Rachel Carson Salt Pond Photos

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Salt Pond Preserve donated 1966 by Helen Williams, Elizabeth Gardner, and Anne Hinners	Rachel Carson was instrumental in starting the Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy
The Bucksport Formation bedrock (gray granulite) was formed by sedimentary folding and squeezing of the continental plates 420 million years ago. The heat from the clashing plates caused magma to flow into cracks and crevices between unmelted rocks creating contrasting lines called dikes and sills.	The extensive woodland above the salt pond comprises white pine, balsam fir, white spruce, red oak, red maple, and white birch.
As the tide recedes people explore the tidal remnants, looking for periwinkles (snails), barnacles, blue mussels, common starfish, green sea urchins, and hermit and green crabs.	Brown green seaweeds growing on the rocks include rockweeds and knotted wrack, while at very low tide red algae (Irish Moss) can be found.
As the tide recedes, the rocks on the seaside edge of the salt pond begin to appear.	Summer homes and inns have replaced the 1880s Danforth Farm and much of the original farmland has reverted to woodland.