An uphill battle

WRITTEN BY JODI HERSEY

Haystack Mountain, which straddles the towns of Liberty and Montville, holds lots of cherished memories for Maine residents who live and work in Waldo County. This small mountain has been the backdrop in so many outdoor enthusiasts’ lives and a place families like to picnic, friends look forward to hiking, and children enjoy exploring. 

In 2022, when it appeared this landmark was headed for commercial development, a group of local volunteers who call themselves the Friends of Haystack Mountain (or FOHM), banded together to raise funds in order to protect the mountain from development and keep it open for public use. 

“This mountain is so well loved and well hiked,” said FOHM member Martha Piscuskas. “It’s only a mile hike and it’s very family friendly. At the summit, it’s all clear. There are very few mountains in the area that are actually cleared on the top.” 

Cathy Roberts of Montville hikes the 800-foot elevation regularly and was one of the first members to join FOHM. 

“We are all dedicated to this mountain because we raised our families here,” Roberts explained. “Having the opportunity to save the mountain forever was our chance to invite people to come and see what we have all experienced.”

Roberts said the 57-acre mountain had been previously owned by Allen’s Blueberry Freezer Company, which hoped to sell the property. In response, FOHM set a goal to raise $525,000 to protect Haystack Mountain from development and place it in the hands of a local land trust known as the Midcoast Conservancy.  The members of FOHM met regularly, planned fundraisers, collected donations, and worked tirelessly to secure grants and business support and all that hard work paid off. In February, the group shared it successfully raised the funds needed to officially transfer Haystack Mountain into the protective hands of the Midcoast Conservancy.

“It took us just over two years to raise over $560,000,” said FOHM member Buck O’Herin. “Regardless of the obstacles we were facing, there was so much community support for this project. We had literally hundreds of people who donated money from small amounts to big amounts.”

Ericka Presley is the Land Conservation Manager from the Midcoast Conservancy. She says the work and dedication of all FOHM members is unmatched.

“I find the whole story to be inspiring,” Presley said. “It’s very likely this [area] would’ve been developed and carved up into multiple lots and public access would have been cut off, but this now ensures the area is accessible to anyone who wants to enjoy it. It’s just an asset to the community and a wonderful gem.”

FOHM would like to encourage tourists and Maine residents alike to hike, enjoy the blueberries, or take in the 1.1-mile storybook walk at Haystack Mountain at their leisure. FOHM members say the view alone is worth the experience.

“Now is the time to protect the places we love and do what we can to make sure they are always there,” O’Herin said.