Two awards were presented at the annual meeting of the Androscoggin Land Trust and LA Trails. In the left photo, Judith Marden, left, accepts the 2008 Bonnie Lounsbury Environmental Award from Bonnie Lounsbury. In the right photo, Kathy Williamson, right, of the Maine Geocaching Association, received the Elliott Bates Award on behalf of the association. She is pictured with Tom Tieman, left, Maine geocacher, and Elliott Bates, center.

Land trust, LA Trails present annual awards

LEWISTON – The Androscoggin Land Trust and LA Trails held their annual meeting on Feb. 5 at Museum L-A. Approximately 60 people attended.

The meeting began with the election of five new members to the Board of Directors. New members include Verla Brooks of Lisbon, Elaine Makas of Lewiston, Camille Parrish of Auburn, John Ross of Livermore Falls and Paul Soucie of Wilton. Officers elected for 2009 were Marnie Coleman, president; Jason C. Libby, vice president; Edouard Plourde, treasurer; and Melinda Emerson, secretary.

Jane Calvin of the Lowell, Mass., Parks and Conservation Trust described her organization’s efforts to create a 1.75-mile riverside greenways trail through the industrial and historic heart of Lowell. The greenway is enhanced by public art and multi-lingual interpretive signs and connects the river to the downtown area and to other trail networks across the region.

Museum L-A provided visual reminders of the historic, industrial and environmental parallels between Lowell and Lewiston-Auburn. The Androscoggin Greenways vision, originated by ALT in the mid-1990s, will connect rivershore communities north and south of Lewiston-Auburn through a non-motorized trail system.

Some of the Greenway segments with trails in place are the Androscoggin Riverlands in Turner and Leeds, David Rancourt River Preserve, Riverwalk and Simard-Payne (Railroad Park) in Lewiston-Auburn and the Papermill Trail in Lisbon. The trails were developed by the state, local cities and towns and the land trust. Other segments are currently in early stages of progress.

Maine Department of Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan spoke about the proposed state park project at the Androscoggin Riverlands, the first state park to be developed in 25 years, and the only state park with direct access to a major population center. The project is currently a joint effort of the state, the ALT, the cities of Lewiston and Auburn, the towns of Leeds, Turner, and Greene, AVCOG and the Androscoggin River Alliance.

Long-time ALT supporter and conservationist Judith Marden received the Bonnie Lounsbury Environmental Award. Lounsbury, founder of the ALT, recalled Marden’s accomplishments and devotion to the trust during its existence.

Elliott Bates, another long-time supporter of ALT, presented his namesake stewardship award to Kathy Williamson on behalf of the Maine Geocaching Association. The association is an active group of geocaching enthusiasts who have devoted time and effort to the care and upkeep of ALT conserved lands and trails through their “Cache In – Trash Out” events.

For more information about the ALT, visit www.androscogginlandtrust.org. For more iformation about LA Trails, visit www.latrails.org.