Avon & Rangeley, High Peaks Alliance (HPA) invites local residents of the High Peaks region to come out to an information-sharing session about Community Forests, to be held in Avon at the Community Hall behind the town office from 5-7pm on October 22^nd, and in Rangeley at the Church of the Good Shepard from 5-7pm on October 23^rd. The Community Forest information sessions are part of an ongoing effort by HPA to present people in Franklin County with more information about different kinds of land conservation opportunities which, if successful, could ensure permanent public access to recreation in the High Peaks.

According to the Community Forest Collaborative, “The Community Forest Model secures access and rights to the forest resources at the community level; it promotes community participation in management decisions; it ensures that communities receive value and benefits from the land that can support and reinforce community priorities and economic development objectives; and it secures permanent protection of the conservation values of the forest land.”

Julie Renault-Evens, of the Northern Forest Center, will give a brief presentation about community forests including examples from northern New England, and then the rest of the meeting will be devoted to comments and questions from local residents.

High Peaks Alliance believes the community forest model can be a viable part of a mosaic of different kinds of conservation which could help preserve and enhance public access to recreation for future generations of anglers, trail users, hunters, and others in Maine’s High Peaks.

If you have questions or concerns please contact us.