Downeast Coastal Conservancy (DCC) announced today that it has acquired all of the land surrounding 26 acre Vining Lake located approximately 21miles north of Machias, in the Town of Cooper and Cathance Township. This is DCC’s first step in creating the Vining Lake Community Preserve, a 400+ acre conservation based preserve open to the public for fishing, hunting and other low impact recreational activities.
There are no structures or other development surrounding Vining Lake. The property has stands of white pine and other native trees. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has described the forest habitat of the Vining Lake area as being of high value for rare and declining species of birds and fish. Maine’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department considers Vining Lake to be among the top 12 brook trout habitats in New England.
During this year DCC will begin improving access to the preserve, extending trails and making other improvements to enhance public access. DCC will also begin working with several local schools for use of the preserve as a nature studies site.
DCC acquired the land in a bargain sale from a private owner who wants to have the lake and its surrounding land continue to be undeveloped and available for use by local communities. Funds to purchase the land and establish a stewardship endowment for the preserve were donated by DCC’s Board of Directors and a small number of generous private donors.
Since 1988, DCC has protected more than 6,300 acres and 62 miles of shoreline, including entire islands, in coastal Washington County. DCC currently owns and stewards 42 conservation nature preserves, all of which are open to the public for fishing, hunting and other low impact recreational activities.
For more information about DCC and Vining Lake Community Preserve, contact Jon Southern, DCC’s Executive Director, at (207) 255-4500 or info@downeastcoastalconservancy.org.