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Why Sears Island is Worth Preserving
Maine’s shoreline, wetlands and coastal
 waters are part of
the priceless natural heritage that define and enrich our quality of life. SEARS
ISLAND is a unique piece of this rich natural tapestry - a jewel that cannot be
replaced or replicated once destroyed.
EPA scientists say Sears Island has:
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a highly unusual combination of marine and freshwater habitats
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eelgrass beds which are critical nurseries for many species essential to the
Penobscot Bay ecosystem
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an important flyway from the Arctic to South America.
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“jeopardized” neotropical birds. Disruption of wildlife habitat in North
America is just as bad for these declining species as the deforestation of the
rainforest is in South America!
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70% of the water and wetland dependent species in Maine
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a haul out ledge providing a resting place for seals
Habitats of Sears
Island
The carriage road trail through
the center of the island (unpaved) takes you on a journey through many of these
habitats:
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Beaches and rocky shores
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Tall and low shrub zones
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Softwood forests
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Hardwood forests
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Mixed forests
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Fern meadows
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Grassy Meadows
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Coastal Salt marshes
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Ponds
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Freshwater Wetlands
While enjoying the large blocks of
uninterrupted forest in the southern half of the island, keep an eye out for
birds such as pileated woodpecker, northern parula, black-throated blue warbler,
black-and-white warbler, northern waterthrush, and Canada warbler. These species
require habitats that are deep in the forest, which are rare on the coast of
Maine and its islands.
Vernal pools and other wetlands on
the island provide a unique area for many species of amphibians and birds.
Undisturbed wetlands make Sears Island a worthwhile place to preserve.
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