MDIF&W Wildlife Management area
Alonzo H. Garcelon spectacle pond property
Wondrous Wetlands By Lisa Kane MDIF&W Natural Sciences Educator
This pond and surrounding lands are a part of the Alonzo H. Garcelon Wildlife Management Area (WMA), which is approximately 4,454 acres centered around three locations in the towns of Augusta, Vassalboro and Windsor in Kennebec County. This article will focus on the Spectacle Pond section of this WMA. The Spectacle Pond area consists of about 1,691 acres, and includes land formerly known as the Boy Scout Property. It is located north of Route 3, east of Church Hill Road, and west of Cross Hill Road in Augusta and Vassalboro. It borders Tolman, Dam and Spectacle ponds. The site consists of upland mature oak and beech woods, interspersed with small pond shore frontage, streams, vernal pools and beaver flowages. The north end of Spectacle Pond had been purchased originally by the Department of Conservation (DOC) as a potential state park site, however, those plans never materialized. Those 280 acres were transferred to MDIF&W in 1994. The access road into Spectacle Pond from the Church Hill Road is currently unmarked, but is roughly a half-mile north of the Stevens Road intersection (Maine Gazetteer Map 13, B1). It is generally passable by 4WD vehicles only, with a canoe or kayak in or on them. Boat trailers would not be able to negotiate it at this time. A beaver flowage runs across the road a few hundred yards from the pond. Near future plans do include road improvements to allow better vehicle and trailer access. ITS 85 runs along a portion of the west side of the pond, and is maintained by the Fox PAGE 38
About WMAs
Glen Snowmobile Club. The access road from Cross Hill Road (Maine Gazetteer Map 13, B1.75) was gated in 2000 to prevent cars, trucks and ATVs from using it, although it is an active snowmobile trail. Problems with erosion have occurred on these trails as a result of inappropriate vehicle use. Gates that are closed seasonally are opened during winter months for snowmobilers. The Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) notes two special Natural Communities that exist on the property. A mixed hardwood conifer forest exists on the south shore of Dam Pond, and an oakbeech forest exists on the south side of Tolman Pond. In fact, this area is included in the Ecological Reserve program. This management area provides excellent nesting and brood rearing habitat for numerous species of waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds. Waterfowl nesting boxes are annually installed and www.mefishwildlife.com
Spectacle Pond is a top defined, with access fro SUMMER 2010