Archives for May 2017

From the Executive Director: Spring 2017

May 22, 2017 By FSM

Last fall my wife, Terri, and I had the opportunity to travel through England and Scotland. From Stonehenge, castles, cathedrals, and pubs to the Scottish Highlands and Yorkshire Dales: what an inspirational journey. You can see the richness of the history at every turn, but even more stunning was seeing the depth of that 10,000-year history, and seeing how those ancient threads are celebrated and woven into current lives and culture.

My thoughts turned to how similar – yet so different Maine and our North Woods are to what I saw on our travels. The lands and cultures are just as ancient in both places, dating back to soon after the glaciers receded. Yet the depth of our embrace of ancient ties to the land is so much less. How many of us readily think of the cultural connections to Maine’s forest going back more than a few hundred years? Few, I suspect, unless you are Native American. Perhaps, that’s because unlike the everyday presence of thousands of ancient stone structures spread throughout England and Scotland, Maine Native Americans built with wood and hide – materials that last at most centuries – not millennia. This absence may be part of why we forget the depth of the history surrounding us daily.

It’s exciting that FSM’s mission embraces the historic and cultural values of Maine’s North Woods. I came home with the commitment to more fully understand and embrace the depth of that cultural richness, even though it is not readily visible or part of my personal ancestry. This deeper realization leads me, and hopefully you, to a deeper understanding of just how special Maine’s expansive forestlands truly are.

Featured Friends: Bob and Mary Burr

May 16, 2017 By FSM

Originally featured in FSM’s newsletter, Forest View, Fall 2015.

Bob & Mary Burr standing next to their tree farm sign. — Bob & Mary Burr.

Annual donors Bob and Mary Burr have been supporting the Forest Society of Maine (FSM) for more than a decade. When asked why, Bob replied, “FSM is in alignment with how I think about Maine’s North Woods, and there is still more that FSM can do. Those additional opportunities require continued support.”

It was after he joined the board of directors that he felt he really understood the importance of FSM’s mission. “This led,” he says, “to a deeper appreciation of the work FSM does to conserve what I love about Maine’s North Woods.” When asked what it is he loves about Maine’s North Woods Bob remarked, “Well, there are several things, but I have always made my living because of a tree. Since high school, my income has been directly related to the trees grown in the state of Maine. The economic benefits of Maine’s woodlands are many. Mary and I have also both had the opportunity to enjoy the recreational aspects of the North Woods and we want that to continue.”

The Burrs have also included FSM in their estate plans, explaining that “by providing additional financial support to FSM through our will, we feel we can have a positive impact on the future of the North Woods.”

Moosehead Lake: Strong Connections between Conservation Lands and Economic Health

May 9, 2017 By FSM

By Karin Tilberg, FSM Deputy Director

The Forest Society of Maine (FSM), a land trust serving Maine’s North Woods, holds nearly 1 million acres of forestland in conservation easements. A good portion of the conservation easements we hold surround the Moosehead Lake region and extend to the north, west, and east including many mountains, lakes, and rivers. The conservation easements typically allow for continued sustainable forest management and the landowners, who still own the land, continue to pay taxes on the land. The public benefits from the permanently assured public access and the conservation of wildlife habitat, special natural areas, recreational assets, and scenic beauty the easements ensure.

Easements are permanent and ensure stability that in turn gives confidence to communities and businesses to plan for forest management, recreational trails, permanent access for hunting, fishing, hiking, and enterprises that are geared to outdoor recreation activities. Given the extent of FSM’s easement holdings in the Moosehead Lake area, our organization has endeavored to strengthen the connections between the conservation provided by the easements and the economic benefits for businesses and communities. For the past four years, FSM’s staff has been an integral part of establishing permanent hiking trails on Weyerhaeuser (formerly Plum Creek) easement lands in collaboration with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, and others. Our organization also has been a leader in starting a new group, Moosehead Trails, that brings together volunteers to help care for trails in the vicinity of Moosehead Lake. This is important for safety and for improving the experience of those using the trails, since those that enjoy well-maintained trails are more likely to return.

FSM is investing a significant amount of organizational energy as part of the board of the Moosehead Lake Regional Economic Development Corporation (MLREDC). The MLREDC helped sponsor Roger Brooks International and the Moosehead Branding Initiative and held some exciting Think Tank Workshops guided by consultants from Future iQ for regional planning for the Moosehead Lake region. The goal of this work is to develop a shared vision within the Moosehead Lake communities for how best to celebrate the natural beauty of the waters, forests, and mountains of Moosehead Lake, and the amazing array of cultural, recreational and natural resource-based opportunities within the region. Central objectives of the branding of Moosehead Lake as America’s Crown Jewel are to bring more year-round residents to live in the area, extend the economic season to eight months (from five months) per year, and to celebrate and steward the natural resources of Moosehead Lake that make it such an icon. The Forest Society of Maine brings its knowledge and expertise to this task with great enthusiasm. We are honored to be an integral part of an amazing enterprise that is bringing together so many people who care about the future of Moosehead Lake.

Published in Moosehead Matters, Piscataquis Observer April 2017.