Our History
A Widening Reach​
BBWC grew out of the work begun in the late 1990s by the Passy Coalition, an organization that focused on the health of the Passagassawakeag River. In 2004 the Coalition decided to expand its conservation efforts to the full Belfast Bay watershed; the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition was formed, incorporating as a 501(c)3 in 2006. Its mission was and is to support conservation and stewardship of natural and public resources in the region.
Expanding its work, the Coalition has provided leadership and undertaken projects, programs, and other initiatives for preserving the Belfast Bay watershed and educating the public about it.
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Water Testing​
​In 2007, BBWC began water quality sampling and testing, which continues in the Passagassawakeag, Wescott Stream, and Belfast Bay. Trained volunteers do official certified water quality surveys. BBWC’s mapping and marking of storm drains in Belfast facilitated awareness of the need to improve storm water drainage into Belfast Bay. Today we continue to study the bay and its beaches.
Stewardship
Starting in 2011, BBWC played a key role in the development of the Hills to Sea Trail, a continuous 47-mile footpath between Belfast and Unity that was completed in 2016. Developed over four years, the trail connected existing trails on conservation or public lands with new trails built by volunteers. More than 60 landowners granted permission for the trail to cross their properties. The Hills to Sea Trail is maintained by trail stewards. BBWC actively manages the Little River Trail.
Another form of stewardship is the Penobscot Bay Stewards Program. In 2015, BBWC took over responsibility for the program, which had been run by the State of Maine for decades. It’s an extraordinary experience and a vital source of volunteer power in the region.
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