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Fryeburg, ME – The Land for Maine's Future Board recently approved a preliminary allocation of $138,500 to the Town of Fryeburg for the Jockey Cap project.

In late May, the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) Board approved 20 conservation projects across the state to preserve public access to lakes, rivers, scenic views, and mountain vistas. With the selection of 20 new projects, the Land for Maine’s Future program has now approved a total of 25 new projects since January of 2022. The Governor and legislators from both parties reinvigorated the program in 2021 with $40 million in new funding through the biennial budget, a welcome sign that the program is ramping back up to its previous pace.

The Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (USVLT) and the Town of Fryeburg have been working in partnership to enable the Town to acquire full ownership of the Jockey Cap property. This award from the Land for Maine’s Future Program, along with prior awards from the Maine Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Clarence E. Mulford Trust and the Kendal and Anna C. Ham Charitable Foundation, position the Town of Fryeburg to move forward with a vote at their upcoming annual town meeting on June 16th, 2022, to approve stewardship of the Jockey Cap property through a conservation easement to be held by the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust.

Abby King, Conservation Director for USVLT, and Katie Haley, Town Manager for Fryeburg attended the May 26th Land for Maine’s Future Board meeting in Augusta and presented a summary of the Jockey Cap project to the Board. “We’re thrilled that Fryeburg has been selected by the Land for Maine’s Future Program to receive this vital support for the Jockey Cap project,” said King.

Closing on the Jockey Cap property and the conservation easement are expected to occur in 2023.

The Upper Saco Valley Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our motto is “Preserving Land for Community Benefit.” USVLT has completed more than 80 conservation projects since 2001, totaling 13,000 acres throughout the towns of Hart’s Location, Bartlett, Jackson, Albany, Chatham, Conway, Eaton, and Madison in New Hampshire, and Brownfield, Denmark, and Fryeburg in Maine. Learn more about the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust by calling (603)662-0008 or visiting www.usvlt.org