Kezar River South

Completed in January 2025, The Greater Lovell Land Trust (GLLT) expanded its Kezar River focus area with the conservation of an additional 1,411 acres, bringing the total conserved area to over 2,700 contiguous acres in Lovell and Sweden, Maine. This latest acquisition, made possible by the purchase of land from a local family deeply connected to the region’s forests, builds on the 1,315 acres GLLT conserved along the Kezar River in 2022 and 2023. Together, these protected lands conserve seven miles of the Kezar River, a mostly forested corridor that also features steep riverside bluffs, hilltop vistas, beaver ponds, and nearly 100 acres of wetlands, creating vital, unbroken wildlife habitat.

This conservation achievement marks the largest land purchase in GLLT’s history. A $1,035,000 grant from the Land for Maine’s Future Program in the early stages of fundraising was instrumental in realizing this project. Established in 1987, the program is Maine’s primary funding mechanism for conserving lands with ecological and recreational value.

Additional key support came from a $200,000 contribution by the Open Space Institute’s Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund (ALPF), which helped transform this vision into reality. “OSI is thrilled to support this project, which beautifully integrates biodiversity protection with sustainable forest management and thoughtful community access for recreation,” said Sarah Wells, OSI’s Conservation Strategies New England Project Manager. The ALPF is made possible with a lead grant from the Doris Duke Foundation and with significant support from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Riverview Foundation, Tucker Foundation, Lookout Foundation, Footprint Foundation, Anonymous Foundation (2), as well as other foundations and individuals who understand the critical role that land protection plays in addressing the threats of climate change.

Further funding came from The Nature Conservancy in Maine, the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, the Maine Community Foundation, private foundations, and, most notably, generous contributions from community members.

Access

Parking lots for the Kezar River South Forest will be built later in 2025. Until then, parking along the side of Fern Drive or Grovers Bridge Road is your best option. Keep in mind that these are dirt roads which can be easily damaged during mud season, and that much of Grovers Bridge Road is not plowed in the winter. Also note that the Fern Drive bridge is currently not passable, so it is best to approach Fern Drive from the Lovell side via Route 5. When parking along the roadside, please do not block the roadway, turn-outs for snow plows, or fire hydrants.

The property is most easily accessed via the two existing ATV/snowmobile trails shown on the map above. Various other unmapped woods roads and game trails traverse the property and can also be explored. GLLT will build more trails for visitors to enjoy as we develop the recreation plan for this property.

Activity Guidelines

The Reserve is open to public use for these:

  • Hunting, fishing, and trapping in accordance with Maine Law

  • Non-commercial foraging of berries and mushrooms

  • Hiking and picnicking

  • Horseback riding on dirt roads/ATV trails

  • Cross-country skiing

  • Snowshoeing

  • Snowmobiling on designated snowmobile trails

  • ATV riding on designated ATV trails


    These activities are not allowed: 

  • Unauthorized cutting/removal of vegetation

  • Operating motorized vehicles off of designated motorized trails

  • Mineral extraction/prospecting

  • Camping


    Please use the land responsibly, leaving it just as you found it so that others may enjoy it as well.
    Carry out all waste, and we prefer pets to be kept on a leash.