$8.7M to help conserve two Franklin County properties
Federal grants totaling $8.73 million have been awarded to the Maine Department of Conservation and will be used to conserve two forest properties in Franklin County.
Most of the grant money from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, a total of $7 million, will be used to purchase 11,800 acres on Crocker Mountain in Carrabasset Valley. The land is part of an existing working forest owned by Plum Creek and also includes a segment of the Appalachian Trail and opportunities for ATV and mountain biking trails, according to a press release. The total project cost is $8.8 million.
The second award of $1.73 million will allow the state to purchase a conservation easement for more than 5,800 acres near the Orbeton Stream in Madrid Township. The easement will ensure continued public use of the timberlands, owned by Linkletter Timberlands LLC of Athens and used to supply wood fiber to the company’s pellet mill. The total project cost is $2.4 million. In addition to the federal funds, project partners are securing $1 million in matching funds from other sources, including the Land for Maine's Future program.
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