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Shifting Ownership and Development Pressures
Most of the forest in Maine is privately owned. Historically, the majority of private lands in this region that provide the wilderness experience to hikers and others along the Appalachian Trail had been owned and held in large undeveloped parcels (100,000+ acres) by traditional forest products, timber and paper companies who have allowed public access and retained the environment of the north woods in large contiguous tracts. This pattern of ownership and traditional land use has contributed greatly to the unique wild character of the land.
But that is changing. Globalization of the forest products industry and increased pressure for development is changing the ownership pattern. Huge blocks of forestland have been sold in recent years and land use patterns are shifting. Many of the new buyers are as interested in development potential and short-term revenue generation as they are in timber value. The conditions that have conserved the wild character of this region up to now cannot be counted on in the future.