Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Breaking Island News

USA: Family of Celebrated Author Donates Private Island to Nature Conservancy

The family of the celebrated children’s author, Robert McCloskey, has donated a private island made famous in the 1952 novel “One Morning in Maine” to the Nature Conservancy

  • The daughters of celebrated U.S. children’s author, Robert McCloskey, have donated Outer Scott Island to the Nature Conservancy in Maine
  • The 6.2-acre island, which had been listed by international island brokers Vladi Private Islands, featured in McCloskey’s 1952 novel, “One Morning in Maine”
  • The island, which was already subject to a conservation easement, will now be protected in perpetuity by the Nature Conservancy
Outer Scott Island - Photo Courtesy of Vladi Private Islands

Outer Scott Island – Photo Courtesy of Vladi Private Islands

Outer Scott Island Donated to Nature Conservancy

The family of celebrated U.S. children’s author and illustrator, Robert McCloskey, has donated the 6.2 acre Outer Scott Island (Maine) to the US-based conservancy organization, Nature Conservancy.

The island now forms part of the Nature Conservancy’s 70+ nature reserves in Maine and will be maintained and protected in perpetuity.

Outer Scott Island, Maine

According to international island brokers Vladi Private Islands, who had been listing the property, the island is located approximately half a mile away from the town of Stonington. It features a varied topography with open plains, meadows and a quarry and also offers a couple of sandy beaches.

The island, which was featured in McCloskey’s 1952 novel, One Morning in Maine, served as both a holiday home and an endless source of inspiration for McCloskey and his family.

Donation for the Benefit of Future Generations

According to his daughters, the author, who also wrote Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, “wanted to make sure that future generations have a chance to enjoy [the island] like our family did.”

As the island had already been placed under a conservation easement by McCloskey and his late wife back in 1974, the next logical step for his family was to donate their former holiday home to the Nature Conservancy.

Special Honour for Nature Conservancy

Speaking on behalf of the Nature Conservancy in Maine, Nancy Sferra, the regional director of stewardship and ecological management said that the organization was “honoured” about the family’s special donation. “With this wonderful gift,” she explained, “they ensured the permanent protection of an island gem.”

The island now belongs to the Nature Conservancy’s collection of 70+ preserves in Maine and will continue to be managed as per the terms laid out by the 1974 conservation easement. Daytime visitors are still welcome to visit by boat.

Read more: http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/en/island-archive/usa/maine/scott-island/

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