NORWAY – Two grants have been awarded to the Western Foothills Land Trust in support the Roberts Farm Preserve Trails project.

The awards coincide with the one-year anniversary of the project, as the trust initiated the preserve effort last April when an appraiser was hired to evaluate the 150-acre parcel overlooking Pennesseewassee.

Hours before the 2007 Patriots Day storm began, trust President Bob Van Nest walked the land on snowshoes with the appraiser and began to realize the environmental significance and recreational potential of the parcel.

Roberts Farm Preserve will protect the Lake Pennesseewassee watershed from additional non-point source pollution while protecting prime agricultural soils and allowing for the managed regeneration of the parcel’s wooded hillside. In addition, the trust intends to construct, over several phases, 6-8 km of public non-motorized recreational trails on the site.

Since last April, the trust has succeeded in securing the parcel with a bridge loan and has raised more than a third of the $310,000 acquisition cost.

In a separate campaign, the trust began raising money for trail design and implementation this winter. The Stephens Healthcare Foundation launched the trail design effort with a $10,000 grant. The chosen trail designer, Mike Cooper of Bethel, has met with the Roberts Farm Preserve Trails Committee twice to review recreational goals, site potential and draft designs. The committee’s next meeting, pending snow melt, will be on site.

The two grants received this week for trail implementation were from the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund, based in Montpelier Vt., and from the Maine Community Foundation.

The New England fund awarded the trust $1,500 for construction overview during the multi-phased project, and the Maine Community Foundation awarded the trust $2,000 to launch the trail construction efforts.

Both foundations recognized the environmental importance of the project and the health and recreation benefits of community trails. Information about the fund can be found at www.grassrootsfund.org. Information about the foundation, which partners with donors and community groups to strengthen Maine through grants and scholarships, can be found at www.mainecf.org.

For additional information about Roberts Farm Preserve (including how to make online donations) and the July 19 Norway Triathlon, which will benefit the preserve, see www.wfltmaine.org.