With the rapid spread of development in southern Maine, it is increasingly hard for woodland owners to keep their lands in production. The Jugtown Plains property, located on prime, sandy soils within 25 miles of Maine’s two largest urban centers, was particularly vulnerable. It straddles three of the fastest-growing towns in Maine, which experienced population Read More
snowmobiling
Kennebec Highlands
From the highest points in the Kennebec Highlands, a 6,400-acre expanse of wooded hills and wetlands just north of Augusta, one can see to the White Mountains, Mt. Katahdin, and the Camden Hills. Foreground views encompass the Belgrade Lakes and vast stretches of contiguous forest land – broken only by an occasional blueberry field, marsh, Read More
Kennebec Highlands — Kimball Pond
The 7 Lakes Alliance acquired a 278-acre property around Kimball Pond in Vienna. The property includes Kimball Pond’s headwaters (including areas prone to erosion), a tributary stream, and wetlands area. Kimball Pond is home to a popular fishing spot for brook trout. The Kimball Pond area is also home to sustainably harvested forestland. The goal Read More
Kennebunk Plains
At 3,200 acres, the protected sandplain grassland community found at the Kennebunk Plains is the largest intact example of this ecosystem in New England. Grassland habitat, never abundant in the Northeast, is declining rapidly due to development and changing agricultural practices. The sandy dry soils underlying the Plains made them a particular target for residential Read More
Lake George Regional Park
In periodic surveys of recreational resources throughout Maine, the Department of Conservation (DOC) repeatedly identified a deficiency in west-central Maine where residents clearly needed more resources for water-based recreation. Seeking to fill this need, the Department searched for12 years before an ideal property came on the market–a former summer camp at the southern end of Read More
Leavitt Plantation Forest
The fate of an 8,600-acre forest, which has supported generations of local families, came into question in 2000 when the land was slated for auction into more than a dozen parcels. Leavitt Plantation Forest in Parsonsfield represents York County’s largest contiguous block of sustainably managed forest in single ownership, and provides high-value forest products that Read More
Machias River Project
The Machias River ranks with the St. John, the Allagash, and the Penobscot as one of Maine’s most scenic and outstanding paddling rivers. Over the course of 76 miles, canoeists enjoy an array of water courses–from lakes and swamps to rapids and a waterfall. The river is rich in brook trout, bass, and pickerel, and each spring Read More
Mattawamkeag Lake
With funding support from the Land for Maine’s Future program, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands acquired an easement and two fee parcels protecting 3,026 acres around the southern end of Mattawamkeag Lake. The easement allows sustainable forestry while preventing future development and guaranteeing continued pedestrian access for fishing, swimming, and camping. The protected Read More
Mattawamkeag River
As part of a complex multi-property purchase, the Land for Maine’s Future program funded State acquisition of 4,119 acres of woodland, wetlands, and cedar swamp along the Mattawamkeag River east of Kingman and 1,204 acres along 4 miles of its tributary, Mattagodus Stream. The highly productive wetlands that characterize both properties offer outstanding habitat for Read More
