Recently a request was submitted to the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) by Weyerhaeuser, a forestland owner in the Moosehead area, to dissolve the terms of the Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan. The Concept Plan, which was approved by LUPC’s predecessor agency in 2009, re-zoned approximately 17,000 acres around Moosehead Lake for commercial, industrial, residential, and resort development. To date, no development has occurred.

As a result of the Concept Plan a working forest conservation easement was placed on more than 360,000 acres around Moosehead Lake. The Moosehead Region Conservation Easement (MRCE), finalized in 2009, permanently restricts development, sets standards for forest management and other uses of the land, and provides for permanent recreational opportunities. While the MRCE grew out of the Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan process, any termination or modification of the Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan does not impact or change the terms of the Conservation Easement.

In addition to the easement, the Plan helped add to and improve the region’s motorized and non-motorized trail systems. For example, public access was granted to more than 80 miles of snowmobile trails, and several hiking trails were built or updated. Like the easement, these positive impacts are permanent.  LUPC has indicated its interest in involving the community in planning for the future of areas proposed to be rezoned.  The Forest Society of Maine, with strong ties to the Moosehead region, will continue its partnership with the people of nearby communities as they assess the appropriate development and conservation opportunities into the future.

When you step outside the FSM office right now, you’ll likely notice the sweet scent of the bee tree wafting on the breeze. There are quite a few bee trees, more commonly known as linden or basswood, in our downtown Bangor neighborhood. They’ve grown tall enough to shade the sidewalks and grace us with their pleasant scent for a week or so each summer. Clusters of whitish-yellow blossoms, five petals each with a pale green bract, cover the trees and will eventually produce little pea-sized nutlets. The blossoms are attractive to bees, which produce a particularly flavorful honey from its nectar.

In the wild Tilia americana can be found on rich sloping sites with good soil and moisture, often forming stands with sugar maples. The decaying trunks make excellent nest cavities for pileated woodpeckers, wood ducks, and other woodland species. Lightweight, highly workable, and fine-grained the wood is popular with woodcarvers as well.

 

Roughly 8 weeks later…

The delicate flowers that covered the linden trees, sweetly scenting the air, have turned into tiny brown nutlets. These little roundish fruits/seeds have short hairs that give them a slightly fuzzy look. The clusters of fruits have replaced the numerous summer blossoms while the bracts (a modified/specialized leaf) are turning from a pale green to a soft yellowy-brown color as the fruit ripens. These seeds will be eaten by birds and small mammals and during the lean winter months the buds provide good browse for hungry birds and deer.

Fun fact:  Several parts of the linden, namely flowers, leaves, bark, and wood, have medicinal uses for treating ailments such as coughs, headaches, muscle spasms, edema, and many other disorders. The young leaves and buds are considered edible, although we can’t vouch for their tastiness.

 

Reminder:  It’s always prudent to make sure you have correctly identified species before attempting to use them and to seek advice from professionals before consuming such products.