. . . forest products versus ecology, motorized trail use versus. non-motorized, private ownership versus state ownership. In the end, what we realized by coming to the table and working together was that conservation doesn’t have to be about “getting what you want” – it can and indeed is about “getting what’s best for everybody.”
Lloyd Griscom, Member: Board of Directors High Peaks Alliance
Forest products are as much a staple of Western Maine’s heritage and its economy as outdoor sporting and recreation. Times are changing in Maine’s High Peaks. Large paper and lumber companies once owned huge contiguous tracts of land and welcomed sports and outdoorsmen with open arms. Now, due to the declining market for paper, large contiguous parcels are being subdivided and sold off. New owners are not always as amicable towards traditional recreational access as the owners of the past.
Collaborating with multiple agencies and private companies, forested land can be protected for recreational access and conservation, while also managed as a resource for producers of forest products. The key to completing these projects is bringing together all parties that are interested in the land and finding ways to form agreements that benefit everyone.
