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) 2011 ANNUAL REPORT to the JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY MAINE PUBLIC RESERVED, NONRESERVED, AND SUBMERGED LANDS Sandy Stream in Millinocket Forest March 1, 2012 MAINE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION Bureau of Parks and Lands 2011 ANNUAL REPORT Maine Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Lands TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….. 2 II. 2011 HIGHLIGHTS…………………………………………………………………..2 III. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES………………………………………………….. 5 IV. LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING……………………………………………….. 8 V. NATURAL/HISTORIC RESOURCES……………………………………………...9 VI. WILDLIFE RESOURCES……………………………………………………………12 VII. RECREATION RESOURCES………………………………………………………14 VIII. TIMBER RESOURCES……………………………………………………………...19 IX. TRANSPORTATION………………………………………………………………… 23 X. PUBLIC ACCESS…………………………………………………………………… 24 XI. LAND TRANSACTIONS……………………………………………………………. 25 XII. SUBMERGED LANDS……………………………………………………………… 26 XIII. SHORE AND HARBOR MANAGEMENT FUND………………………………… 26 XIV. COASTAL ISLAND PROGRAM…………………………………………………… 26 XV. ADMINISTRATION………………………………………………………………….. 27 XVI. INCOME AND EXPENDITURES ACCOUNTING – CY 2011………………….. 28 XVII. FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FY 2013……………………………………………… 31 XVIII. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………….. 39 Appendix A: Map showing BPL Properties & Acquisitions in 2011…………………. 40 Appendix B: Summary of 2011 BPL Acquisitions and Dispositions………………… 41 Appendix C: Federal Forest Legacy Projects Approved and Pending……………... 43 Cover Photo by Andy Cutco, Maine Natural Areas Program I. INTRODUCTION principle of sound planning (Title 12 MRSA 1833 and 1847). Fifteen-year, multiple-use plans for the major The Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) within the properties guide the Bureau’s management Department of Conservation (DOC) is activities. Benefits from the wise management responsible for the management and of these lands include: administration of Maine’s Public Reserved and • Production of forest products Nonreserved Lands, Submerged Lands, Coastal • Access to recreational opportunities Islands, conservation easement lands, and other • Enhancement of wildlife habitat lands as provided by law. • Protection of unique natural and cultural This report constitutes required annual resources reporting pursuant to: The Bureau also has responsibility for • 12 MRSA 1853, 1839 and elsewhere. managing public trust rights to Submerged • 12 MRSA 1850(1) and 1836(1) and Lands, and, when granting leases for the use of elsewhere related to vehicular access to Submerged Lands, includes conditions to Bureau lands maintain customary and traditional public • 12 MRSA 1805 and 1853 related to access, navigation, and commercial marine ecological reserves on Bureau lands. uses. The report is submitted by March 1st of Finally, the Bureau protects public rights each year to the Joint Standing Committee on and values acquired through conservation and Agriculture, Forestry, and Conservation (ACF). It public access easements; and oversees project provides an overview of the scope of the agreements with local entities the Bureau Bureau’s responsibilities and information on the sponsors to enable them to purchase lands and Bureau’s management activities during the 2011 easements using Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) calendar year. As required, the report includes funds. information on gates and barriers that prevent public vehicle access to Public Reserved and Nonreserved Lands, recreation facility fees II. 2011 HIGHLIGHTS charged for the use of these lands, and a status report on Ecological Reserves. Also included in Forest Certification – Since 2002, the Bureau’s the report is information on timber, recreation and forest management activities have been certified wildlife management carried out on public lands as sustainable under two independent certification during the calendar year. Financial information is systems: the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) provided on both a calendar year (CY2011) and and Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). Each year fiscal year (FY2013) basis. The ACF Committee the Bureau’s forestry operations and overall forest has the obligation to report by March 15th to the management system are “audited” by these two Appropriations Committee on the Bureau’s Lands certification systems, with all criteria addressed Division FY 2013 budget. over a period of three years for SFI certification The “Lands” Division of the Bureau is a and a “full” audit for FSC conducted once every dedicated revenue component of the