Forest Society of Maine

Your land trust for Maine's North Woods
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FSM OpEd in Bangor Daily News

May 14, 2021 By Karin Tilberg

Opportunity in Front of Us

There is much discussion in Maine about how best to mitigate climate change. The December 2020 “Maine Won’t Wait” report of the Maine Climate Council sets forth a broad and well-researched set of actions to do so. One of them is simple and relatively inexpensive:  keep Maine’s forests as forests. This opportunity is right in front of us, but is often relegated to the back burner. This action should be prioritized, and quickly.

Here are some facts. At approximately 89% forested, Maine is the most forested state in the United States. These forests are also the most unfragmented forests east of the Mississippi River and are a tremendous economic engine providing wood products, employment, and outdoor recreation. They provide habitat for a diverse array of species including moose, Canada lynx, and Eastern brook trout, and are globally significant for migratory songbirds. However, a little-known fact is that the managed forests in Maine absorb or sequester more than 60% of the human-made greenhouse gases generated in the state every year. This underscores the importance of concentrating efforts on retaining Maine’s forests so they can continue to sequester carbon as well as provide opportunities for the forest products industry and outdoor recreation.

Specifically, “Maine Won’t Wait” states that conserving forests through conservation easements is one of the more cost-effective strategies to help reach carbon neutrality by maintaining forest cover. Voluntary purchases of working forest easements and lands will support robust forest products economies, increase carbon storage opportunities, conserve biodiversity, and enhance climate adaptation and resilience for wildlife, people, and communities. The Forest Society of Maine, along with other land trusts, is working with landowners who wish to retain ownership of forestland but want to prevent the land from being developed and from having public access restricted.

As a land trust, the Forest Society of Maine acquires permanent conservation easements on forestlands to ensure they are not converted to other uses such as housing, commercial, or utility infrastructure development. This is the type of action that can keep Maine’s forests intact, but it takes funding to do so. A land bond for the Land for Maine’s Future Program would replenish this program and enable opportunities for forestland conservation that keeps land on the tax rolls and accessible to the public. Maintaining forestland will not happen on its own–the demand for second homes, often at the edges of woodlands, has been accelerated by the pandemic and the resulting desire to be in rural areas. For the first time in a long time, forestland acreage in Maine is starting to shrink.

Supporting programs like the Land for Maine’s Future Program that fund conservation easements will help ensure that forests continue to sequester carbon, support jobs, safeguard habitat for wildlife, and  provide public access to the land. Let’s act on this opportunity in front of us.

Karin R. Tilberg, President/CEO Forest Society of Maine

An LMF bond will support jobs, wildlife and public access to Maine land

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Media

Committed to Diversity

The Forest Society of Maine (FSM) recognizes the importance and urgency of increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in all elements of our mission and work. Please read FSM’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Statement here: FSM’s DEIJ Statement.

KIW-Silver Lake Drone Footage

The Forest Society of Maine is pleased to share with the public drone footage highlighting the unique values of the KIW-Silver Lake property. The drone footage can be accessed using the following link to a Google Drive folder: KIW Drone Footage. The footage was sponsored by Conservation Forestry, LLC and filmed by North Woods Aerial. The videos shared here also include subtitles for accessibility.

Maine Won’t Wait

The Maine Climate Council published a four-year plan for climate action in Maine in December 2020. The Council made two proposals that directly impact Maine’s forests. Firstly, an increase of 30% in total acreage of conserved lands in Maine by 2030 (30 by 30) through purchases of land and conservation easements. Secondly, the development of new programs and incentives to increase carbon storage.

For the full document, visit: Maine Won’t Wait.

Background Photo Credit: James Wheeler

FSM’s Latest Blog Posts

  • From the President/CEO Spring 2021 July 22, 2021
  • Meet the 2021 Swan Intern June 22, 2021
  • Fish River Lakes Conservation Easement Completed June 18, 2021

Maine Forests & Carbon

Maine’s Forests Reduce Carbon Pollution Most of us can point to tangible ways in which our … Read More...

Your land trust for Maine’s North Woods

Forest Society of Maine conserves Maine's forestlands in a manner that sustains their ecological, economic, cultural, and recreational values.

Contact Information

 
Main Office
115 Franklin St., 3rd Floor,
Bangor, Maine 04401
(207) 945-9200
info@fsmaine.org

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