FREEDOM -- The Maine State Planning Office has predicted that within the next 50 years much of southern Maine, as far north as Old Town, will be suburban or urban.

As far as Buck O'Herin, executive director of the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance, is concerned, that leaves little time to preserve the most vital and ecologically diverse areas of the Sheepscot River watershed.

"I think the window of opportunity is now," O'Herin said. "We love the rural qualities a place like Maine has to offer. That's going to change a lot as development expands dramatically over the next 40 years."

The land alliance is putting the tools in place to hasten its efforts.

The group recently received a $12,500 grant from the Newman's Own Foundation earmarked for operational support, which, along with $26,725 pledged locally over the next five years, will allow the land trust to hire O'Herin as part-time employee.

O'Herin is the first employee for the trust since it was established in 1991. The Newman's grant was the final piece financial piece needed to put O'Herin to work.

"We hoped it was going to start last fall, but this particular grant did not come through," O'Herin said. "It's a big deal because grants for operational support are hard to come by. What it means for us is now we can keep me on as an employee."

The local fundraising efforts are ongoing and the alliance will have to apply for the Newman's grant again next year. The trust hopes to hire O'Herin for hours per week at wage of $25 per hour, which is about $22,000 per year, for the next three to five years.

O'Herin will be able to devote more time to the trust's mission of protecting land along the Sheepscot, primarily in Freedom, Liberty and Palermo.

"It just gives us more time to do all kinds of things," O'Herin said. For instance, O'Herin just completed a mass mailing within the trust's coverage communities seeking new members. O'Herin also will have time to write more grants for preserving land.

The alliance has joined forces with the Alna-based Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association and the Boothbay Region Land Trust to hire a biologist to create a comprehensive inventory of the natural resources along the entire river.

The survey will help guide the groups in preserving the most important places.

And with O'Herin on board part time, the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance hopes to be ready to act on that report when it comes out in April.

"Had this (Newman's) grant not come through I would not be able to put in the amount of time I'm going to be able to put in," O'Herin said.

To donate to the alliance, send a check payable to Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance, P.O. Box 155, Freedom, ME 04941.

Craig Crosby--861-9253

ccrosby@centralmaine.com