12:20 p.m.
Monday, January 11, 2021 12:20 pm
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SANFORD, Maine - Kennebunk Savings recently provided a donation of over $3,000 to the Sanford-Springvale Mousam Way Land Trust in support of their new and already-expanding community garden. The bank has been a partner on this project from the beginning, with donations totaling over $18,000 since the initial purchase of the land.
"Land is a precious resource in Maine," said Bradford C. Paige, the bank's President and CEO. "It's why we all live here - the beauty of the natural landscape, the bounty of our natural resources. Preserving it and, just as critically, fostering an appreciation for it in future generations is an awesome responsibility."
In 2017, the Sanford-Springvale Mousam Way Land Trust purchased a plot of "ecologically significant" land on Blanchard Road. The 72 acre parcel of mostly former logging trails contained significant habitat for life forms in need of protection and conservation. "We fell in love with the land because of its very diverse nature," said Bud Johnston, the trust's director.
Many of the state of Maine's sensitive habitats are impacted by local development - even the areas protected by shoreland zoning. The desire to protect them for future generations of humans and wildlife alike has led to the formation of land trusts, legally bound to preserve these areas forever. The Mousam Way Trust owns just over 800 acres in Sanford and Springvale.
Kennebunk Savings' initial donation was a $5,000 matching grant to support the purchase of the land. Traditionally, matching grants are offered for a period of several months, but the funds were matched by private donations within just a few weeks. The bank later donated $10,000 for the construction of the gardens, and then over $3,000 for expansions. A team of volunteers from the bank also painted the bathrooms.