Report urges North Woods collaboration
A group tasked with charting the future of the Maine North Woods has released a study calling for collaborative efforts between public and private entities.
The Keeping Maine Forests Committee yesterday presented the report to Gov. John Baldacci, ending an 18-month study into how to preserve the economic significance and quality of place of Maine's North Woods. The report proposes using public and private funding to create the Great Maine Forest Initiative, which would include seeking federal funding and encouraging targeted public acquisition to conserve property, but also allow for commercial use. The report also recommends giving development rights to local and regional land trusts instead of municipalities, getting green certification for land and lumber products, and planning for new forest products such as biomass and wood pellets.
The committee, led by Bruce Wiersma, a professor and director of the University of Maine's Center for Research on Sustainable Forests, includes representatives from large landholders such as Huber Resources, the Natural Resources Council of Maine and the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine.
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