Downeast Lakes Land Trust
Acquisition Closing
Finalized November 19, 2021
Contact: Rebecca Bullis,
rebecca.bullis@tpl.org, 908-329-0321
Downeast Lakes Community Forest Expansion
to Help Increase Outdoor Access in Maine
The over 2,000-acre addition will create
new public access to forests and lakes, and will protect critical
wildlife habitat and local economic activity
Penobscot County, Maine
Today, The Trust for Public Land (TPL),
Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT) and the Forest Society of Maine (FSM)
announce the official expansion of the Downeast Lakes Community
Forest. The expansion, located in Lakeville, ME, will add 2,015
acres to the community forest including old-growth type forest,
wetlands, and streams.
“This expansion not only permanently
protects one of the last remaining tracts of developable land on the
shoreline of Sysladobsis Lake, but allows the Downeast community to
have a direct say in the stewardship of more land in their
backyard,” said Betsy Cook, Maine Program Director for The Trust for
Public Land. “The Downeast Lakes Community Forest is a national
model of a community forest, land that is managed by the community,
for the community. The Trust for Public Land is proud to have
created nearly 40 community forests across the country and to be a
leader in the movement.”
The community forest and surrounding
waterways are hubs for outdoor recreation and tourism, which are
vital to the economic health of Downeast Maine. Expanding the
forest’s footprint creates opportunity to improve access to
close-to-home outdoor space, support local businesses, and build
community. Funds derived from sustainable timber management are
directly invested into the educational, recreational, and forest
management programs that support the local economy. The forest
expansion also gives people in Bangor, the state’s third-largest
city, closer access for a variety of outdoor recreation, including
fishing, paddling, swimming, and hiking.
The property, located on Lower
Sysladobsis Lake, will be a valuable resource for DLLT’s educational
program, which provides free outdoor education to over 500 local
students each year. One of the largest of its kind in the nation,
the community forest will be managed by DLLT and ensures residents
the opportunity to guide the future of the forests and lakes
surrounding their community. Once acquired, Downeast Lakes Land
Trust will build two hand-carry boat launches, one on Lower
Sysladobsis Lake and one on Horseshoe Lake, a new water-access
campsite on the property, and trails along the 2.3 miles of newly
protected shoreline. The project will add new public access to
Sysladobsis Lake and the first public access to Horseshoe Lake.
“The community in Lakeville really drove
this project from inception to completion,” said David Montague,
President and CEO of the Downeast Lakes Land Trust. “Their local
vision and determination, along with strong partnership from TPL and
FSM, and the generosity of so many donors and grant makers, led to
this amazing outcome of an expanded community forest. The forest in
Lakeville is a spectacular slice of Downeast Maine, figuring
prominently in the ecological and cultural traditions of the region.
Now we can be confident that generations of residents and visitors
will continue to discover its splendor and experience it in much the
same way as earlier generations.”
FSM will hold a permanent conservation
easement on the community forest lands. This adds to existing
easements held by the Forest Society on DLLT portions for the
Downeast Lakes Community Forest.
“The new easement ensures that the
forests will remain forever and continue to provide the multiple
resources the community depends upon,” stated Karin Tilberg, FSM
President and CEO.
The 2,015-acre expansion was sold by
Lakeville Shores, LLC and members of the Haynes family, who agreed
to sell the land at lower than fair market value. The $2,180,000
acquisition was funded in part through Land for Maine’s Future (LMF)
program. In July of this year, new LMF funding
was allocated for the first time in
over a decade. This project marks the first LMF funded project
completed since the funding allocation. Additional funding for the
project came from the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest Program
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s North American Wetlands
Conservation Act. The project was ranked the number one Community
Forest Program priority in the nation for the 2020 cycle, and was
praised for its deep-rooted community support.
“By linking together existing conserved
land, the Downeast Lakes Community Forest expansion will protect
this area along Sysladobis Lake for generations to come,” said
Senators Collins and King and Representative Golden. “Funding from
the U.S. Forest Service, combined with matching state and local
resources, will preserve the critical wildlife habitat and lake
shoreline while supporting sustainable timber management and outdoor
recreation, the region’s two largest industries. The official
expansion of the Downeast Lake Community Forest is a significant
milestone in conservation efforts across the region and represents
Maine’s commitment to conserving our natural resources.”
In addition to state and federal dollars,
funding help was provided by Poland Spring ORIGIN® 100% Natural
Spring water – a proud supporter of environmental conservation
projects that help maintain and improve America’s natural spaces.
Additional support came from Summer Hill Foundation, Maine Community
Foundation, and generous donations from more than 70 community
members.
About The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land creates parks
and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities
for generations to come. Millions of people live within a 10-minute
walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and
millions more visit these sites every year. The organization has
been working in Maine for more than two decades and has created
public access to 180,000 acres across the state from the Eastern
Promenade in Portland to Katahdin Lake in Baxter State Park. To
support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to
you, visit
www.tpl.org.
About Downeast Lakes Land Trust
Downeast Lakes Land Trust contributes to
the long-term economic and environmental well-being of the Downeast
Lakes region through the conservation and exemplary management of
its forests and waters. DLLT manages the Downeast Lakes Community
Forest for wildlife habitat, public recreation, and a sustainable
forest economy. To learn more about Downeast Lakes Land Trust’s
conservation efforts and how to support our mission, please visit
www.downeastlakes.org.
About the Forest Society of Maine
The Forest Society of Maine (FSM) was
created to serve as the land trust for Maine’s twelve million-acre
North Woods. FSM has helped pioneer landscape-scale forestland
conservation through the development and implementation of permanent
conservation easements. To date FSM has helped conserve a million
acres throughout Maine. To learn more visit
www.fsmaine.org
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