This morning the Rain or Shine Club fished Chandler Brook, just below Judah Chandler's 1777 dam that creates Runaround Pond in Durham. We spent the week researching the history of the conservation acquisition of this parcel by the State of Maine in 1975, using funds from Maine's first-ever voter-approved November 1973 park acquisition bond. Former State Senator Dick Morrell (R-Brunswick) and former State Representative Jim Tierney (D-Durham) today remember vividly their successful effort to deliver Durham's first conservation project in 1975 alongside Barbara Chesley, the first woman to serve on the Durham Select Board, and John Ackerman, who had recently moved to town and later created the Durham Conservation Commission.

We've been busy. 

With Ducks Unlimited, last week Kyle installed wood duck nest boxes built by kids at remote locations deep in RRCT's Pisgah Hill Preserve in New Gloucester. Tomorrow he installs more nest boxes in Yarmouth along Pratt's Brook.

Mud season continues, longer and deeper than usual. The Littlejohn Island Preserve remains closed to vehicle access, to protect Pemasong Lane. Please resist the temptation to drive down Pemasong in this weekend's sun. Please be sensitive to all muddy trails, especially if posted, and consider other options.

Our public opinion survey has generated hundreds of responses from people like you. We have eight simple questions on clean water, open space, and trails that will take you five minutes to answer. Please let us know how we're doing, and what you'd like us to focus on, by responding to the anonymous survey here. 

Please welcome Bradbury Mountain State Park's new park manager, Chris Silsbee. Chris has moved to Bradbury after years of working on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, and joins Bradbury's Chief Ranger Ben Woodward who arrived at Bradbury after nearly a decade at Baxter State Park. Come meet Chris and Ben and visit our Royal River Conservation Trust booth as we sponsor a full day of activities at Bradbury on Saturday April 29th, including kids events, birding events, live birds of prey, food trucks, hawk watches, vernal pools, and more.  

Paddling and peepers start soon! The early registration deadline for the Run of the Royal canoe relay race is next week. Our April events (scroll below) are full of trout, vernal pools, spring birding, and more. Our Royal River Water Trail got attention in a new book on paddling in southern Maine.