Five conservation projects funded with $3.1M from Land for Maine's Future

Five parcels of Maine land have recently been purchased and will be conserved at a cost of $3.1 million under the Land for Maine’s Future program, Gov. Janet Mills announced Wednesday.

The five conservation projects range from a community forest in Woodstock to the headwaters of the Kennebago River to a deer wintering habitat in Aroostook County.

“This is an exciting moment for conservation in Maine,” said Mills in a news release. “Maine people value the outdoors, and each of these projects represents an exceptional opportunity to preserve working land, expand opportunities for outdoor recreation, protect important deer habitat, and ensure public access for the enjoyment of future generations.”

The five projects are:

Buck’s Ledge Community Forest: This 634-acre parcel located in the town of Woodstock in Oxford County is accessible to major population centers in Maine and is popular for multiple recreation uses including hiking, rock climbing, hunting, and snowmobiling.
The East Grand Lake Weston Conservation Easement: The largest of all the projects, this project covers 4,363 acres and more than 21 miles of shoreline on East Grand Lake Deering/Longfellow Lake, Brackett Lake and Sucker Lake, as well as the headwaters of the St. Croix International Waterway.
Kennebago Headwaters: This parcel will help protect the headwaters of the Kennebago River, becoming part of the larger Kennebago Headwaters project that includes over 10,000 acres and protecting nearly the entire Kennebago watershed. The area provides some of the highest quality habitat for eastern brook trout, and the river annually attracts thousands of anglers.
The Kennebec Highlands: This project encompasses 813 acres in the towns of Vienna and New Sharon and fills in the largest gap in the Kennebec Highlands Public Reserved Land. The land features a mountain summit with 360-degree views, and large blueberry fields for commercial and recreational picking.
Caribou Stream Deer Wintering Area: This Caribou Stream Deer Wintering Area proposal will conserve 930 acres of priority deer wintering habitat in the towns of Woodland and Washburn, in Aroostook County, as well as 1.8 miles of stream habitat for wild brook trout.

“Projects like the five approved today greatly benefit Maine residents and visitors to our state,” said Amanda Beal, commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. “The support and investment of the Land for Maine’s Future program enables us to protect Maine’s wilderness areas, to support our working forests and farms, and to sustain our valued way of life.”

The Land for Maine's Future program is the state’s primary method of conserving land for its natural and recreational value. The program was established in 1987 when Maine citizens approved a bond to fund $35 million for purchases.

Since then, LMF has conserved nearly 604,000 acres of land, more than half of which — 333,425 acres — has been working lands. Among the properties are 41 farms, 9,755 acres of farmlands and 26 commercial working waterfront properties.

Funding for the program was replenished with $40 million in the state's most recent biennial budget. Prior to that, the fund was nearly depleted. In October, Mills announced a call for program proposals, the first since 2017.