A Beloved Trail Achieves Perpetuity
Those who enjoy walking the Cathance River Trail and the many who will enjoy it long into the future have Carla Rensenbrink to thank. On August 29, 2023, Carla deepened her commitment to forever conservation by placing a Trail Easement on the portion of Cathance River Trail that traverses the Rensenbrink property, which was conserved in 2002 by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay. This Trail Easement will ensure that this crucial section of the Cathance River Trail that connects to Head of Tide Park will forever be protected and open to the public.

Carla Rensenbrink (left) and BTLT Board Member Margaret Wilson (right) signing the paperwork to make it happen!
No stranger to Topsham conservation, Carla and her late husband John Rensenbrink were instrumental in key community conservation efforts along the Cathance River over the past several decades. They were prominent founders and members of Topsham’s Future, a citizen’s group that advocated for environmentally sound, community-centered development. They played a crucial role in the creation and conservation of the 235-acre Cathance River Nature Preserve and provided the seed that grew into the Cathance River Education Alliance. It was during this time that the Rensenbrinks first protected 34-acres of their approximately 55-acre property located near what would become Head of Tide Park on the Cathance River in Topsham. On June 28, 2021, John and Carla added to this legacy by donating a conservation easement on an additional 17.5 acres of their property to Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust.
The Land Trust recognizes the gravity and significance of “forever” protection. We are grateful to Carla for ensuring that this critical section of the much beloved Cathance River Trail will continue to be enjoyed by the public today and in perpetuity.