In December 2015, the Trust for Public Land purchased five properties in central Maine that provide outstanding access for hunting and fishing. The land totals at 2,730 acres in Embden, Burnham, Detroit, and Ripley and is the result of collaboration between the Trust for Public Land, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), and Plum Creek Timber. The properties were transferred to the ownership of MDIFW. Wolfe Tone, the (now former) Maine state director of The Trust for Public Land said of the project, “Hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching are a central part of Maine’s culture and economy. We are proud to work side-by-side with sportsmen, guides, the state, and federal partners to protect these great traditions.” The project not only services hunters and fishermen but it also protects 1,000 acres of wetlands where moose and waterfowl reside and 1,000 acres of active Deer Wintering Areas. The Project also includes wetlands and 4,000 feet of beautiful pond shoreline. Land in the Plum Creek area was contributed to this Project through the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration Program and the Land for Maine’s Future program. $1.4 million from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration Program, and $500,000 from LMF funded the property purchase. LMF picked a great property, as the area has the lowest concentration of publicly protected land in the state, but the highest reported outdoor use.
Among local business owners, Clint Southard, owner of Full Circle Guide Service, had this to say about the Project, “As a Master Maine Guide who works throughout Central Maine, I know how important well managed forests are for sportsmen. This project will help protect the Maine deer herd and ensure businesses like mine have a future.”
Closest Town(s)
Embden, Burnham, Detroit, and Ripley
Activities
Hiking, fishing, hunting, and bird & other wildlife watching
Region
Waldo and Somerset Counties
Acres
2,370
