNVILLE HILLS PROJECT

Fall 2024 Report

The Lincolnville Hills Project (LHP) was created to reestablish and maintain historic sites located within the Camden Hills State Park on the Lincolnville side. They include the Cameron Knob, Cameron Field, Poverty Knoll and Millerite Fields. These sites, of historical relevance to the Lincolnville community, were once used for agriculture before the land was incorporated into the state park system. Due to the lack of maintenance, access has become impeded, and the spectacular views and other significant values enjoyed by hikers and picnickers are close to being lost as the fields get overgrown.

The four sites constitute about 25 acres of rocky terrain, with underling mixed growth of wild low bush blueberry plants, wild flowers, grasses, ferns and a wide variety of other low-profile vegetation. This open habitat, in addition to maintaining spectacular views and recreational opportunities, provides important support to a wide variety of both permanent and transient wildlife that depend on this type of environment for their survival. It also provides areas of fire breaks in the event of forest fires.

Substantial progress has been made over the past few years to reestablish and maintain the targeted sites. This has been accomplished with the help and contributions of many townspeople, businesses, friends of LHP near and far, and Camden Hills State Park (CHSP) management/staff. Key to this success has been the partnership support provided by the CHSP Director and staff, the LHP organization, and key citizens who have provided their time, money, equipment, skill sets and dedication to the effort. This Fall 2024 report highlights some of the activities completed this year in continuance of the progress reported over the past two years.

One could say the LHP was really rocking during the calendar year 2024. In contrast to last year, which was extremely wet, access to the targeted sites was generally good and an emphasis was given to the removal of large rocks from the Poverty Knoll and Millerite Field sites. Removal of these rocks, which had been left due to their size when these areas were first cleared in the 1800’s, resulted in a significant improvement in the time and expense needed to maintain these sites going forward. Rock removal allows for tractor/brush hog equipment to work faster with less wear and tear on equipment. It is estimated that as much as a 50% reduction in time needed for site maintenance activities was achieved at these two sites. The combination of Hayden Sears’ mid-sized Kubota excavator and Rosey Gerry’s full size Kubota excavator achieved an optimal labor/equipment mix to remove rocks from over six acres during a two-day period. This equipment also allowed for the substantial improvement of access routes to the sites by the removal of large boulders and the construction of water diversion features to prevent soil erosion. Additional recovery activities were conducted at both the Poverty Knoll and Cameron Knob sites using a combination of CHSP staff with chain saws, volunteers, a wood chipper and a Kubota track skid-steer powered mulcher. David Kelley was successful in maintaining significant parts of the Cameron Knob and Poverty Knoll sites for the first time using his tractor and brush hog, and continued to maintain the Carmeron Field using that equipment. We continue to gain valuable experience on the best approaches to keep different parts of each targeted area cleared after initial recovery has been accomplished. Rocks, wet spots, steep slopes and hummocks continue to present an ongoing challenge, but we have learned a lot about which approach works best at specific locations.

Much work was accomplished at each site this year. It is estimated that about 50% of the roughly 10-acre Cameron Knob site has been recovered and about 35% of that can now be maintained using tractor/brush hog technique, and 100% of the Cameron Field can be maintained this way. The remaining 15% requires a combination of track steer mulcher and hand-held equipment. There remains about 20% of the recovered wood material to be chipped. It is estimated that about 50% of the Poverty Knoll site and 65% of the Millerite Field has been recovered and are now being maintained by a combination of trac steer and tractor/brush-hog technology. Fresh new blueberry vines are now in abundance at all the sites that are in maintenance mode.

We continue to develop a close working relationship with the CHSP personnel, both at the local and state level to further institutionalize the LHP for continuity with future participants. We participated in the first CHSP Outdoor Adventure Day event on August 31st, where we set up a display tent, presented information about the LHP and sold baked goods. Plans are underway for the development of a web site for the project and for a display board at the Cameron Knob site, with a QR code for obtaining additional information and submitting donations to the project.

We had a good year and much was accomplished, but the success came with costs. The equipment used experienced a variety of operational/maintenance issues. The terrain is hard on equipment. The Kubota trac skid-steer had a damaged trac that needed replacing, a hydraulic line was cut on a rock, cutting blades needed sharpening/replacement, check engine lights needed to be diagnosed and repairs made, fuel and parts costs increased, inflation was everywhere. We have a goal to raise $10,000 for next year’s activities. A generous anonymous donor has pledged to match up to $3,000 of the money raised by March 1, 2025. Thank you for your continued support.

Donations should be made out to “Lincolnville Hills Project” and addressed to:

Lincolnville Hills Project

c/o M. Hayden Sears, D.V.M., Treasurer

330 Youngtown Road

P.O. Box 47

Lincolnville, ME 04849

The LHP is an IRS code section 501(c)(3) organization (a nonprofit organization for general charitable purposes) to fund and oversee the conduct of the reestablishment and maintenance of these important sites. LHP board members are: David Kelly, pres., Dwight Emerson, sec., and Hayden Sears, treas. Additional information about the LHP can be obtained by email at: Dwight_Emerson@msn.com.