10/26/18 Warren Whitney Maine Coast Heritage Trust 2002 2010 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Future of Land Conservation in Maine Maine Woods Forever Roundtable 10/26/18 Warren Whitney Maine Coast Heritage Trust

2002 2010 1987 1997 2007 2012 2014 2016 2017

Public Conserved Lands in Maine - 1987- 809,676 acres conserved 4.1% of land area

2018 4.1 MILLION ACRES CONSERVED 33% 0.1% 0.4% 7.1% 58.6% 1,366,916 293,025 2,430,300 42,510 15,000 NGO’s federal state municip other al

Maine Land Trusts • 85 Land Trusts in the State • 2.5 million Acres Conserved o 600,000 acres in fee o 1.9 million in conservation easements

Scenery & Wildlife

Seabirds Alpine Wetlands

Working Forests

Working Farms Photo credit: Maine Farmland Trust

Working Waterfront Photo credit: Maine Clammers Association Photo credit: CEI

Water Access

Community

$$$

Funding for Land Acquisition Federal 18% State Municipal 53% 26% Private 3%

Stewardship

Demographic s Photo credit: Maine Farmland Trust

Strain on Municipal Budgets

Climate Change

Recent Challenges “LePage won’t sell land conservation bonds without timber harvest deal” - Po Portland tland Press s Herald “In His Final State Of The State, LePage Takes Swipes At Land Trusts” - Maine Public Radio

Maine Conservation Task Force

Broad Representation Panels • Wildlife • Recreation • Community • Economy • Municipal Finances • Landowner Relations • Stewardship • Funding Listening Sessions

The Task Force begins working on recommendations soon, and there is no “sense of the Task Force” yet………… My observations Ongoing themes: o Strengthen LMF. o Improve support for private landowners. o Continue conservation of working lands.

• “Newer” Themes o Greater Focus on Stewardship. o Ensure equitable access. o Local o Climate strategies – the conservation of the last 100 years won’t look like the next 100 years.

To submit testimony to the Conservation Task Force, go to www.maineconservationtaskforce.com