Kennebec Land Trust Moves Against ATV's on Mt. Pisgah

ATV Policy — Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area

Most properties protected by the Kennebec Land Trust are not suitable or open for use by motorized vehicles such as ATVs, four-wheelers, dirt bikes, four wheel drive vehicles or other motor driven machines designed or intended to be used in off-road situations, except for snowmobiles operated in winter conditions on designated trails.

KLT Board policy prohibits the use of ATVs on its properties.

State law provides that "A person may not operate an ATV on the land of another without the permission of the landowner or lessee."

—Adopted January 10, 2007

Over the past twenty years, hundreds of hikers of all ages have hiked to the top of the Town of Winthrop's historic Mount Pisgah Fire Tower. From the Tower there are fabulous views of Maine's forested hills, distant mountains, wetlands and lakes. The Kennebec Land Trust (KLT) owns 637 acres around the 94-acre Mount Pisgah Fire Tower Parcel and also holds a conservation easement on the Fire Tower parcel. These conservation lands in Winthrop and Wayne and a network of trails that cross them, are permanently protected and are open to the public for appropriate uses.

Unfortunately, in recent years there has been a great deal of unauthorized motorized vehicle use on road and paths around Mount Pisgah. On KLT's Nancy's Bog parcel, trails have been severely eroded, and in some locations there are gullies and small ponds where once there was a hiking trail. Even with signage noting that motorized vehicles are not permitted, some ATV and four wheeler users ignore these postings and ride on the trails. This illegal use of conservation lands impacts wildlife and plants and has damaged trails that were once available for hiking, mountain biking, and snowmobiling in the winter.

KLT will be installing a gate on the Bog Road at the entrance to the Nancy's Bog lands. This gate will control motor vehicle access to KLT's Nancy's Bog parcel and to the back (east side) of Mount Pisgah. As with the Mount Pisgah gate, KLT plans to open the road for winter snowmobile use when the ground is frozen.

The Town of Winthrop, the Maine Department of Conservation, the Winthrop Police Department, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife game wardens, the Kennebec County Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Winthrop Hillandaler's Snowmobile Club are assisting KLT as it develops a plan to address this issue. This fall KLT plans to hold a community meeting to discuss trail improvements and other projects around Mount Pisgah and to meet and hear from members of the community about the stewardship of KLT conservation lands.

For additional information, go to www.tklt.org or call 377-2848.

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Kennebec Land Trust Moves Against ATV's on Mt. Pisgah

ATV Policy — Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area