Noteworthy Outcomes of the Moosehead Forest Conservation Project

(LURC’s Concept Plan for Plum Creek’s lands in the Moosehead Lake Region)

September 2009

• Approximately 407,000 acres are permanently conserved at the gateway to Maine’s Great North Woods

• These lands have been identified as high-priority for conservation by the state and regional and national conservation organizations for decades 

• 96% of the land is protected, with development limited to just 4% - an unprecedented ratio in favor of conservation 

• Development is restricted to areas near existing development, and LURC’s action results in the largest and most conservation-conscious transfer-of-development-rights we know of nationally––setting a remarkable precedent  

• The 407,000 acres of newly conserved lands, centered on Moosehead Lake, connects to other already-conserved properties, resulting in a network of connected conservation lands totaling nearly 2.25 million acres in the heart of Maine’s Great North Woods, and stretching from the St. John and Allagash rivers, across the Moosehead Lake region, to Mount Katahdin and Baxter State Park, and south and west to the Bigelow Preserve. 

• The newly protected lands are strategically located near 20 existing State Park and Public Reserve Land holdings on and around Moosehead Lake, creating one of the largest assemblages of recreational lands and infrastructure in the nation, and providing a remarkable base for outdoor-based economic development opportunities for the region and state 

• 69 lakes and ponds are permanently protected, including more than 163 miles of shoreline 

• More than 772 miles of river and stream shore are permanently protected. 

• Habitat for dozens of species of fish and wildlife listed by the state as Species of Greatest Conservation Concern, including state and federally listed endangered and threatened species, is protected.

• More than 30 site-occurrences of rare and endangered plants and rare and exemplary natural communities are protected. 

• Public access for traditional recreational uses, including hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, hiking, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing is guaranteed on the more than 400, 000 acres. 

• 160 miles of hiking and snowmobile trail corridors are protected. 

• Public use of 57 miles of private roads for recreational access on these lands and to the North Woods is guaranteed. 

• More than 400,000 acres of lands recently identified by the USFWS as Critical Habitat for Canada lynx are permanently protected, and forest management practices will be done in a manner beneficial to lynx. 

• About 12% of the conserved lands are to be managed as ecological reserves due to their very high ecological values, and the remainder (more than 365,000 acres) will be managed sustainably (under third party-certification and standards for ecological protections), allowing for a continuing flow of forest products to the benefit of the state and local economies.