Mèmak Preserve
Description
Mèmak Preserve is a 46-acre conservation area at 78 Lufkin Road in North Yarmouth. The preserve derives its name from the Wabanaki word for Pileated Woodpeckers which are associated with luck and friendship.
The mature woods are home to woodpeckers, warblers, and other wildlife, shaped by a diverse canopy of red oak, legacy white pine, hemlock, beech, red pine, and maple. Few forest stands of this quality exist in Cumberland County. Surrounded by mossy stone walls, these trails are popular for walking and family-friendly mountain biking. Blueberries, lady’s slippers, mushrooms, and wildflowers are scattered on the forest floor.
1.0 mile trail network
More information
Across the powerlines from the preserve is the Deer Brook parcel which is covered by an RRCT-held conservation easement. No trails exist to, or within, the majestic forest of the Deer Brook parcel. It is reserved for the adventurous seeking off-trail exploration after crossing the raspberries and brambles of the powerline.
Parking: There is a small 4-car parking lot 78 Lufkin Road, North Yarmouth which is plowed in the winter. Look for a blue yardarm sign as you approach the parking area.
Two parallel trails begin at the parking lot, one designated for snowmobiles. The mostly flat, one-mile trail network features a “lollipop” loop, with spurs connecting to nearby neighborhoods, power lines, and shorter loop options. The snowmobile trail also provides year-round access to Route 115 near the Gray–North Yarmouth town line.
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The land comprising Mèmak Preserve was donated to RRCT in 2020 by the Ed and Joyce Gervais Family which acquired the land through the purchase of various parcels through time. The largest of these parcels was owned by Ursula and Lee Baier whose family has a deep relationship in North Yarmouth. The Baier Family granted the conservation easement governing the use of the Deer Brook parcel to one of RRCT’s predecessor organizations, the North Yarmouth Land Trust.
- Public access is welcome: hiking, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, biking, hunting with notice, birdwatching, and foraging.
- Dogs are welcome on leash or under strict voice control, leaving no evidence of their visit. Leashes are required near private residences.
- Hunting: Safe and responsible hunting is permitted with notice. Please review RRCT's Hunting & Trapping Rules and annually register to hunt on RRCT property here. Please take extreme caution due to nearby residences. Note that it is unlawful to discharge any firearm, muzzleloader, or crossbow within 100 yards of a residence. All trail users should wear blaze orange during hunting seasons. Hunting is NOT permitted on the abutting Deer Brook parcel across from the powerlines.
- Snowmobiles are allowed on designated snowmobile trails only. All tail users should exercise caution where trails overlap.
- No camping, overnight parking, fires, or smoking.
- Please adhere to postings on private abutting land.
Royal River Conservation Trust protects and stewards properties, including Mèmak Preserve, located within the traditional homelands of the Wabanaki. We strive to ensure that our properties are inclusive and accessible and provide opportunities for healing, education, and respite.
The preserve derives its name from the Wabanaki word for Pileated Woodpeckers which are associated with luck and friendship.
The mature woods are surrounded by mossy stone walls with trails for family-friendly walking and mountain biking. Blueberries, mushrooms, and wildflowers are scattered on the forest floor. A snowmobile trail creates year-round connections to Route 115 near the Gray-North Yarmouth town line.
Habitat
The northern slopes of Walnut Hill, which host Mèmak Preserve, drain toward Deer Brook and thereafter to the Royal. The area’s ecology is unique to the watershed as underground gravel deposits provide excellent drainage thereby promoting one of the more diverse forests in the watershed. While the edges of the preserve were recently harvested, most of the preserve has had no timber harvest for more than fifty years, resulting in mature trees supporting a diversity of bird life and wildlife.
Across the powerline, the Deer Brook parcel contains equally old, mature and diverse forests although with steeper slopes and wetter soils, thus dominated by hemlock and mature birch. The short stretch of Deer Brook hosts small quantities of mossy shoreline and wild trout, and is mapped (with various small tributaries) by Maine DIFW as Inland Wading Bird and Waterfowl Habitat.
Management Plan
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Mèmak Preserve
Mèmak Preserve is a 46-acre conservation area at 78 Lufkin Road in North Yarmouth. The preserve derives its name from the Wabanaki word for Pileated Woodpeckers which are associated with luck and friendship.
The mature woods are home to woodpeckers, warblers, and other wildlife, shaped by a diverse canopy of red oak, legacy white pine, hemlock, beech, red pine, and maple. Few forest stands of this quality exist in Cumberland County. Surrounded by mossy stone walls, these trails are popular for walking and family-friendly mountain biking. Blueberries, lady’s slippers, mushrooms, and wildflowers are scattered on the forest floor.