Muddy River – Wills Conservation Success!

This summer, the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust proudly conserved the 114-acre Muddy River – Wills property in Topsham!

This remarkable landscape at the head of the Muddy River is one of six rivers that flow into Merrymeeting Bay to form Maine’s unique inland freshwater tidal delta. The property includes over 4,000 feet of shoreline on the Muddy River and another 5,000 feet of tributary streams, protecting vital waterways that support both wildlife and community well-being.

Part of a 1,400-acre undeveloped habitat block, the Muddy River – Wills property provides critical habitat for a wide range of species. It contains both Significant and Tidal Waterfowl and Wading Bird Habitat, and is home to native brook trout, alewives, white-tailed deer, coyotes, fishers, and many resident and migratory bird species. The landscape’s diversity—mature upland forest, cedar and ash floodplain woods, and more than 40 acres of emergent wetlands—makes it ecologically rich and resilient.

That resiliency is especially important as our climate changes. Influenced by the tidal rhythms of the Muddy River, the property offers substantial opportunity for marsh migration as sea levels rise. Projections show the potential for up to 55 acres of new saltmarsh to form under a 6.1-foot sea level rise, helping to store carbon, buffer storm surges, and sustain biodiversity along Maine’s coast.

This conservation success was made possible thanks to the commitment of conservation-minded landowners and the support of numerous partners and funders, including the Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Marshes for Tomorrow initiative, a coast-wide effort to protect and restore tidal marshes that are vital for climate resilience. Funding also came from the North American Wetland Conservation Act program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with a generous anonymous donor.

Beyond its ecological value, the property also offers recreational opportunities for the community, including hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobiling, and ATV use. It connects to the Town of Topsham’s Topsham Ponds property via a five-mile trail system, securing a beloved network of local multi-use trails while conserving essential wildlife habitat.

With the Muddy River – Wills property now permanently protected, this land will continue to support the natural systems, wildlife, and outdoor traditions that make our region so special today and for generations to come.