
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

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 | 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Broad Cove Reserve, Cumberland Foreside
Curriculum: Join us at Broad Cove Reserve to learn fascinating facts about horseshoe crabs who have emerged from the ocean to lay their eggs on sandy beaches like this one for 445 million years. You will likely be able to see these harmless arthropods up close! Meet at the parking lot at 2:00 p.m. for the 15-minute walk down to the beach.
Naturalist: Karen Massey
Get Out! Nature Walks
These 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; always free; rain, snow, or shine. Jointly offered by both RRCT and the Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust, the walks take place at preserves in the towns of Chebeague Island, Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, 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. Email CCLT with any questions.
*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.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025 | 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Littlejohn Island Preserve, Yarmouth
SPECIAL PARKING: For this event only, drive to the very end of Pemasong Lane in Yarmouth. The service gate will be open. Go through the gate and park on the right in the grass. RRCT staff will be there to direct you.
Curriculum: We’ll walk through the pine-oak forest to the shore of this stunning 23-acre preserve on Casco Bay. We’ll investigate the tidal mudflats and sandy beaches along the coastline while keeping an eye out for common eiders, black guillemots, ospreys, and bald eagles.
Naturalists: Karen Massey
These 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; always free; rain, snow, or shine. Jointly offered by both RRCT and the Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust, the walks take place at preserves in the towns of Chebeague Island, Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, 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. Email CCLT with any questions.
*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.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 | 8:30 - 9:45 am
Location: Indian Point, Chebeague Island
Curriculum: Join us and Maine Audubon’s Laura Zitske at Indian Point on Chebeague Island to learn about the shorebirds and the shoreland restoration project on this preserve. We may even have a chance to see the piping plovers who have been nesting in this area for the past two years! Please bring binoculars if you have them.
Transportation: If you are interested in joining us from the mainland and need transportation from the CTC ferry that leaves from Cousin’s Island, you will need to take the 8:00 am boat that arrives on the island at 8:15 am. We can give you a ride down to Indian Point and give you a ride back to get on the 10:00 ferry back to the mainland. If you have a bike you can bring over, that is an easy way to get to the Point independently (about a three-mile ride). If you would like a ride from the ferry please email info@ccltmaine.org with “Request for Island Transportation on 7/16” in the subject line.
Guide: Laura Zitske, Wildlife Ecologist, Coastal Birds Project Director
These 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; always free; rain, snow, or shine. Jointly offered by both RRCT and the Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust, the walks take place at preserves in the towns of Chebeague Island, Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, 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. Email CCLT with any questions.
*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.