The days of
unrestricted access to the woods, fields and shores of Maine are over. Here in coastal Maine,
our challenge is to balance the increasing restrictions
that accompany land development with the decreasing availability of
open space
and shorefront. To meet this
challenge, the Friends of St. George
supports projects that will preserve
special natural places for the community
while encouraging development in appropriate areas.
The present activities of the Friends is
firmly rooted in Maine’s rural traditions.
Following
the law of unintended consequences, the 2002 closing to the public of a
local
beach became the opening of community discussion on the need to
conserve
special places in St. George. The
Friends of St. George was formed.
Through the continuing generosity of many supporters, the Friends have initiated educational
programs and projects. Current work
includes support for public access to shorefront and working
waterfront,
presentation of winter and summer educational programs,
and collaboration with other
organizations, such as the town’s
Conservation
Commission. The Friends maintains this
website and issues email alerts about community events that relate to
its
mission.
In May
2009, the Friends of St. George unveiled its latest project, the
Neighborhood Access Paths (NAP).
The concept for these local paths was patterned after the
Georges
Highland Path of the Georges River Land Trust:
landowners grant public access voluntarily and the property
itself
remains private. Unlike the GHP
which
provides some parking, the Neighborhood
Access Paths are for those neighborhood people who are close enough to
walk
in, unless the owner specifies
otherwise. The Paths offer trails to
the shore, vistas for artwork, and scenic views. Complete
information is elsewhere on this
website.
In 2004,
geology educational events resulted in production of a video, “No Stone Left Unturned,”
by director Don Moore in which Professor
Elizabeth Wilson of the U. of Maine describes the ancient formations of
Mosquito Head and the Marshall Point Lighthouse. Grants
and donations enabled the video to be
distributed free to libraries and schools throughout Knox County. While
sales
have slowed since the initial spurt,
they still garner enough revenue to make the video project
self-supporting.
For many generations families in the town of St. George enjoyed the twin beaches and the headland path at Martinsville. In older times, fishermen seined herring off the beach and drove vehicles in to pick up the catch. More recently, educators led classes that explored marine life and coastal geography. During summer, families gathered on the sunny beaches and, in winter months people returned to the iced ledges of the Head and frozen seaweed strewn along the beaches to photograph, hike and enjoy solitude. .
In June 2002, the community was jarred by appearance of an electronic gate that blocked access except for those who lived on the road. A meeting to talk about the barrier brought thirty people to the St. George Grange Hall on June 13, and seventy people came to a June 27 meeting at the Town Office. Volunteers formed a Steering Committee and contacted the owners, discussing options such as conservation easements, purchase of development rights, and market value purchase but participants failed to find a solution.
In mid-July, a professional facilitator led over seventy-five people in a discussion about steps that might be taken to restore access to the beaches and Head. The goals of the Friends of Martinsville Beach were debated and decided. By September 2002, the Friends had incorporated in the State of Maine as the nonprofit Friends of St. George, also known as Friends of Martinsville Beach.
After much
research, on the advice of expert legal counsel, the Friends filed a
lawsuit in
June 2003, arguing that the public’s longtime use of the access road to
the
beach established it as a public way. In
May 2005, a Superior Court judge ruled
that the case could go to trial. A
second action by the landowners resulted in a ruling by a different
judge that
was in the landowners favor. The Friends
reluctantly decided not to appeal this adverse ruling, ending the
litigation. The road
remains closed to the public.
The Friends
will continue its mission to conserve special places and access to
shoreland in
the town of St. George. The
Friends will continue to work with other
organizations and landowners that hold similar goals.
The Friends welcomes the support and
participation of all of those who share their love for the land and
life here
on our peninsula.