DOWNEAST LAKES FORESTRY PARTNERSHIP

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.

On May 25, 2005, the New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) and the Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT) completed three purchases allowing the Downeast Lakes Forestry Partnership to meet all deadlines. Today, a total of 342,000 acres of contiguous woodlands and waterways are permanently protected from development and available forever for public recreation. 

Much of this was made possible because of tremendous support from the Acres for America program, a partnership of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Wal-Mart, and from: the Open Space Conservancy at the Open Space Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Mrs. Elmina Sewall, the Land For Maine’s Future Program, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, the Sweet Water Trust, the Conservation Fund, the Woodie Wheaton Land Trust, Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township, National Wildlife Federation, Wildlife Forever, and many other individuals, corporations, and foundations. 

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 WWLT, on March 20, 2003. 

Farm Cove Community Forest Purchase

The Farm Cove Community Forest, 27,080 acres bordered by 62 miles of pristine lakeshore, was purchased on May 15, 2005, and is managed as a community forest by Downeast Lakes Land Trust. 

Conservation Easement

An easement over 312,000 acres of the “Sunrise Tree Farm” was purchased by NEFF on May 15, 2005.  The land is still owned by Typhoon, LLC and managed Wagner Forest Mgt.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A MAP OF THE CONSERVED LANDS

PROJECT COST: To complete this project and fund stewardship endowments, the project partners needed to raise $31 million. The capital campaign is now in its final stages.