Robinson Woods II - A Big Piece of the Puzzle

Like the missing piece of a giant jigsaw puzzle, the Robinson Family Lands along Shore Road have long been sought after as a critical link in the town-wide Greenbelt Trail system. The lands also have been recognized for their exceptional wildlife habitat values. While the family has graciously allowed public use of their lands for many years, permanent conservation is, as always, the only way to ensure future access and protect habitat values in perpetuity. In late May of 2011, CELT secured the option to purchase 63.6 acres of these much loved lands, to assure that they remain conserved and available for our community, now and forever.

Local land preservation is deeply rooted in a shared desire to preserve the natural character of special places like the original 79-acre Robinson Woods parcel, acquired by CELT in 2001. Now, ten years later, CELT seeks to preserve the ponds, fields, trails and significant habitat represented on the adjacent Robinson Woods II parcel.

To preserve this special place, we must raise $1.2 million by November of 2012. The Town of Cape Elizabeth has pledged $350,000. To date individuals from our Board of Directors have committed over $125,000 toward the purchase price with 100% board participation. Additional foundation and individual donor gifts and pledges have brought the total of funds raised to over $800,000 through mid-November 2011.

In the months ahead, we will continue our fundraising efforts with foundations and government funding sources. We will also continue to meet personally with as many of you as we can, making sure that members of the community have the chance to walk the property, and to see it firsthand. This once in a lifetime opportunity is simply too important to let pass by.

Our meetings over the past six months with individual donors have confirmed that our community greatly values this property. As we near our fundraising goal, we will embark upon a much wider, more public campaign to raise the final dollars needed. At its heart, this campaign is being conducted on behalf of the residents of Cape Elizabeth and the many users of the Robinson Woods lands.

The campaign is also about realizing the CELT's strategic goal of conserving a network of preserved properties and trails throughout Cape Elizabeth, a network that preserves important ecological resources and continues to provide and expand recreational access. This work is about saving some of the 'wildness' for future generations to explore and enjoy.

To let us know of your interest in supporting our efforts, please contact our office, or join us on one of our scheduled programs, tours and visits to the Robinson Woods II property.