The sanctuary is a dynamic piece of land that is constantly changing under planned management.

Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary on Montello Street in Lewiston is indeed a green gem within Maine’s second largest city.

Since 1921, the Stanton Bird Club has owned and managed the sanctuary and seen it grow from the original Anthony gift of 45 acres to the current 312 acres. Over the years stewardship of the land has taken many forms, but always in accordance with the goals of wildlife conservation, education and public safety.

In the 1930s, when Bates College had a forestry department, students experimented, in partnership with club members, by planting ornamental trees at various locations. This was also a time when wildlife shrubs and ornamentals such like Russian Olive, Black Locust and Multiflora Rose were planted. Today we recognize that certain species are invasive and no longer recommended for planting.

Later, in the 1940s and ’50s, when the forest began to grow up in the pastures and across the open land at the top of Thorncrag, the club bulldozed the young trees to restore the view of Mt. Washington. At the same time streams were widened with cribbed walls and dams to create wildlife ponds.

During the 1960s and ’70s there were occasional volunteer efforts to manage Thorncrag and keep it healthy for wildlife, but there was very little forestry management practiced and the woods were allowed to mature. This was also a time of considerable vandalism to the property due to a sharp decrease in appropriate use, such as birdwatching and nature study.

In the last 25 years the club has taken a more active role in managing Thorncrag for wildlife and public safety. An inventory of the plants, animals and soil resources was conducted. All the trails were reconstructed with 127 waterbars to control erosion. A Stewardship Committee was formed and one of the first projects was to hire a forester to do a forestry management plan.

The Stewardship Committee and the board of directors recognized that areas of Thorncrag could be significantly improved for wildlife habitat, especially birds, if the forest was managed properly. This management took the form of opening up the canopy to encourage undergrowth for nesting, thinning areas to allow larger trees to grow better, and pruning trees that were damaged in the ice storm.

Today the Club continues to examine carefully the forest resources and how best to manage them. The sanctuary is a dynamic piece of land that is constantly changing. These changes have happened both naturally and through a long history of human use and manipulation.

The next chapter in this history, in response to a continued vision of serving the conservation and educational goals of our founders, is to construct a parking area and nature center.

A Building Committee has worked for three years to determine the best location with the least impact for this project. The club can no longer ask the public, especially families with children, to park along the street. The 6 acres across Montello Street from the gate, on Highland Spring Road, is an unacceptable alternative because it is a rich wetland habitat for birds, and asking the public to cross the street to enter Thorncrag is irresponsible in terms of safety.

Members of the Building Committee take seriously the observation that certain tree species would be disturbed or removed as the construction project moves forward. Six forestry specialists have evaluated this site and made recommendations to the committee. As a result, some modifications in the design and location of the parking area may be made. Factors such as cost, health of the trees and educational value will all be considered.

The 2 acres at the main gate designated for the Nature Center and parking area will certainly require trees to be removed. However, the Stanton Bird Club, like many conservation groups across the country, will create feeding habitats around the building to support a rich diversity of birdlife for all to learn about and enjoy.

For 82 years at Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary trees have grown, trees have been planted, trees have been cut, and trees have matured and died.

A Nature Center and parking area is the next step in responsible stewardship of a sanctuary we all love and want to use responsibly.

Susan Hayward has served as the steward of Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary since 1985 and coordinates the educational outreach programs for the Stanton Bird Club.