Boothbay Region Land Trust

Vicki Haugen 

Last week Nick Ullo, Executive Director of the Boothbay Region Land Trust made his 4th visit to our Rotary Club.  Nick started off with his appreciation of the work the Rotary does for the community at large as well as having supported the work and initiatives of the Land Trust.

 The Boothbay Region Land Trust is a vital part of our community; not only does the BRLT conserve and protect numerous natural places on the Boothbay Peninsula for hiking and other public use, but it offers educational programs for youth and adults.  It partners with local businesses and organizations to promote a healthy environment.  

Nick spoke at more length about the Oak Point Farm on Samoset Road that converted an old home and barn into a local center with trails groomed and sculpted for all types of walkers and hikers including wheelchair and stroller access. Many education and recreation activities are enjoyed here including last year’s Solstice celebration that was enjoyed by 400 attendees.  This area offers birding zones as well as carries old and unusual historical stories of the land use. 

The work and goals of the Boothbay Region Land trust can be supported with donations or volunteering and sharing the word of this priceless resource. 

President Laurie Zimmerli led a well-attended meeting leading us through welcoming our guests and many announcements. A reminder from our Rotary Foundation Chair that as the fiscal year is ending, please send in your International Foundation donation if you have not already done so. Sales at our Rotary Barn continue to be high and some special items were donated such as a 1982 Honda motorcycle and a smaller but functional tractor! We are planning to join the Windjammer Days parade again this summer but need a leader to coordinate the float and process. Please let President Laurie know if you will be in town and are able to take this on. 

This Thursday Emma Weed will be speaking about The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation (GOMLF) which is a small, nonprofit that has advocated sustainable Maine lobster fisheries for the last 26 years. They collaborate with fishermen, scientists, educators, municipalities and working waterfront families to protect the industry alongside the marine environment. The GOMLF has worked with hundreds of fishermen and encourages feedback-driven improvement to make sure projects are in-line with boat operations and community needs. They design and administrate projects that provide working waterfront support in response to needs expressed by the community. Working waterfront support includes working with small towns, harbormasters, local dumps, fishermen and their crew to address issues like ghost gear and how to measure what people see while fishing to improve real-time data. The eMOLT program (Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps) has operated for over 20 years out of GOMLF where it supplies the most real-time ocean temperatures to scientists. Fishermen in Maine have been longstanding stewards of our oceans; they work hard to develop strategies and initiatives that support an improved ocean ecosystem and empower fishermen to be the central pillar of this work. The Maine lobster fishery is one of the most sustainable in the world and GOMLF supports this legacy.  

Emma Weed comes from a multi-generational fishing family out of Stonington, Maine. Through her childhood and beyond she has worked on her father and grandfather’s boats in various fisheries (lobsters, halibut, pogie, scallops). She grew up with the values of fishing, stewardship, and community that comes from the working waterfront.

This talk will highlight the economic impact of ghost gear on fishermen, the policies that prevent cleanup efforts and future paths forward. It will include a description of work done in the 2025-26 season and what the future of this project looks like for the coast of Maine. We will also discuss the potential for recycling infrastructure in Maine to increase economic prosperity in the state and fuel future clean-up efforts.  

Rotary meetings are every Thursday at 6 pm at 66 Montgomery Road. The Barn is open every Saturday morning from 8:30 am to 11 am. Come shop, browse, and learn about Rotary.