One Step Closer to Conserving Camp Bomazeen

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our wonderful Belgrade Lakes community, we have reached our fundraising goal and secured the commitments needed to move forward with the conservation of  Camp Bomazeen!

We are deeply grateful to everyone who shared the vision, made a gift, or commitment to this extraordinary effort. We extend a heartfelt thanks to the Horse Point neighbors, Alfond families, and the Belgrade Lakes Association whose foundational contributions, alongside MANY generous donations, made a meaningful impact. Together, this wonderful community has collectively raised the funds needed to proceed toward closing on the property, which we are on track to complete by the end of September. 

While we have reached our goal, the work of caring for and stewarding this special place will continue for years to come. Our Bomazeen Conservation Fund, created through this campaign, will continue to support immediate and significant facility and environmental needs, as well as long-term care and stewardship of the property.  

From all of us at 7 Lakes Alliance, thank you for believing in this project, for your generosity and for the power of a community coming together to protect a place, lake, and watershed we hold dear.  

With gratitude, 

The Team and Board of Directors 

7 Lakes Alliance 

Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Protect this Land

For generations, Camp Bomazeen has been a place where Maine kids first discovered the magic of the outdoors. Along the shores of Great Pond, kids have paddled quiet coves, hiked forested trails and camped beneath the stars, creating memories and a lifelong connection to the natural world. Today, that remarkable legacy is at risk.

The landowner is actively marketing the property with a sale expected in the next 2 months.  Without action, this extraordinary landscape faces the real possibility of development, including a proposed RV campground with 200-400 campsites on the 80 acres of uplands.

With leadership from 7 Lakes Alliance, the region’s leading conservation organization dedicated to protecting both the lands and waters of the Belgrade Lakes watershed, our community has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conserve this 280-acre property before it is lost forever. With financial support, we can protect the forests, shoreline, wetlands and wildlife habitat to make sure that this special land remains intact for generations to come.

Why This Land Matters

Bomazeen is not just any parcel of land.  This is one of the last largest undeveloped properties left on Great Pond.

  • 280 acres total
    • 80 acres of forested uplands
    • 200 acres of wetlands that naturally filter runoff and protect lake health
  • 900 feet of shoreline on Great Pond
  • Significant wildlife habitat and unique geologic features
  • Existing low-impact trails, camping areas, and scouting facilities
  • A beloved property with a long history of community use
  • Highly desirable for future development if not conserved

Aerial view of Bomazeen, photo credit Alexander Wall

The Project at a Glance

Goal: Permanently conserve Bomazeen
Budget: $3 million
This funding will support:

  • Property acquisition
  • Due diligence and environmental assessments
  • Boundary survey
  • Title review
  • Significant deferred maintenance
  • Stewardship

A Purchase & Sale Agreement is signed and contingent on fundraising $3 million by August 31, 2026. 7 Lakes Alliance is moving  to complete all necessary due diligence in parallel with raising the funds needed to protect this land forever.

Aerial view of the beach shoreline at Bomazeen, photo credit Alexander Wall

Our Vision for the Land

Our vision is to conserve  Bomazeen while honoring its historical uses and managing use to levels acceptable to the community. An overarching goal is to minimize the impact on Great Pond as conserved land protects water quality.

Once acquired, the property will be managed as a conservation area with carefully regulated access designed to preserve the natural environment, and support 7 Lakes Alliance’s broader conservation mission.

7 Lakes Alliance will work closely with community members and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive management plan guiding:

  • Limited, managed public access, including for scouts
  • Appropriate use of existing facilities
  • Protection of wildlife habitat and water quality
  • Long-term stewardship of the land

Photo of 7 Lake Alliance board member Meg McCann’s late husband, Richard, a Bomazeen camper in the 1950s (Courtesy of Meg McCann)

We Reached Our Goal, But the Work Continues

While we have reached our goal, the work of caring for and stewarding this special place will continue for years to come.  To support the ongoing work to conserve Bomazeen and make a donation online, please use the Give Now button below.

Give Now

Questions about donating to 7 Lakes Alliance? Contact Laurie Raleigh, Advancement Director at 207-931-8806 or [email protected].


About 7 Lakes Alliance. 7 Lakes is a certified land trust with a year-round staff of 15 conservationists, scientists, and educators and nearly 80 summer seasonal employees working to protect the entire the Belgrade watershed. We are an entirely donor driven organization that depends on our community’s support to protect the region we all care so much about.

 

Updated September 2, 2026