PENOBSCOT BAY PILOT • February 15, 2026
Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust announces major improvements to La Verna Preserve in Bristol. In October, Coastal Rivers completed a new parking lot on the same side of Route 32 as the trailhead. This addresses previous parking challenges, enhancing safety and convenience by lessening the need for visitors to cross Route 32. The old parking lot now serves as overflow parking. Space for the new parking area was made possible by the sale of a 10-acre property next to the preserve by Steve and Vicki Nichols in 2022. And last year, a generous 13-acre donation of land from neighbor Rebecca Bell further expanded the preserve, creating new connections with other Coastal Rivers properties in the La Verna neighborhood. Planned additions to the preserve include a new kiosk and interpretive panel at the trailhead, set to be installed later this winter.