AUGUSTA – Hacker’s Hill in Casco and Randall Orchards in Standish have both qualified as finalists for funding through the Land for Maine’s Future program.

The land trusts seeking to preserve the two significant parcels of land were among 22 entities in the state that received notification Wednesday that they have qualified for funding. The exact amount is unknown at this point, although the 22 finalists would likely share an estimated $7 million, money that is made possible by Maine taxpayers through voter-approved bonds. There were reportedly 38 projects seeking funding this round.

The program is administered by the Land for Maine’s Future board of directors, which is chaired by Don Marean, a Hollis resident and former owner of Standish Hardware. While Marean couldn’t divulge the amount that the two local projects will receive “since there are many more hoops they need to jump through,” he said Randall Orchards received the highest score of all farmland projects and that Hacker’s Hill “ranked right up there” as well in the conservation/recreation category.

According to Jody Harris, director of program services for the State Planning Office, the funding for Hacker’s Hill and Randall Orchards will be eventually directed to the owners of the properties, Conrad Hall for Hacker’s Hill and Dick Randall for Randall Orchards, both of whom are working with local land trusts to preserve their property.

In May, Conrad Hall and his son Jeff Hall struck an agreement with the Bridgton-based Loon Echo Land Trust that would deed control of the property in perpetuity if the land trust can raise $800,000 before next May. Loon Echo has already received $75,000 from the town of Casco, approved at town meeting in June, and is hoping to receive a bulk of the land acquisition cost -$350,000 – from Land for Maine’s Future. They have also formed a fundraising committee and have put out brochures soliciting money.

The money for Randall Orchard will go through the Gorham-based Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, which is working with Randall to preserve his 300-acre orchard that is located in both Standish and Gorham. Randall would still live on the property and keep it as a working apple orchard. The money would secure development rights.

Marean said, and Harris confirmed, that the amount for Hacker’s Hill and Randall Orchards has already been approved in an executive session of the Land for Maine’s Future board but that they are not at liberty to divulge exact funding amounts. Marean and Harris also added that funding for the two projects is contingent on a final appraisal and about a dozen other requirements. Those requirements, including the land trusts providing proof to the board that the property has a clear title, no boundary disputes and proper easement contracts among other things, need to be in place before the board would “sign the check,” as Harris explained. Once the final appraisal is done, the exact funding amount can be publicized.

Hacker’s Hill in Casco (Staff photo by John Balentine)