Goals

(1) As a project of the Fort Williams Charitable Foundation, we aspire to establish an Arboretum at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, comprised of 15 individual landscapes, a perimeter trail, and interpretive signs and displays.

(2) To eradicate invasive species, and establish a sustainable landscape comprised mostly of native plants, along with compatible non-native and vernacular plants that have become part of our cultural heritage.

3) To create a coalition of organizations that supports the creation and maintenance of the Arboretum.

(4) To empower citizens of all ages to participate in the preservation and betterment of the natural treasure that is Fort Williams Park.

(5) To provide a means of educating people about the natural and human history of the Park, about trees and their ecological benefits, about the benefits of native species and the problem of invasives, and about horticulture and sustainability. To serve as a model for implementing the Environmental Literacy Plan of the United States and Maine Departments of Education.

(6) To advance recommendations from the Governor’s Council on Maine’s Quality of Place with regard to landscape conservation and to strengthening the link between the natural and the built environments.

(7) To increase and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities, including walking, jogging, biking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

(8) To develop an organizational structure and Development Plan to ensure that the Arboretum endures and is self-sustaining.

Objectives

(1) Community participation is key to the success of this project. The Park is home to events ranging from local games and celebrations to the world class Beach to Beacon road race. The 15 landscapes will be developed around concepts which are representative of the human and natural history of Fort Williams Park and of its many uses. Volunteers will aid in site work, planting, trail building, and maintenance.

(2) The first landscape to be developed is the Gateway, or Demonstration Site, a severely overgrown area adjacent to the highly popular cliff walk. A budget of $350,000 will pay for costs of removing the invasives, bringing in soil, purchasing and planting shrubs and trees, and installing hardscape. Securing funding for this demonstration site is a primary objective.

(3) Collaboration with the other stakeholder groups which are involved in the use and management of the Park is a necessary condition to the Arboretum’s success. These groups include the Fort Williams Charitable Foundation, the Town Council and Planning Board, the Fort Williams Advisory Commission, the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, and SMCC, among others.

(4) Citizen and visitor satisfaction with the condition of the Park is an area of concern. Favorite views have been overgrown by invasive species, the trail system is incomplete, and the Park lacks flowering or interesting trees and plantings. The deteriorating horticultural condition of the Park needs to be addressed in order to preserve this priceless legacy.

(5) Nearly a million visitors come to Fort Williams Park annually. Because there is no coherent trail network, the majority of visitors do not make full use of the Park beyond the Head Light. The Arboretum would provide an integrated attraction with 15 individual landscapes linked by a trail system and interpretive signs, and would encourage walking and other outdoor recreational uses.

(6) Education is an important component of our mission and a plan outlining our proposed educational efforts will provide the necessary foundation for this work.