MATLT is partnering with our geographic neighbors, the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, in a 54,111 acre Forest Legacy funding application presented to the State of Maine and the US Forest Service.  The proposal is in two phases, the first phase being 24,165 acres comprised of three parcels in the Rangeley High Peaks region. 

Forest Legacy money is available for funding of state supported projects that protect forestland from development.  More information on the Forest Legacy program is available at  US Forest Legacy Program.

A copy of the visual portion of our presentation is available on our website.  Many of the maps come from the 2C1F (two countries, one forest) website and focus on the importance of the High Peaks region in national and international landscape connectivity.

William Plouffe was named Maine Audubon’s 2008 Conservationist of the Year, an award given annually to an individual or group for making a significant contribution to wildlife conservation in Maine.

“In both his professional and personal life, Bill has served as a committed advocate for Maine’s environment,” said Kevin Carley. “In particular, his contributions have helped ensure that the western range stretching from Saddleback to Bigelow Mountains will remain one of the state’s pre-eminent mountain areas.”

For five years, Plouffe worked successfully with Maine Audubon and several other organizations to convince Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission that the fragile habitats of Redington and Black Nubble mountains are not appropriate places to site wind turbines. Plouffe’s professionalism and passion for Maine’s mountains were invaluable in making the case that Maine doesn’t need to choose between wind power and wildlife conservation—we can have both.

Plouffe also has served on the board of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, helped found the Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust, and as an attorney with Drummond Woodsum has focused his practice on environmental law.

In May of 2008 Chris Beach presented MATLT’s conservation vision for Maine’s High Peaks Initiative at the Franklin County Commissioner’s monthly meeting. The text of his message as well as some excellent press coverage we received are available on our website. Chris is currently a Professor of History and Humanities at Unity College. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, University of Maine School of Law (J.D.), and University of Maine (PhD in Canadian - American History). He practiced law in Farmington for several years before teaching at the University of Maine in Farmington, McGill University, and the University of Vermont. He has a strong professional background in conservation history and a particular interest in local conservation education and improved conservation planning.

 Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust electronic newsletter

January 2007 

The Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust commends the Maine Land use Regulation Commissioners refusal to allow Industrial Wind Development at Redington Ridge and Black Nubble Mountains 

The Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust (MATLT) commends Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commissioners (LURC) for their January 25, 2007 decision to reject a rezoning request that would allow wind power development at Redington/Black Nubble mountains, in the heart of Maine’s Western Mountains High Peaks region.

 LURC commissioners voted to uphold the regulations that clearly disallow such a project at the Redington/Black Nubble site, while at the same time expressing their intention to support wind projects in suitable areas.

 Highlights of the reasons the LURC commissioners rejected the request to rezone a ‘mountain resource protection district’ to a ‘planned development district’ were: 

• Proximity to the Appalachian Trail and acknowledgment of the A.T. national park as an important and positive feature of western Maine
• Value of the A.T. backcountry experience to Maine and the nation
• Remoteness of the proposed project location (in the state’s third largest roadless area)
• Value of the rare natural resources that would be disturbed by the project
• The disturbance to the visual landscape from the A.T. that the project would cause

These findings confirm the appropriateness of MATLT’s mission, “to acquire and protect land surrounding the Appalachian Trail in Maine”, and to our MATLT High Peaks Initiative, which focuses our conservation efforts on the High Peaks region.

We give our heartfelt thanks to all who worked so hard to successfully demonstrate to LURC that the Redington ridgeline and Black Nubble mountains are unsuitable locations for industrial scale wind power generation.

Our thanks particularly goes to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) for providing leadership for the campaign against the Redington project as well as the funding needed to present an effective defense against a deep pocketed opponent. 

• ATC Northeast Regional Director J.T. Horn, whose insightful analysis of the projects flaws and effective presentation of the ATC’s views were essential to the success of the effort.
• MATC’s Steve Clark as leader of the club’s Redington effort and to the entire MATC Board of Directors for their support and willingness to step up to the plate when financial times were tough.

The testimony of ATC/MATC on the project is on our website at ATC / MATC Redington Testimony

Thank you to Pamela Underhill, National Park Service manager of the Appalachian Trail, for making two trips to Maine to professionally and effectively represent the interests of the A.T. to the LURC commissioners.

Thanks also go to other organizational interveners against the project:  

Appalachian Mountain Club and Maine Audubon Society

And to our own Board vice president, Bill Plouffe, who gave an extraordinary amount his time, skill and heart to this effort.

 2006 Maine Mountain Conference a huge success

Thanks to a dedicated volunteer steering committee, the 2006 Maine Mountain Conference, held this past October at the Saddleback Lodge in Rangeley, Maine, was a huge success.  Attendance was just over 200 people, the speakers were excellent, and the event sparked interest in continued discussions concerning Maine’s Mountains.

Congratulations to the Steering committee for a job well done:  Dick Fecteau, Pam Prodan, Bob Weingarten, Helmutt Bitterauf, Elsa Sanborn and Bob Cummings!

Copies of the very interesting conference presentations and background materials are available on our website at:  

2006 Maine Mountain Conference downloads 

Maine Mountain Conference

October 21, 2006 - Saddleback Ski Area Lodge

Rangeley, Maine

Please join us for the first conference in 34 years devoted to the special problems and  ppportunities facing Maine mountains.  Scientists will report on what has been learned about the unique nature of mountain soils, hydrology, geology, climate, vegetation and wildlife.  Historians, land managers, mountain residents, and planners will explore the significance of our mountains and what the future may hold.

From our website at MATLT.ORG  you can: 

• View and/or print the full conference agenda

• Print a registration form

• Register online

• Read and/or print the proceedings of the 1972 Maine Mountain Conference

 Special Appalachian Trail related presentations:

Appalachian Trail Vital Signs - Pam Underhill, Park Manager, Appalachian National Scenic Trail 

Ecology of the Western High Peaks Region of Maine – Peter S. McKinley, Conservation Biology and Planning - Pete will be presenting the results of MATLT’s Ecological Inventory of 500,000 acres in the High Peaks Region 

MATLT opposes wind development on Redington and Black Nubble Mountains

The application for rezoning portions of the High Peaks region to allow for the Redington wind development has been filed with Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission. 

Read the Maine Appalachian Trail Club and Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s comments on the application and other information on why you should be concerned. READ MORE:  Redington Development

High Peaks Initiative

The Western Maine High Peaks Region is the 203,400 acres roughly bounded by the communities of Rangeley, Phillips, Kingfield and Stratton.  In this region, there are about 21,000 acres above 2700 feet.  It is one of only three areas in Maine where the mountains rise above 4000 feet.

 Following the success of our Mt. Abraham and

Saddleback ascquisitions, MATLT has embarked on a High Peaks Initiative to research and document the ecological qualities of the entire region and the role the region plays in a larger conservation vision.

READ MORE: High Peaks Initiative

2006 Maine Mountain Conference

Saturday, October 21, 2006

The first Maine Mountain Conference was held in 1972. Its purpose was to provide a venue for experts to discuss the natural qualities of the mountain region in the state and to promote conservation. One of the successful outcomes of the Maine Mountain Conference was to convince the Land Use Regulatory Commission of the need for protective zoning for land above 2,700 feet.

As development pressures creep into the mountains it is clear that attention must once again be focused on the continued importance of Maine’s mountain regions and the need for considerably more protection of the special values they encompass. 

READ MORE: 2006 Maine Mountain Conference