Two western Maine preserves will split $16M in land-conservation funds
COURTESY / LANDVEST
The 15,412-acre Chadbourne Tree Farms land in the Bethel area will receive $7.99 million under the Great American Outdoors Act.
Conservation of large swaths of forest and improvements for outdoor recreation are the goals of $16.035 million in federal money coming to Maine from the Great American Outdoors Act.
The money was included in the fiscal year 2022 omnibus spending package.
The act provided funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which also includes the Forest Legacy Program.
The program will be providing funds to conserve Quill Hill to Perham Stream in Franklin County and Chadbourne Tree Farm in Oxford County.
“This is a significant investment in Maine’s public lands that will support untouched ecosystems, boost local economies, and help protect these extraordinary lands for generations to come,” U.S. Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins said in a news release.
The projects are expected to open thousands of acres of forest to public access, supporting local communities and protecting natural ecosystems.
The funds will be distributed as follow:
• Quill Hill to Perham Stream, Franklin County, $8.045 million: The 7,062-acre Quill Hill property and the 6,495-acre Perham Stream property are nestled in Maine’s High Peak region. The funds will help permanently protect and link the two properties in partnership with the Nature Conservancy and the state of Maine. The goal is to protect vital wildlife habitat, mitigate climate effects, benefit local economies and create public access to community amenities.
• Chadbourne Tree Farm, Oxford County, $7.99 million: The Chadbourne Tree Farm in western Maine is a white pine forest with an extended family history and timber management background. The funds will protect over 15,000 acres of the farm so it can remain preserved. A popular tourist destination, the protected land will support Bethel’s extensive public trail network; expand and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities for residents and visitors; support local economies and businesses that rely on tourism and recreation; and provide a continued source of forest products for the western Maine economy and timber industry jobs.
The Quill Hill to Perham Stream project as ranked second in priority for funding, below the $20 million Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Project. The Chadbourne Tree Farms project was ranked eighth.
The Forest Legacy Program is a conservation program administered by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with state agencies to encourage the protection of privately owned forest lands through conservation easements or land purchases. The program received permanent funding through the Great American Outdoors Act, and in 2022 is investing $218 million into 25 new projects nationwide to open fishing, hunting and recreation opportunities across tens of thousands of acres.
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