agency, five years. funding almost all of its administrative, planning, In 2011, the Bureau had a second full re- management and operational activities from audit under the FSC program and the annual revenue generated from the land base, with surveillance audit under the SFI program. As was some additional sources of funds provided done for the fall 2010 FSC re-audit, the contract through various grant programs. for auditing was awarded competitively, and a The Bureau is statutorily mandated to different certification firm, Bureau Veritas, was manage the Public Reserved and selected this year. As the new firm had not Nonreserved Lands, 599,164 acres in 2011, in previously seen the Bureau’s lands, the audits a manner consistent with the principles of were conducted in all three of the BPL regions. multiple land use to produce a sustained yield Auditors visited exemplary timber harvests, of products and services in accordance with both innovative and efficient water crossings, diverse prudent and fair business practices and the wildlife management practices, and well-planned recreation facilities. 2 The Bureau intends to conduct forest out in the fall of 2011 and has the potential for management in compliance with the 2010-2014 14,000 taps. The lessee is now developing the certification standards, principles, and criteria of site and expects to have 5,000 taps online in both SFI and FSC programs for all upcoming 2012. The area is expected to be fully utilized with audits. The Bureau also intends to conduct 14,000 taps in 2016. When complete, the lessee several forest management operations under the will produce finished maple syrup onsite. outcome-based forestry model described below. Western Region staff is exploring additional sugar maple opportunities in Sandy Bay Outcome Based Forestry (OBF) – “Outcome Township and at other locations in the region. Based Forestry” refers to a section of Maine’s Forest Practices Act that offers land managers Land Acquisitions – Acquisitions in 2011 totaled added flexibility for timber management in over 9,600 acres, with about 5,500 acres in fee exchange for up-front planning and expert review. lands and 4,100 acres in conservation easements The Bureau is planning harvests under OBF in (Appendix B). These acquisitions conserve each of its three regions. In the North, the forests, wetlands, stream shores and lake shores; objective is the establishment of high value secure important recreational trail and water hardwoods, yellow birch and sugar maple, while access opportunities; and add to existing state creating hardwood browse for wildlife, along with a park and Public Reserved and Nonreserved lands. companion project to accelerate the development Sustainable forest management is expected to of core winter cover for deer. continue on over 80% of the lands acquired in Rapid growth of prime white pine 2011, while the conservation of Maine’s largest sawtimber is the OBF objective in the Eastern and peatland - the Great Heath has been expanded by Western regions, accomplished by thinning to the addition of 370 acres of significant plant and relatively low stocking to allow this windfirm wildlife habitat. species to grow with minimal competition. At the close of 2011, conservation lands Operations layout will be ongoing during 2012, held by the Bureau of Parks and Lands in fee and while harvesting is expected to begin on these easements totaled 1,036,608 acres, including projects in 2013. 9,815 acres of Forest Legacy conservation easements delegated to the Bureau by the US Timber Management Program - In 2011, timber Forest Service. Public Reserved and Nonreserved harvests on Bureau-managed lands totaled fee lands account for 599,164 acres, or 58% of 126,500 cords, an increase from 121,700 cords this total. in 2010. Though summer conditions for logging The Bureau continues to advance a were challenging, especially in the North, winter number of large working forest conservation conditions were nearly ideal. The Bureau and its easements that have been approved for federal contractors supplied wood to 45 mills statewide Forest Legacy Program funding and has worked in 2011. with the state Forest Legacy Committee to identify additional projects for future federal funding Firewood Permit Program - Individual firewood approval. Both approved and proposed Forest permittee volumes totaled about 550 cords in Legacy projects, some of which are expected to 2011, similar to the year before. Logging close in 2012, are summarized in Appendix C. contractors delivered over 2,400 cords of firewood In addition to these acquisitions, the to customers, so nearly 3,000 cords of firewood Bureau continued to sponsor land trust and local was supplied from Bureau–managed lands in government acquisitions