Maine Audubon Launches Statewide Project to Protect Wildlife

FALMOUTH, Maine, March 28, 2006

Maine Audubon has launched a new project to protect Maine’s wildlife by promoting sustainable forestry at the community level.

For 12 forests owned by towns, land trusts or other community groups across the state, Maine Audubon, Maine ’s largest wildlife conservation organization, will help create forest management plans that protect wildlife while providing for timber, recreation, natural areas, clean water, or other benefits.

“So often in public debate forest management is framed as a choice between preservation and exploitation,” said Robert Bryan, licensed forester, Maine Audubon forest ecologist and project director. “This forestry project will show how communities can conserve wildlife habitat and forest biodiversity while still enjoying economic or other benefits from their forests.”

The management plans will incorporate principals of Focus Species Forestry, an innovative approach to sustainable forestry developed by Maine Audubon and partners that has been well received by industry leaders and public officials around the state. Focus Species Forestry focuses on a representative group of wildlife found in sensitive habitats to help guide forest management for timber or other resources.

Community forests that integrate Focus Species Forestry principals will serve as models of ecologically responsible forestry for other communities and landowners in Maine who wish to achieve these multiple, compatible goals. 

The community forests were chosen to represent the different regions of the state and a diversity of forest types and parcel sizes. Project partners are Bangor Land Trust, City of Bath , Blue Hill Heritage Trust, Downeast Lakes Land Trust, Downeast Salmon Federation, Friends of Unity Wetlands, Good Will-Hinkley, Greater Lovell Land Trust, Orono Land Trust, Town of Readfield, Town of Sangerville, and Somerset Woods Trustees.

Throughout the project, Maine Audubon will involve professional foresters, loggers, and others so they can share principals of Focus Species Forestry with owners of other private and community forests.

Focus Species Forestry was developed by Maine Audubon in partnership with the Maine Forest

Service, the Maine Natural Areas Program, the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine , and the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine .

Maine Audubon is a leader in establishing sustainable forestry standards in Maine and educating forestry professionals and local citizens about ways to protect biodiversity in the forested landscape.

The project is funded in part by grants from The Home Depot Foundation and the Wendling Foundation.

MAINE AUDUBON works to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action.

Support for Maine Audubon comes from its 11,000 members and supporters, including individuals, foundations and corporations. Members are automatically members of their local Maine Audubon chapter and National Audubon Society, Inc., of which Maine Audubon is an affiliate. Contributions to Maine Audubon are used only in Maine.

For more information or to become a member of Maine Audubon, call (207) 781-2330 or click here.

##