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New conservation land will provide recreational opportunities in Hancock County

The 1400-acre Frenchman Bay Community Forrest is part of a larger conservation project in the town of Hancock. Trial designs are now in the planning phases.

HANCOCK, Maine — Outdoor recreationists will have another spot to explore in Hancock county. The Frenchman Bay Community Forrest will provide residents with 1400-acres of trails while protecting local wildlife and boosting the local economy.

The Frenchman Bay Conservancy (FBC) bought the land earlier this month as part of a larger 4500-acre conservation project through the New England Forestry Foundation.

Located minutes from downtown Ellsworth and the Downeast Sunrise Trail, which is popular for ATV riding, the forest will give people the chance to walk, hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski.

 "It's been a really exciting opportunity pulling together different partnerships and we even went public with our fundraising campaign and are really amazed at the outpouring of support," Land Project Manager Kat Deely said Thursday.

The organization made up of four full-time staff members, raised the funds needed to buy the land through partnerships, private and public funds. Deely added the cost was $900,000.

"This is conservation forevermore so we have a fair amount of stewardship money that we have to raise in addition to the sale price," she said.

Now that the land is paid for, Deely and the FBC will begin to start planning trail layouts and other spaces for outdoor activities.

"It starts with us hiring a master trail builder to actually design the trails to make sure they are designed in a way that suits the landscape, we build sustainable trails," Deely said.

The new trails and outdoor space will attract even more people to Hancock county which will help boost the local economy and benefit all area residents, even the ones that won't actively explore the conservation land.

"The fact that having another opportunity for recreation just enhances our regions' eco-tourism industry and provides support for local businesses in that sense," Deely said.

The construction of the trails will begin this summer. 

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