Plum Creek Plan - The Working Forest
Roughly 89% of the land area in the Maine is forested making the state one of the world's leading producers of pulp and paper products. The forest products industry is a driving force in Maine's economy with the production of everything from toothpicks to custom-built yachts beginning with products found in Maine's forests. Plum Creek contracts with more than 600 Maine workers, and supports more than 10,000 jobs through relationships with in-state vendors, contractors and business owners in the forest products industry.

In order for the industry to thrive, its primary natural resources must be protected to ensure that future generations will also be able to meet their needs from this vast resource.

To ensure that the forest products industry will remain competitive without compromising the valuable natural resources upon which the industry is based, a broad set of environmental guidelines known as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) was created in 1994 by the American Forest and Paper Association. The SFI program is one of the world's most rigorous and widely applied standards of sustainable forestry and also provides a method for public monitoring and accountability.

Plum Creek Timber Company manages all of its timberlands according to the standards established by the SFI program. Plum Creek's ongoing commitment to land stewardship is reflected by the size and scope of the proposed permanent conservation easements throughout the Plan Area. These proposed easements will guarantee the preservation and protection of thousands of acres of woodlands, wildlife habitat and remote ponds as well as provide for the continuation of environmentally responsible timber management practices that lead to economic prosperity and sustainability.

Plum Creek's commitment to responsible land stewardship includes the following core principles in their land management practices:

Only purchasing raw materials from qualified logging professionals, requiring woodlot inspection after harvesting activity to ensure the use of Best Management Practices and adequate reforestation measures.
Developing Environmental Action Plans customized to the unique conditions and opportunities in each operational area.
Working closely with state and federal agencies to ensure the protection of critical wildlife habitat areas, such as deer wintering areas and lynx habitat.
Seeking independent SFI performance audits.

Plum Creek Plan Website
Please check out a website dedicated to providing information about the revised Plum Creek plan.

LURC Staff To Recommend Denial of Burnt Jacket Application
The Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) staff will recommend the denial of an application by Burnt Jacket, LLC to rezone 246 acres in Beaver Cove and develop two residential subdivisions that will include 30 shorefront lots on Moosehead Lake and 40 hillside lots.

The LURC Commissioners will make their determination on the matter during the second day of a two-day meeting on June 6th and 7th at the Penquis Higher Learning Center in Dover-Foxcroft.

In its recommendation to LURC, the staff will note the following problems with the proposal:

It does not promote orderly growth because the proposed location of the subdivision is not adjacent to any development of similar size, scale or intensity of use.
A demonstrated need for the development has not been shown.
The location of the proposed development does not conserve and protect the natural beauty and unspoiled qualities of the natural resources.
The development would likely have an adverse impact on traditional uses, especially water recreation on the southern portion of Moosehead Lake, and on timber harvesting.
Adequate provisions have not been made to maintain the natural character of the shore land.

Moose Mainea in Greenville
Moose Mainea – a month long celebration in honor of the return of the moose from their wintering grounds sponsored primarily by the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce - began May 20th and runs through June 18th.

This year’s celebration will include a ribbon-cutting to dedicate the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail on June 3rd, which is National Trails Day. About 48% of the trail is in Maine. Simultaneous ribbon-cuttings will be held that day in New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

The Greenville dedication will be at 11:00 a.m. on June 3rd and will include the celebration of public and private partnerships, recognition of local volunteer contributions, talks on natural history, cultural heritage and stewardship opportunities on the trail, and the mixing of waters from along the trail to symbolize its role as a connective thread from the Adirondacks to northern Maine.

The Moose Mainea celebration will also include moose safaris and tours in boats, kayaks, by plane or on foot; a photo contest featuring moose with the winning photographs published in the chamber's visitors guide (photos must be received by June 9th); the "I Spied A Moose" map where locals and visitors pinpoint sightings of moose on a moose-sized locator map and log sightings in the official Moose Sighting Log Book at the Chamber; Family Fun Day on June 17th will include children's games, a craft fair and a slide show presentation on moose by a game biologist with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Greenville Special Municipal Election Results
A special election in Greenville was held last week after the Superior Court ruled last June's election invalid.

Last June, some Greenville residents tried to vote between 7 and 8 p.m. but could not because the doors to the municipal office were locked. The polls closed at 7 rather than the customary 8 that night because the annual Town Meeting was completed in one night. Town officials were not aware Maine law stipulates that warrants must list the hours when the polls open and close. While the Greenville municipal warrant listed the opening hour for the polls, it did not provide a closing time.

The names of the four candidates who ran last June for the two seats on the Board of Selectmen were on the special election ballot. The two seats will now be filled by the two top vote-getters, Alan McBrierty and Bruce Hanson.

Penobscot Sea-Run Fish Restoration Plan
PPL Corp. from Pennsylvania has increased production at the Stillwater Dam in Old Town, and plans to do the same at dams at West Enfield and Medway, paving the way for a plan to remove or bypass three dams along the Penobscot River. These increases are regarded as a key step in a long-range, $50 million plan to reduce the number of hydro dams on the river and open up 500 miles of long-lost habitat for Atlantic salmon and other sea-run fish.

The increased production at the PPL mills will allow for the removal of the Veazie and Great Works dams, with the Howland Dam to be decommissioned and bypassed with a fishway.

The Penobscot River Restoration Trust, which is leading the effort to remove the dams in 2010, is working to raise approximately $25 million to buy the three dams from PPL. It could cost an additional $25 million to remove or decommission the dams.

To date, the project has been awarded $3.5 million in federal money and $4.5 million in private money.

Moosehead Manufacturing Co. Donates Display Space to the Maine Highlands Artisans Guild
Moosehead Manufacturing Co. has made display space available in its showroom in Dover-Foxcroft for the Maine Highlands Artisans Guild.

The public was invited last week to view the Guild's new display as well as Moosehead Manufacturing Co.'s new line of furniture called J. Wentworth.

The Maine Highlands Artisan Guild (www.themainehighlands-guild.com) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the artistic traditions in the Maine Highlands (Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties) in a way that improves our communities and grows our economy. The Guild runs business education programs for artists, hosts community art events and provides hands-on sales opportunities for artists to learn how to sell their work.

Upcoming Events of Interest
June 12th: The topic at the PCEDC Quarterly Meeting will be, “Landowners and Economic Development.” Piscataquis County’s economy is directly affected by its vast, land-based natural resources. Much of this land is privately owned by both large and small landowners.

Topics of discussion for the meeting are as follows:

What are the future prospects for forestry?
How can we best work with landowners on issues of economic development?
What are the challenges and opportunities regarding public access?
How can tourism businesses best work with landowners to access their property?

Please RSVP by June 7th to the PCEDC at (207) 564-3638.

email: info@preservegrowme.org
phone: 888-702-7466
web: http://www.preservegrowme.org