MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from electronic originals (may include minor formatting differences from printed original) FY 2014 ANNUAL REPORT to the JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY MAINE PUBLIC RESERVED, NONRESERVED, AND SUBMERGED LANDS View from Hiking Trail Across Little Moose Unit MAINE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY Bureau of Parks and Lands March 1, 2015 FY 2014 ANNUAL REPORT Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Bureau of Parks and Lands TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….. 1 II. FY 2014 HIGHLIGHTS………………………………………………………….. 1 III. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES………………………………………………….. 4 IV. LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING……………………………………………….. 5 V. NATURAL/HISTORIC RESOURCES……………………………………………... 6 VI. WILDLIFE RESOURCES…………………………………………………………… 9 VII. RECREATION RESOURCES……………………………………………………… 10 VIII. TIMBER RESOURCES……………………………………………………………... 15 IX. TRANSPORTATION………………………………………………………………… 20 X. PUBLIC ACCESS…………………………………………………………………… 20 XI. LAND TRANSACTIONS……………………………………………………………. 21 XII. SUBMERGED LANDS……………………………………………………………… 22 XIII. SHORE AND HARBOR MANAGEMENT FUND………………………………… 22 XIV. COASTAL ISLAND PROGRAM…………………………………………………… 22 XV. ADMINISTRATION………………………………………………………………….. 23 XVI. INCOME AND EXPENDITURES ACCOUNTING – FY 2014………………….. 24 XVII. FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FY 2016……………………………………………… 27 XVIII. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………….. 35 Appendix A: Map of BPL Properties in FY 2014…………………. 36 Cover Photo: View from Hiking Trail Across Little Moose Unit – Rex Turner I. INTRODUCTION business practices and the principle of sound planning.” In addition, management of Public Reserved Lands, the majority of Public Lands, The Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) within the must “demonstrate exemplary land management Department of Agriculture, Conservation and practices, including silvicultural, wildlife and Forestry (DACF) is responsible for the recreation management” (Title 12 MRSA §1847). management and administration of Maine’s Public Fifteen-year, multiple-use plans for the Reserved and Nonreserved Lands, Submerged major properties guide the Bureau’s Public Lands Lands, Coastal Islands, conservation easement management activities. Benefits from the wise lands, and other lands as provided by law. management of these lands include: This report constitutes required annual Production of forest products reporting pursuant to: Public Access to recreational opportunities 12 MRSA §1853, 1839 and elsewhere Enhancement of wildlife habitat 12 MRSA §1850(1) and 1836(1) and Protection of unique natural and cultural elsewhere related to vehicular access to resources Bureau lands The Bureau also has responsibility for 12 MRSA §1805 and 1853 related to managing and reporting to the ACF Committee ecological reserves on Bureau lands. public trust rights to Submerged Lands and Coastal The report is submitted by March 1st of Islands. When granting leases for the use of each year to the Joint Standing Committee on Submerged Lands, the Bureau includes conditions Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF). It to maintain customary and traditional public access, provides an overview of the scope of the Bureau’s navigation, and commercial marine uses. responsibilities and information on the Bureau’s management activities during fiscal year 2014 (FY 2014). As required, the report includes information on gates and barriers that prevent public vehicle II. FY 2014 HIGHLIGHTS access to Public Reserved and Nonreserved Lands (Public Lands), recreation facility fees Forest Certification – Since 2002, the Bureau’s charged for the use of these lands, and a status forest management activities have been certified as report on Ecological Reserves. Also included in sustainable under two independent certification the report is information on timber, recreation and systems: the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) wildlife management carried out on Public Lands and Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI®). Each year during the fiscal year. Income and expenditure the Bureau’s forestry operations and overall forest information is provided for fiscal year FY 2014 and management system are “audited” by these two a report is also included for the upcoming FY 2016 certification systems, with all criteria addressed budget. The ACF Committee has the obligation to over a period of three years for SFI certification and report by March 15th to the Appropriations a “full” audit for FSC conducted once every five Committee on the Bureau’s Public Lands years. upcoming FY 2016 budget. In 2014, the