
Protecting the Royal River for current and future generations

who we are
Royal River Conservation Trust (RRCT) is a Southern Maine land trust focused on conserving land across the communities of the watershed.
Founded in 1988, the Trust protects and stewards land through acquisition, conservation easements and other legal agreements, and collaboration with a wide range of conservation partners. RRCT's work is made possible almost exclusively by charitable gifts.
Learn moreMAKE A GIFTMake a gift
Make a gift to protect our watershed
Your gift to Royal River Conservation Trust protects and stewards fields, forests, farmland, wetlands, and trails throughout the Royal River watershed.
Learn moreEXPLORE
Explore our watershed
All Royal River Conservation Trust preserves possess their own unique characteristics and are open to the public free of charge year-round.
Learn moreVOLUNTEER
Volunteer to protect our watershed
Volunteers established Royal River Conservation Trust in 1988 and continue to be vital to our operations. We are always looking for talented people to help advance our mission.
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Photo Credit Kristel Hayes
Interested in becoming a volunteer?
Volunteers established RRCT in 1988 and continue to be vital to its operations. From trail stewards and committee members, to special event supporters and Board Directors, the Trust welcomes community involvement and wants to hear from you.

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Upcoming Events
Join us on Sunday, February 1st, 2026, from 4:00–7:00 pm as we gather at the summit of Pisgah Hill Preserve for RRCT's 14th annual Full Moon Trek. We’ll share brief remarks at sunset (5:09 p.m.), followed by a full moonrise over Bradbury Mountain.
The Pisgah Hill Preserve (South) trailhead is at 74 Dougherty Road in New Gloucester. (In Pownal, Dougherty Road is known as Chadsey Road.) Parking for this event is on the road shoulders of Dougherty Road, one side of the road only.
It takes around half an hour to hike 0.6 miles from the trailhead to the summit and campfire. So show up anytime after 4:00 pm but before 7:00 pm.
Visitors should expect a moderate hike with some elevation gain to the 381-foot summit. The trail has been packed down, but snowshoes or ice grippers are recommended for extra traction on the snow. At the top, you’ll be welcomed by a warm campfire, great company, hot chocolate and s’mores to enjoy beneath the night sky. AllTrails Link.
What to bring: Warm boots, layers, snowshoes or ice grippers for traction, headlamps or flashlights, cell phones, water, snacks. We will place lanterns along the trail, but be prepared for darkness during your descent.
Dogs are welcome if leashed, with strict attention to pet waste removal.
Register HERE!



Your attendance at RRCT events may be photographed or filmed and your attendance indicates consent to have any images or footage featuring you at the event to be used for RRCT-related materials and outreach. Should images or footage appear in marketing materials that you don’t wish to be featured in, please notify RRCT at Info@RRCT.org and we will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.

Saturday, February 7th, 2026 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Thayer Brook Preserve, 92 Ramsdell Road in Gray
Guides: Margaret Reimann, Anne Payson, Steve McPike
Registration: Limited to 12 spots. Sign up here!
Curriculum: Have you ever wondered what life is like for beavers in Maine? Join us at Thayer Brook Preserve as we uncover the mysteries of this remarkable animal, its role in the ecosystem, the history of our relationship with beavers, and the ways they shape the landscape around us.
We’ll go on a guided walk over the frozen beaver marsh where, conditions permitting, we may get up close to a large beaver lodge and look for signs of wildlife activity along the way.
Please plan for a 2-hour hike over uneven and slippery terrain. Wear warm layers and micro spikes for traction. We’ll meet at the trailhead parking lot at 92 Ramsdell Road in Gray. Please register here.
Rain or Shine | No Cost Event
Get Out! Nature Walks are volunteer-led regular trips with trained master naturalists. Join us for a well-planned, no cost, guided adventure. Monthly on the fourth Wednesday and some weekends; always free; rain, snow, or shine. Jointly offered by both Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust and Royal River Conservation Trust, the walks take place at preserves in the towns of Chebeague Island, Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, Gray, Pownal, New Gloucester, and Durham. Our curriculum is targeted at adults and engaged youth. Because the purpose is nature observation, we ask that dogs do not join us.
*Photography and Filming Note: Your attendance at RRCT events may be photographed or filmed and your attendance indicates consent to have any images or footage featuring you at the event to be used for RRCT-related materials and outreach. Should images or footage appear in marketing materials that you don’t wish to be featured in, you must notify RRCT at info@RRCT.org and RRCT will cease to further use your image or footage for any new materials going forward.

Friday, February 13th, 2026 | 9:00 - 11:00 am
Location: Yarmouth History Center in the William D. Hamill Room, 118 East Elm Street, Yarmouth
Parking is available at the Yarmouth History Center and across the street at Royal River Park.
Join Royal River Conservation Trust and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) for a free, hands-on workshop on the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) - an invasive pest threatening Maine’s hemlock forests.
HWA is a tiny, aphid-like insect that feeds on sap from hemlock branches, killing them over time. The insects cover themselves in a white, waxy secretion that looks like little cotton balls on the underside of needles.
GMRI will introduce Project Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, a community science initiative to monitor local forests. You’ll learn how to identify eastern hemlock trees, spot signs of HWA infestation, and report your findings. After an indoor introduction, we’ll head outside to Royal River Park to practice field identification and collect data together.
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