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Log inCathance preserve offers varied trails and river with vigor
Cathance preserve offers varied trails and river with vigor
by Outspoken on Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:42 am
Cathance preserve offers varied trails and a river with vigor
By CAREY KISH
Portland Press Herald
The Cathance River meanders for some 20 miles from its source in the woods of Litchfield through Bowdoin, Topsham and Bowdoinham, until it empties into the waters of Merrymeeting Bay. Cathance is the Indian name given the river and means "crooked," an apt description for a river that follows a sinuous course south, then east, then north, and finally south again.
Where the river bends sharply to the east, not far from busy Interstate 295 and the bustle of Topsham and Brunswick, you'll find the Cathance River Nature Preserve, a 230-acre sanctuary of woods and wildlife that includes a spectacular 1.5 mile section of the Cathance River. The preserve is located in the Highland Green Adult Resort Community and Golf Club, just off the Route 196 Coastal Connector in Topsham. Hiker parking is at a small lot on Evergreen Circle.
Five trails provide five miles and many hours of delightful walking, each offering a unique view of the preserve. Although the trails are rated easy, moderate and difficult, all are relatively easy for hikers in reasonable physical condition.
The Heath Trail circles a 30-acre heath, a prime bird watching area. The Barnes Leap Trail leads to a calm stretch of river. The Beaver Loop Trail rises high above the river on its way to a beaver dam and bog. The Rapids Trail follows the river as it plunges through a narrow gorge. The Ravine Trail traverses grassy woodlands to a dark ravine. I visited the preserve several weeks ago with a fun group from the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. Excited to be outside on a beautiful spring day, we couldn't resist sampling all five trails and enjoying the full measure of the Cathance River as it transformed from a wide, placid stream to a wild river of frothy rapids and thundering waterfalls.
At the conclusion of our hike we doubled back to visit the Ecology Center located a short walking distance from the road, just beyond the vernal pool.
"The center is a building that teaches," said Rick Wilson, executive director of the Cathance River Education Alliance, an organization formed in 2000 as part of a land use agreement between the Highland Green developer and the local citizens group Topsham's Future to "help educate people about the environment."
The center opened in 2006 and is "a beacon of sustainability, with photovoltaic panels on the roof, a wind turbine, special thermal sheeting on the exterior walls, a biomass wood pellet stove and many other eco-friendly features."
An environmental youth leadership training program was in progress when we visited, one of many workshops and programs sponsored by the CREA each year for people of all ages. Twenty-four students from local high schools were learning about sustainable energy, forest ecology and watershed management. The goal is to for the students to become mentors, to take the knowledge gained and go out into the public and share it with others.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=191966&ac=Outdoors
Carey Kish photo
By CAREY KISH
Portland Press Herald
The Cathance River meanders for some 20 miles from its source in the woods of Litchfield through Bowdoin, Topsham and Bowdoinham, until it empties into the waters of Merrymeeting Bay. Cathance is the Indian name given the river and means "crooked," an apt description for a river that follows a sinuous course south, then east, then north, and finally south again.
Where the river bends sharply to the east, not far from busy Interstate 295 and the bustle of Topsham and Brunswick, you'll find the Cathance River Nature Preserve, a 230-acre sanctuary of woods and wildlife that includes a spectacular 1.5 mile section of the Cathance River. The preserve is located in the Highland Green Adult Resort Community and Golf Club, just off the Route 196 Coastal Connector in Topsham. Hiker parking is at a small lot on Evergreen Circle.
Five trails provide five miles and many hours of delightful walking, each offering a unique view of the preserve. Although the trails are rated easy, moderate and difficult, all are relatively easy for hikers in reasonable physical condition.
The Heath Trail circles a 30-acre heath, a prime bird watching area. The Barnes Leap Trail leads to a calm stretch of river. The Beaver Loop Trail rises high above the river on its way to a beaver dam and bog. The Rapids Trail follows the river as it plunges through a narrow gorge. The Ravine Trail traverses grassy woodlands to a dark ravine. I visited the preserve several weeks ago with a fun group from the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. Excited to be outside on a beautiful spring day, we couldn't resist sampling all five trails and enjoying the full measure of the Cathance River as it transformed from a wide, placid stream to a wild river of frothy rapids and thundering waterfalls.
At the conclusion of our hike we doubled back to visit the Ecology Center located a short walking distance from the road, just beyond the vernal pool.
"The center is a building that teaches," said Rick Wilson, executive director of the Cathance River Education Alliance, an organization formed in 2000 as part of a land use agreement between the Highland Green developer and the local citizens group Topsham's Future to "help educate people about the environment."
The center opened in 2006 and is "a beacon of sustainability, with photovoltaic panels on the roof, a wind turbine, special thermal sheeting on the exterior walls, a biomass wood pellet stove and many other eco-friendly features."
An environmental youth leadership training program was in progress when we visited, one of many workshops and programs sponsored by the CREA each year for people of all ages. Twenty-four students from local high schools were learning about sustainable energy, forest ecology and watershed management. The goal is to for the students to become mentors, to take the knowledge gained and go out into the public and share it with others.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=191966&ac=Outdoors
Carey Kish photo
"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."
Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
