Acres: 4,300
Year Conserved: 2016
About the Property: The Silver Lake – Pleasant River property contains forestland surrounding Silver Lake and 12 miles of the West Branch of the Pleasant River. This river provides vital habitat for Eastern brook trout and Atlantic salmon spawning, and habitat for wood turtles. Adding the 12 miles of river to protection already in places upstream resulted in 95% of the West Branch of the Pleasant River being permanently conserved. The Silver Lake – Pleasant River project lands include a 400-acre mature silver maple flood plain forest—one of the largest and best examples in Maine. The Appalachian Mountain Club owns the lands as a component of their Maine Woods Initiative.
This project and the Gulf Hagas – Whitecap project were part of a combined endeavor that conserves 14,300 acres of woods, waters, and mountains. Read more about how Silver Lake – Pleasant River lands were conserved.
Recreational Opportunities: Hiking, snowshoeing, paddling, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing. The North Maine Woods manages the recreational areas as part of the Ki-Jo Mary Multiple Use Forest. Please visit their website for more information.
Project Partners: Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Open Space Institute.