Mowry Beach Walk Gets a Lift!

Located inland of the Lubec’s most beautiful mile-long beach, the Mowry walk was constructed in 2007 with the help of the Lubec community to provide safe, educational and recreation access between the Lubec Elementary School and the nearby beach. The project required over 800 hours of volunteer work to complete and produced a stunning and intimate experience opportunity for walkers through the recovering marshlands. Today, the half-mile walk is still prized by school kids, visitors, and locals for exercise, fresh air, and outdoor enjoyment.

With the approval of Maine’s DEP, the raised wooden structure was designed to limit impact on the wetlands and beach-fronting marsh area. However, after 15 years of love and weather exposure, DCC’s structure was looking more like a slalom course than the original handicap accessible walkway. Unsurprisingly, many of the anchors supporting the wooden frame had begun to sink into the underlying wet ground. Some segments were sagging; others raised high. In late September, the Stewardship team resolved to give our Mowry Beach walk a face-lift.

Led by Stewardship Chair David Dowley, a team of volunteers spent the day replacing aging and damaged boards with pressure treated lumber. Where those slalom slopes were hazardous, we jacked up and secured the wooden sections back to a more comfortable and safe level. This effort is nonetheless a temporary fix to an ongoing problem of an aging structure confronting the long-term resolve of Mother Nature to reclaim her own. DCC will continue to make improvements to the boardwalk until a long-term solution is made. Interested in volunteering or supporting DCC’s work with a donation? Reach out to info@downeastcoastalconservany.org.

Above Photo: The Mowry Beach raised walk though the marshlands with town of Lubec behind.

Left Photo: David Dowley and new Land Steward, Cam Leavitt, lift and secure the jacked-up walk as out-of-town visitors observe the work.