Moosehead Forest Conservation Project

                                                                                                                                       © Christopher Ayres

September 23, 2009

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Forest Society of Maine,

Today, Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission approved an historic Concept Plan covering more than 400,000 acres of lands owned by Plum Creek around Maine’s famed Moosehead Lake. This unanimous vote of approval culminates five years of public deliberations, public hearings and regulatory proceedings. Through its approval the Commission permanently conserved 96% of those lands (392,500 acres) and permanently restricted future development to no more than 4%.

Of the conserved lands, 363,000 acres are protected by a conservation easement to be held by the Forest Society of Maine (FSM) and 29,500 acres around the Roach Ponds will be acquired outright by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). Additionally, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will acquire 15,000 acres from Plum Creek in a transaction not part of the Concept Plan. The lands being acquired by TNC abut the Moose River, No. 5 Bog, and FSM’s lands and easement in Attean Township. FSM, TNC, and AMC have been working together for four years toward the goal of ensuring large-scale, permanent conservation for the Moosehead Lake region.

The 363,000-acre Moosehead Region Conservation Easement results in one of the largest blocks of land ever protected in Maine or the nation. In addition to its large size, its significance is heightened by its configuration––the property abuts and connects many other existing conservation lands in Maine’s North Woods. As a result, the Moosehead Region Conservation Easement will connect a network of conservation lands that exceeds two million acres in size, reaching from the Canadian border to Mount Katahdin.

The Moosehead Region Conservation Easement is also one of the most comprehensive and forward-looking of any easement nationally. Noteworthy components leading to this distinction include:

• More than 30 site occurrences of rare and endangered plants and rare and exemplary natural communities are protected;
• 363,000 acres of lands recently identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as Critical Habitat for Canada lynx are permanently protected, and forest management practices will be done in a manner beneficial to lynx;
• 69 lakes and ponds, including more than 163 miles of shoreline, and more than 772 miles of river and stream shore are protected;
• Public access for traditional recreational uses, including hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, hiking, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing is guaranteed;
• Forest management will be practiced sustainably, to the benefit of the region’s economy;
• The state of Maine is named as the third-party holder of the easement; and
• A management advisory team of state and federal biologists will be established.

The Land Use Regulation Commission and its staff deserve huge credit for their diligence and thoroughness. They have reviewed and analyzed thousands of pages of testimony and technical data, weighed it against their standards and criteria, and have produced a plan that balances the many needs of the Moosehead region and protects the region’s natural resources and public values while promoting planned growth.

LURC’s basis for its approval is contained in an extremely important document, produced by LURC staff, analyzing the array of issues raised and testimony submitted by the public, expert witnesses, and interveners, and weighing that information against LURC’s criteria and standards. While 185 pages in length, it is well organized and highly informative. If you are interested, we have a link to it posted above for your easy access. 

One of the central themes of the Commission’s decision was their conclusion that the choice before them was not one of the Concept Plan or no development for the Moosehead region, rather, the choice was between planned development with significant conservation or unplanned sprawling development with little conservation. The Commission concluded that without the Concept Plan the region would likely experience significant negative impacts from development over the next 30 years, including:

• Significant levels of fragmentation of ownership of the forest resource;
• Substantial amounts of haphazard, sprawling development, including the creation of “kingdom lots” throughout the affected area, with much of this development located in remote portions of the affected area along the shores and within the viewsheds of lakes and ponds and other areas of high recreational and scenic value; and
• Substantial limitations to public access and use of portions of the affected area as it is developed.

These concerns and conclusions parallel the thinking that four years ago led the FSM Board of Directors to the decision to inform LURC that we would be willing to be considered as the holder of conservation easements they might approve as part of a Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake region. We committed ourselves to participating in the LURC proceedings toward the goal of helping develop an exemplary conservation outcome. We are pleased to see that goal now achieved.

This easement holds special significance due to its origins in a state regulatory decision and due to its importance to the future of the Moosehead region and nearby communities. The Forest Society has a long and deep commitment to this region and those communities, having previously helped conserve Big Spencer Mountain, access to Moosehead Lake and many miles of shoreline, the Seboomook Forest, and the West Branch project lands. We are ready to commit this organization’s resources and expertise to ensure protection of the conservation values of the Moosehead Region Conservation Easement and we are excited to be continuing to serve the communities around Moosehead Lake.

The Forest Society of Maine was created 25 years ago to serve as the land trust for Maine’s North Woods. Its mission is to sustain the ecological, recreational, cultural, and economic values of Maine’s forestlands. We have built extensive expertise and experience in negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing large-scale conservation easements across working forest landscapes. With the addition of the Moosehead Region Conservation Easement, FSM will oversee nearly one million acres of conserved lands in Maine’s North Woods.

The Moosehead Region Conservation Easement goes into effect, with FSM as easement holder, on October 8, 2009, even if an appeal is filed. The easement will stay in effect throughout any appeal processes.

Alan Hutchinson Executive Director

back to Projects and Updates