A version of this press release first appeared in the Ellsworth American on April 9, 2025.

ELLSWORTH, MAINE—Frenchman Bay Conservancy (FBC) and Northeast Wilderness Trust have finalized a forever-wild conservation easement on a 1,921-acre property in Ellsworth on Route 1A. The property includes 2,000 feet of shoreline on Green Lake, a glacial lake stretching through the towns of Ellsworth and Dedham. Several streams which flow into Green Lake and the Union River also reside on this property, including Boggy Brook.

In December, Frenchman Bay Conservancy acquired the Green Lake property to protect wildlife habitat while allowing public access. Hunting of non-predator species is allowed by permission. Green Lake, one of only four lakes in Maine that support a population of native land-locked salmon, supports the Green Lake National Fish Hatchery that rears endangered Atlantic Salmon. The lake is also home to the southernmost population of Arctic Char. The property on Green Lake also protects 255 acres of wetlands surrounding Gilpatrick Brook and Big Pond—wetlands that provide critical habitat for inland wading birds and waterfowl.

This purchase helps connect the shore of Green Lake with conserved lands in the Branch Lake watershed. Though the nearby conserved lands around Branch Lake are not connected to the Green Lake property yet, FBC will explore opportunities to work with willing landowners to conserve their properties. “The Green Lake property is a strategic stepping stone in establishing a wildlife corridor and protecting the watersheds of Branch and Green Lakes,” said Austin Schuver, FBC Director of Land Protection.

This project represents Frenchman Bay Conservancy’s largest purchased property to date. Northeast Wilderness Trust helped make this Ellsworth conservation project possible with a financial contribution through its Wildlands Partnership initiative. Northeast Wilderness Trust now holds a conservation easement on this Frenchman Bay Conservancy-owned property in perpetuity.

“Northeast Wilderness Trust is proud to partner with Frenchman Bay Conservancy through our Wildlands Partnership to ensure forever-wild conservation of this vital land,” said Caitlin Mather, Land Conservation Director at Northeast Wilderness Trust. “Protecting vibrant wildlife habitat and public access yields immense benefits for natural and human communities in this part of Maine.”