Grafton

Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge

June 25, 2020 By Annie

This story first appeared in the 2020 spring edition of Forest View, FSM’s biannual newsletter.

In the summer green herons can be found in parts of Maine and New Hampshire. Photo by Pam Wells.

The Forest Society of Maine is working with a forestland owner to conserve 21,300 acres in the Grafton region. The Grafton Forest project is supported by many partners in the region: local land trusts, ATV and snowmobile clubs, a local search and rescue group, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Grafton Notch State Park, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, and Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The latter partnership is especially exciting as the Grafton Forest project area contains lands of importance to the NWR—in particular the area encompassing the headwaters of the Swift Cambridge River which eventually flows north into Lake Umbagog.

Umbagog NWR was established in 1992 with the primary purpose of protecting wetlands, wetland-associated wildlife, and migratory birds. Umbagog Lake has an extensive complex of wetlands like Harper’s Meadow, a designated Floating Island National Natural Landmark, that are highly utilized by waterfowl. The refuge and the area around it support more than 166 wildlife species of elevated conservation concern in national, regional, and state plans.

The refuge is regionally important for a diversity of species, including Canada lynx. White-tailed deer rely on the deer wintering areas. The complex wetlands are home to common loons and wood turtles. Loons are listed as threatened in New Hampshire and wood turtles are a species of special concern in Maine. Additionally, a native brook trout population relies on the shallow Umbagog Lake and Magalloway River as crucial winter habitat.

Umbagog NWR is primarily known for its exceptional wetland values and the upland forests around it play a significant role in maintaining good habitat quality. Being able to conserve land near existing conservation lands, like the NWR, is another reason FSM found this conservation opportunity so worthwhile. Through the Grafton Forest project, FSM will be able to ensure that the future of the surrounding forest and headwaters of the Swift Cambridge River will be conserved in perpetuity under a working forest conservation easement.

The Power of Connectivity

January 10, 2020 By Annie

Looking south across Arnold Pond at Coburn Gore Forest in western Maine, near the Quebec border. — Looking south across Arnold Pond at Coburn Gore Forest.

Have you ever experienced the solitude of hiking for miles without seeing any buildings? On the other hand, have you ever watched wildlife try to cross a busy road? Experiences like this highlight how meaningful an interconnected landscape is for people and animals. That’s why the Forest Society of Maine (FSM) is thrilled to announce that two of our newest conservation projects in western Maine add to a continuous corridor of conserved land stretching across the western edge of Maine from New Hampshire to Canada. The Grafton Forest project and Coburn Gore Forest project encompass working forestlands that provide employment and raw materials for a variety of workers and businesses. Connected landscapes benefit forest management, enhance wildlife habitat, and provide resilience in the face of climate change.

Coburn Gore Forest Project

The 8,300-acre project area in Coburn Gore Township has been owned by the same family for decades. It boasts an exceptionally well-managed forest. The lands encompass the headwaters of the Dead River and Kennebec River; a grove of old growth trees, a unique bog ecosystem, and two state-designated Heritage brook trout ponds. Lands to the west and north of the Coburn Gore property, in Québec, are conserved provincial forest and recreation lands. To the south is the Boundary Headwaters Conservation Easement, conserved by FSM more than a decade ago.

Map showing corridor of conserved lands stretching from New Hampshire border to Quebec that these projects will help complete. — Click to enlarge.

In addition to the vast array of natural resource features, it has historical significance because the route Benedict Arnold took to Québec during the Revolutionary War traverses the property. Several important Arnold-related archaeological sites have been documented by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and Arnold Expedition Historical Society. While remote, the property is adjacent to a transnational border crossing. Bringing conservation to Coburn Gore Forest will conserve its many habitats, natural resources, and scenic values in perpetuity and ensure that forest management can continue.

Grafton Forest Project

The Grafton Forest Project is located in Grafton, Riley, and Andover North Surplus Townships. Comprised of 21,300 acres this forest lies in a spectacular valley setting that showcases the surrounding mountain ranges and is highly visible from numerous mountain peaks such as Old Speck. It is frequented by people who hike, ski, snowshoe, and run dogsleds on the property. Local ATV and snowmobile clubs have also created an extensive network of trails that run through the property to adjacent trails in New Hampshire. To the east lies Grafton Notch State Park/the Mahoosuc Unit and a long stretch of the Appalachian Trail (AT) known for some of the most difficult terrain in the state. Within the project boundaries, there are two side trails that hikers use to access the AT. The easement will ensure the permanence of the trails, as well as continued public access to them. The easement is designed to permit sustainable forest management and will prohibit commercial and residential development. The project is widely supported by surrounding communities as it will sustain recreational activities on the property and buffer subdivision and development pressures from the south.

FSM will be working over the next few years to secure funding for these exceptional forest conservation easement projects. These projects present a wonderful chance to conserve and connect, forever, the ecological, economic, recreational, and cultural values across the western Maine mountains.