Bureau had annual The “Lands” division of the Bureau is a surveillance audits under both the FSC and SFI dedicated revenue component of the agency, programs. The auditors working with our funding almost all of its administrative, planning, certification agency, Bureau Veritas, visited thirteen management and operational activities from separate sites on eight different townships in the revenue generated from the land base, with some Bureau’s North Region, viewing exemplary timber additional sources of funds provided through harvests, innovative and efficient water crossings, various grant programs. diverse wildlife management practices, and well- The management of Public Lands is planned recreation management. They were directed by statute. Title 12 MRSA §1833 and particularly impressed with the quality of road §1847 direct the Bureau to manage the Public construction, commenting on the roadwork at Reserved and Nonreserved Lands (616,952 acres numerous sites. in FY 2014) “under the principles of multiple land The Bureau intends to conduct forest use to produce a sustained yield of products and management in compliance with the 2010-2014 services in accordance with both prudent and fair certification standards, principles, and criteria of 1 both SFI and FSC programs for all upcoming Sugar Bush Leases –The Lands Western Region audits, transitioning to the 2015-2019 revisions as currently has two sugar maple lease agreements, required. The Bureau also intends to conduct one at Bald Mountain Unit in Rangeley and one in several forest management operations under the Sandy Bay Township. The Bald Mountain operation outcome-based forestry model described below. consists of approximately 2,200 taps, and includes a tap system and a collection tank. The sap is Outcome Based Forestry (OBF) – “Outcome processed off site. The Sandy Bay Township Based Forestry” refers to a section of Maine’s operation, when fully utilized, will include Forest Practices Act that offers land managers approximately 14,000 taps (currently nearing that). added flexibility for timber management in The operation also includes facilities to produce exchange for up-front planning and expert finished maple syrup. In the spring of 2014 the review. The Bureau has conducted harvests under operation processed its first batch of maple syrup OBF in each of its three regions. In the North, the onsite. objective is the establishment of high value Western Region staff continues to explore hardwoods, yellow birch and sugar maple, while additional sugar maple opportunities in Sandy Bay creating hardwood browse for wildlife, along with a Township and at other locations in the region. The companion project to accelerate the development Bureau secured bids in FY 14 to establish a second of core winter cover for deer. sugar bush lease on 300 acres in Sandy Bay Twp., Rapid growth of prime white pine with approximately 20,000 taps. A lease will be sawtimber is the OBF objective in the Eastern and issued in FY 2015. Western regions, accomplished by thinning to In the Eastern Region, a timber harvest in relatively low stocking to allow this windfirm species Codyville on approximately 100 acres of selected to grow with minimal competition. Operations are hardwood stands was designed to enhance sugar ongoing in the Western Region and have been bush potential. Healthy sugar maples were completed in the East and North, though the work retained at the desired spacing where present, with to accelerate deer winter cover. Permanent growth the top quality sawlog and veneer sugar maples plots were established at the East’s OBF site, to harvested prior to any maple sugar operation. A track how the pines are responding to the lease offering is expected in FY 2015. treatment. Additional opportunities for working within OBF will be evaluated as they become Wildlife Management – The Bureau manages apparent. 31,000 acres of deer wintering areas (DWA) on Timber Management Program - In fiscal year Public Lands, under the review and 2014, timber harvests from inventory on Bureau- recommendation of IF&W through the IF&W managed lands totaled 166,500 cords, a 13% Wildlife Biologist permanently and exclusively increase over FY 2013. Autumn of 2013 was one assigned to the Bureau. In FY 2014 BPL of the best for timber harvesting in recent memory, coordinated harvesting activities on 907 acres of with almost no “fall mud season”, that four to eight DWA with IF&W. week period between leaf drop and freeze-up when In FY 2014 the Bureau entered into a most harvesting is put on hold. Then winter Memorandum of Agreement with IFW to manage a conditions lasted several weeks later than is the 23,000 acre portion of the 43,000-acre Seboomook average, and markets were very good. The Bureau Unit for the federally