Tidal Bends Wilderness Preserve

Tidal Bends Wilderness Preserve is in a freshwater tidal zone where the food web may be witnessed playing out. Astonishing numbers of Bald Eagles fish for carp and alewives, while Great Blue Herons and rare Black-Crowned Night Herons feed on frogs and minnows in the shallows of the Eastern River as it comes and goes with the tide.

Pittston, Maine

260 acres

2+ miles frontage on Eastern River

33 acres of freshwater tidal marsh

Tidal Bends Wilderness Preserve owes its name to the mesmerizing Eastern River that performs a graceful dance of twists and turns, weaving its way throughout the Preserve. The Eastern River is a tributary of the Kennebec River that flows into Merrymeeting Bay—a vast freshwater tidal riverine and inland delta that is second only to the Chesapeake Bay for its concentration of waterfowl on the East Coast. Several state-listed rare plants can be found here, including the estuary bur-marigold, Eaton’s bur-marigold, and Parker’s pipewort. Inland from the shore, the Preserve includes mature forest that has not been logged for many decades. The Preserve lies directly across the river from Kennebec Land Trust’s Eastern River Preserve, ensuring permanent protection on both sides of this stretch of river. The project was made possible by Jim Goldman and Alyce Zellers, who donated the land to Northeast Wilderness Trust.