Stockman

Stockman Island is owned by the [Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust (CCLT)](https://www.ccltmaine.org/) and managed primarily as a refuge for nesting birds and marine wildlife. Covered in low shrubs and grasses, Stockman was once home to hundreds of pairs of nesting eider ducks until the arrival of predators including raccoons and mink put an end to the nesting activity. There are no seabirds currently nesting on Stockman, but eiders, cormorants, plovers, gulls and herons frequent the island to rest on its shore or fish in the nearby shallows. Seals often haul out on the ledges surrounding the island, and there is an active osprey nest on a navigational aid located just off its southwest point. To protect the wildlife that utilize Stockman, boaters should refrain from visiting the island until July 15.

Outside of nesting season, Stockman is open to the public for respectful day use, including picnicking and exploration. Camping and fires are not permitted. There are no walking trails on the island and the interior is rife with poison ivy, so visitors should keep to the shoreline. Gravel beaches on the west shore and at the north point provide good landing options at certain tides, but boaters should beware of the ledges that guard some of the approaches.

There is no evidence of human settlement on Stockman, but the island was threatened by development as recently as 1989 when private owners proposed building three cottages on shore. This spurred a conservation effort led by the [Town of Cumberland](https://www.cumberlandmaine.com/) and [The Nature Conservancy](https://www.nature.org/en-us/) which ultimately fell through, but paved the way for CCLT (known then as the Cumberland Mainland & Islands Trust) to successfully protect the island in 1992.