Letter from Coastal Mountains Land Trust re: Montgomery Dam Warrant Article #7
Dear friends and neighbors,
Since 1986, Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked in Camden and throughout the Megunticook Watershed to conserve and steward 2,165 acres of conserved land, including the Fernald’s Neck, Hodson, and Bald Mountain Preserves. The Town of Camden’s upcoming vote on June 10, to either remove or restore on the Montgomery Dam, will have important consequences for the future of the watershed and on our work. We believe that the Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Council’s (MRCAC) recent recommendation to restore the mouth of the Megunticook River through the removal of the Montgomery Dam is worthy of close consideration.
Our mission is to permanently conserve land and connect people with nature throughout the western Penobscot Bay region. One of our core values is a land ethic that views our community as one not only comprised of humans, but also of soils, waters, plants, animals, and the land. We see that the well-being of people and the environment are closely intertwined. Healthier and more natural flowing rivers shape the natural landscape that supports wildlife and provides opportunities for people to connect with nature.
We recognize that dealing with aging dams is challenging; any action has tradeoffs. Dams often have benefits for local communities, such as maintaining water levels on lakes for recreation and certain wildlife. Most of the dams on the Megunticook River, including the Montgomery Dam, no longer serve their original purpose and have structural challenges. These issues need to be addressed, either through ongoing maintenance, reconstruction or, as with the Montgomery dam, potential removal. We believe this moment is an opportunity to create a new, healthier, and more climate-resilient future for the river and our community.
As highlighted in the MRCAC report, the removal of the Montgomery Dam represents a first step towards restoring a healthier ecology to the river and watershed. The report outlines the environmental benefits of restoring sea-run fish to the river, from improving water quality to providing more food for existing wildlife populations.
Removal of the Montgomery Dam alone will not restore sea-run fish to more than a small section of the watershed. But without its removal, no further restoration can happen. Ultimately, restoration of sea-run fish in the watershed, through removal of the first four dams on the river and the addition of fish ladders on the Seabright and Megunticook Lake dams, will improve the health and diversity of the entire ecosystem, not just fish populations. We believe these benefits will significantly improve the ecosystem health and resiliency of our conserved lands. Additionally, by removing the Montgomery Dam, Camden will also be in a better position to obtain the grant funding necessary to rebuild and care for the Seabright and Megunticook Lake dams, which we strongly support maintaining for their recreation value.
Additionally, we also agree with the Camden Public Library Board of Trustees and the Penobscot Indian Nation that the restoration of the river will offer exciting opportunities to increase recreational and educational access to the river in a restored intertidal area by the Camden Harbor Park. We believe that this proposal will continue to make Camden Harbor Park a focal point of the community where all people can recreate and connect to nature.
As the steward of land throughout the Megunticook River Watershed, Coastal Mountains Land Trust endorses the conclusion of the Committee’s report. We encourage our fellow citizens, members, and supporters in Camden to read the report and vote yes on Article 7. A yes vote is a vote to improve the health of the watershed and its most special natural places.
Submitted by behalf of Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Board of Directors by Executive Director, Ian Stewart
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Current News
A Classroom Without Walls
November 19, 2024

The Camden Rockport Middle School (CRMS) has added a brand-new classroom, without walls! This open-air educational space is the result of a collaboration between the middle school and Coastal Mountains Land Trust. In a time when screens and speed are a way of life, the middle school is so grateful to have expanded outdoor access to their students.
The Land Trust has a progressive outdoor learning program, Learning Landscapes, designed to eliminate barriers to outdoor learning by responding to teachers’ visions for moving their curriculum outdoors. Their “River Walk Classroom” was envisioned by Jaime Stone, the school principal, Elphie Owen, the school’s Math intervention teacher and environmental club leader, and John Dietter, the school’s innovative seventh-grade science teacher.
The Land Trust and the CRMS faculty worked together to map out an educational space that emphasizes the beauty of their landscape and offers a location to teach all subjects, providing the potential for students to be outside multiple times throughout the day. Since the classroom is nestled in a hemlock grove, students can experience the mental health and emotional regulation benefits of being immersed in a biodiverse space, while continuing to learn.
Camden Rockport Middle School and Coastal Mountains Land Trust would like to acknowledge the generosity of the community, which made this project feasible. Tamarack Builders created and installed the outdoor chalkboard, donating all their time and materials. The West Bay Rotary of Camden funded an exquisite piece of slate, locally sourced from the family-run business, Sheldon Slate, in Monson, Maine. Treeworks, a local arborist company, cut and delivered stump seating and donated woodchips to protect the forest floor from compaction. Camden High School’s Hatchery program created up-cycled benches. John Powers, a local craftsperson and long-time Land Trust volunteer, offered his time to draw the initial design of the chalkboard. Additional supportive partners throughout the project include the Stewardship Education Alliance, the Learning Landscapes committee and administrators from the greater Five Town school district.
The fact that all the materials were sourced from Maine (or up-cycled) and built by locals speaks to the community-oriented nature of this project. Stay tuned for continuing and future collaborations between Coastal Mountains Land Trust and local schools!

Donation for Waldo County Conservation Initiative
November 17, 2024

A massive thank you to our friends and members of the Belfast Co-op for so generously supporting Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s efforts to conserve land in Waldo County for wildlife, sustainable recreation, outdoor learning and climate resilience!
Thanks to community support we’ve protected over 750 acres over the passed two years… and have four projects lined up now to reach more than 1150 acres in just 3 years.
We continue to strive to reach a year end goal of $70,000 from individuals to provide the match needed to secure several large grants that will make this all possible. Visit coastalmountains.org to make a gift… and mention Waldo County Conservation Initiative in the “What Motivated your donation” box.