The Partnership Began This Effort In 2001 And Completed
The First Purchase On March 20, 2003
- St.
Croix Corridor
- A 50-mile, 3,019-acre conservation
corridor along Spednic Lake and the Upper St. Croix River was acquired by the
State of Maine, a purchase facilitated by NEFF and the Woodie Wheaton Land
Trust. The purchase was made on March
20, 2003.
Click for map
A Second Purchase Was Completed On December 16, 2004
- Fee
Purchase
- The
second purchase, the 11,780 acre Fourth Machias Tract, was completed
on December 16, 2005. This purchase contains a 3,560 acre
ecological reserve and a 3,750 acre old-growth forest management area. DLLT is the new owner, with NEFF and the
Sweet Water Trust holding permanent, no-development conservation easements.
The Remaining Purchases Were Completed On May 25, 2005
- Fee
Purchase
- The two remaining purchases, a total of 15,300 acres in the
Farm Cove and McClellan Cove tracts, took place on May 25th. The total, 27,080 acres, border 62 miles of
pristine lakeshore and now is owned by DLLT for management as a community
forest. NEFF holds a permanent,
no-development conservation easement on the Farm Cove and McClellan Cove tracts.
Click for map
- Easement Purchase
- The conservation easement purchase, a total of 311,684 acres, also occurred
on May 25th. More than
54,000 acres of wetland and 375 miles of lakeshore now are protected from
development. As part of this
effort, the public has access to these lands for recreational pursuits.
Click
for map
This is the first northern Maine forest conservation
project that is community incubated, community supported, community led, and designed to sustain a natural resource
based, rural community economy and the lifestyle of residents in Washington County, Maine. An extraordinary group of
public and private partners are coming together to take advantage of this incredible conservation opportunity, one that
will offer support to the local economy, linked by tradition to the natural resource base for sustenance.
THE NATURAL RESOURCES TO BE CONSERVED INCLUDE:
More
than 445 miles of lake shoreline on 60 lakes and ponds;
More than 1,500 miles of
river and stream shoreline;
A least eight active Bald
Eagle nests;
More than 10% of the loons
of northern Maine;
More than 54,000 acres of
productive wetland;
A significant peatland
complex;
A tremendous cold water
fishery for salmon and smallmouth bass;
A GLOBALLY IMPORTANT BIRD
AREA providing critical habitat for at least 188 bird species including 23 warblers, loons, and
American black ducks;
Habitat for bear, moose,
deer, pine marten, beaver, otter, lynx, and other mammals;
Vernal pools so important
to frogs and salamanders; and
Historic Native American
canoe routes.
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Board of Directors
