The future of one of New England’s most important landscapes is at risk.
NEW GLOUCESTER – The last active Shaker community in America is striving to protect its land and historic buildings from development.
It will cost $3.7 million to conserve the land forever and legacy of the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village.
The first $2.5 million is needed for perpetual conservation and preservation agreements.
The rest would pay for endowments for building maintenance, easement monitoring and defense, and associated costs.
To date, the Land for Maine’s Future program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm and Ranchland Protection Program have allocated $880,000 toward the effort.
The remainder is being sought from individuals, corporations and foundations.
The money must be raised by February 2006.
The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, forest and farm have 1,700 acres and 19 historic buildings. It is the last place where Shakers farm, work and worship.
The land encompasses a diverse wildlife habitat at the headwaters of the Royal River, walking and cross-country ski trails, fertile agricultural soils and productive woodlands.
Faced with rising costs and reduced farm revenues, coupled with pressure of suburban sprawl, the Shakers are concerned about the future of their land.
Brother Arnold Hadd, one of the four remaining members of the Sabbathday Lake Shaker community says, “Stewardship is the primary concern for the Shakers: be it our faith or our land.”
The project would help to ensure the preservation of the village for future generations, not only for believers, but for all people, he said. “We will be able to retain the land entrusted to us by our founders over 200 years ago, maintaining our farm and forestland as we give our hands to work and our hearts to God.”
The capital campaign includes a number of partners of nonprofit groups and public agencies working to craft a conservation strategy to preserve the Shaker landscape in perpetuity.
The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit organization with offices in Portland; Maine Preservation; the Friends of the Royal River; the New England forestry foundation; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are working with the Shakers.
The state of Maine, through the Land for Maine’s Futures program, is also a partner in the preservation effort. Gov. John Baldacci, along with U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe and U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, are honorary chairs of the fund-raising campaign.
Comments are no longer available on this story