Management Plan - National Estuarine Research Reserve System

230 bird species and at least 32 mammal specieshave been documented at the Wells Reserve.Detailed information on the setting and species ofthe Wells Reserve can be found in the Site Profileof the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve,published in 2007. This document has chapterson geomorphology, hyodrogeography, climateand weather, habitats, flora and fauna, and otherinformation relating to the 2,250-acre site. TheSite Profile also has charts containing the commonnames and scientific names of all known flora andfauna species at the Reserve.Cultural History and CommunitySettingHistoryThe southern coast of Maine had been occupiedby Native Americans for thousands of years beforeEuropean settlement in the 1640’s. Although noformal archaeological surveys have been completedat the Wells Reserve site, the Abenaki tribe probablyused the lands and waters of this area as theyhad in other parts of New England. The NativeAmericans of the region were mobile, traveling tovarious places in search of the abundance of plantsand animals that existed seasonally on the coastalplain of Maine.The early European settlers found this rich diversityof plants and animals when they arrived in southcoastal Maine in the early 17 th century. Anglo-American colonial sites dating from the early 1600’smay lie within or close to the Reserve, particularlyin the upland forests adjacent to the Little Riverestuary and on the upper reaches of the WebhannetRiver.The site of the Reserve campus was first recordedbeing settled in 1642. Thereafter, for the next 350years, it was occupied by only four families: theBoades, the Symonds, the Clarks and the Lords.The site and its residents played prominent roles inthe history of Wells.Henry Boade first appeared in Maine in 1636 inBiddeford. In 1641, he moved to what would becomeknown as the Town of Wells, and chose an uplandmeadow at the highest point of land on the coast tobe the site for his estate, roughly the current locationof the visitor center. Mr. Boade was appointedchairman of the Town’s first board of selectman andserved as town commissioner. William Symondswas a selectman, a frequent member of the annualgrand jury and the overseer of wills. The Clark erabegan in 1717 and lasted 163 years.Throughout this period, the landscape changed dramatically,from a patchwork of habitats—both wildand those created by the Native Americans—toone that was predominantly agricultural. Fields forcrops and livestock replaced forests and shrublands.A regular, predictable pattern was imposed on thelandscape.George Clement Lord I was president of theBoston and Maine Railroad and oversaw significantimprovements to the farm. He purchased the propertyin 1881; thereafter, he began making improvementsto the property. His purchase coincided withthe progressive farm era of the late 19 th century,when more well-to-do individuals and familiespurchased New England farms and applied thelatest technological advances (both in equipmentand buildings) to farming.The mid to late 19 th century was also a period ofthe industrialization of cities and abandonmentof farms. Families and individuals left the ruralregions of New England to move to cities for jobsin factories. During this period, the forest began toreclaim the New England landscape.George Clement Lord II began living year-round atthe farm in 1916. He served as a town selectman, astate representative and state senator and served onthe Maine Governor’s Council. He was also activein many farming organizations and was president ofthe York County Breeder’s Association. (The nameLaudholm Farm was established early in the 20 thcentury.) The end of the Lords’ farming operation24 Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve