As part of Jane Nelson’s legacy, she generously offered the gift of a 37-acre forested parcel of land in Gorham for conservation and public access to the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. The Nelson parcel is part of a 300+ acre undeveloped block of forest that includes Brandy Brook, which the state has identified as habitat for wild brook trout.
The land trust board of directors voted to accept the gift, provided the necessary funds are raised to cover the transaction, the stewardship, and the trail-building costs. As a community-based nonprofit, every new conservation project, even when the land is donated, comes with costs that need to be covered before the land trust can commit to hold the conservation land in perpetuity.
The land trust priorities for the future Nelson Preserve will be to ensure a healthy forest for wildlife habitat and to provide a public access one-mile loop trail. This will offer low impact recreation in a region of Gorham, just west of downtown, that currently has no open space.
Photos courtesy of PRLTTop: Jane Nelson; Bottom: The future Nelson Preserve near Brandy Brook in Gorham.
Cindy Hazelton, Gorham Parks and Recreation Director, said, “The proposed forested walking trail to be developed as a result of this gift will create a great place to take a walk so you not only can get active, you can enjoy the benefits of being outdoors too. According to research, short but frequent walks in nature may improve mental health, lower depression and reduce stress. Walking isn’t just for adults—even children and adolescents can benefit from walking. It can help young people achieve the recommended 60-minutes of daily physical activity they need but in today’s world they are just not getting.”
The Nelson Preserve budget is $77,200. The land trust has 95% of the funding and has only $4,000 left to raise this spring in order to open the Nelson Preserve this year. The PRLT would like to thank the Town of Gorham for donating $10,000 from the Open Space Impact Fee Fund towards this conservation project.
Lars Nelson and Susan Nelson Carver, son and daughter of Jane and Clifford Nelson, explained, “Our parents loved their land in Gorham and always hoped to share it with the community. As children we found ourselves walking the trails with our parents and dogs. Jane and Clifford made provisions in their will for the local land trust to inherit the property so it would be conserved.”
If you want to see more land conserved forever in Gorham, providing access for the public to get out and enjoy the forests now and into the future, please consider making a donation to Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, P.O. Box 33, Gorham, Maine 04038 or visit online at www.prlt.org, designating the gift to the Nelson Preserve.