PORTLAND PHOENIX • May 4, 2022
I’m recalling a pre-pandemic afternoon my mom and I spent meandering the boardwalk at Saco Heath in Saco. That afternoon in 2019 was the last time my mom came to Maine. Saco Heath itself was closed for a long stretch during the pandemic (a decision made in response to a surge of visitors and an overflowing parking lot, not to mention the 3-foot-wide boardwalk that made it challenging for passersby to maintain social distance). On the upside, the closure allowed The Nature Conservancy to make some upgrades and boardwalk repairs. Now Saco Heath is open again, ready to welcome the bog-curious. The wonderful thing about superb outdoor spaces like Saco Heath: They’re places where we can be freely curious, where we can explore and crouch and take photos of plants to identify later.