Current Projects

The Porter Hills Conservation Initiative — Phase I

(Updated June 2026) The Francis Small Heritage Trust is thrilled to share the incredible progress and successful completion of Phase I of the Porter Hills Conservation Initiative! What began in 2022 as an ambitious vision to protect this high-priority ecological focus area has now matured into a thriving, deeply cherished community resource.

Thanks to funding from the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program, a critical foundational grant from the William Wharton Foundation and a generous grant from an anonymous foundation that was enabled by the Southern Maine Conservation Collaborative (SMCC, which has now become Momentum Conservation), and the extraordinary generosity of local families donating land, Phase I properties are permanently conserved.

Expanded Public Access & New Trails

True to our core mission, these lands remain completely open to the public for traditional outdoor uses, including hiking, legal hunting, fishing, and trapping. To support our community and visitors, we have implemented several major improvements over the last few years:

  • Four New Hiking Trails: Since 2023, we have successfully developed, marked, and opened four highly popular new trails—the Devils Den Trail, Gateway Trail, Devils Den Connector, and the Colcord Trail.
  • Two Paths to Bald Ledge: In addition to the historic trail from Varney Road, the newly completed Colcord Trail now provides a second, spectacular route from Colcord Pond Road up to the breathtaking panoramic views at the Bald Ledge overlook.
  • Infrastructure Updates: New parking areas and informational kiosks have been installed at main public access points to ensure a seamless visiting experience.
  • Hunter Safety & Education: In addition to posting current Maine hunting season schedules, our volunteer team stocks our kiosks with free-to-use blaze orange vests for visitors during hunting seasons.

Community & Connection at the Hills

The Porter Hills properties have quickly become a vibrant hub for community engagement, historical preservation, and recreational collaboration:

  • Historical Preservation: On October 11, 2025, FSHT board members partnered with the Brownfield Historical Society and the Land Share Riders ATV club to install a new headstone for Samuel Brooks, a Revolutionary War soldier buried in the historic Brooks-Pearl cemetery near the Devils Den cabin.
  • Winter Recreation: On February 7, 2026, we hosted a wonderfully successful winter gathering at the Devils Den cabin in partnership with the Sacopee Valley Snowdrifters snowmobile club, bringing snowshoers, cross-country skiers, and snowmobilers together to share a love for the Maine winter.

Moving Forward

While our Phase I infrastructure is fully established and actively maintained, our work in the Porter Hills continues to grow. We are actively advancing Phase II acquisitions to further enhance regional conservation connectivity and protect this invaluable landscape for generations to come.

Get Involved: Land conservation thrives on community support. Consider joining us as a member, signing up to volunteer for trail maintenance, or making a donation today to support our ongoing initiatives!

This is a view looking from Dana Weeks Road northward over the ephemeral pond that is found near the southern tip of the Bald Ledge South property. This pond is adjacent to the Dana Weeks Road and Kennard Hill Road on the left, and near to where the Colcord Pond Road divides from the Dana Weeks Road and continues northward on the right, and this pond is clearly shown in some of our maps of this area. Although this feature has not yet been evaluated by qualified biologists, the cacophony of harsh noises of wood frogs here each spring strongly suggests that is a vernal pool. Along with the southern reaches of the Bald Ledge Summit parcel, the lands in this area show many glacial features such as possible eskers and likely kettle ponds.