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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) 2008 ANNUAL REPORT for Public Reserved, Non-reserved, and Submerged Lands to the JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION, AND FORESTRY Scraggly Lake Unit, Staff confer at Owls Head Trail Overlook March 1st, 2009 MAINE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION Bureau of Parks and Lands Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ ! II. 2008 HIGHLIGHTS .......................................................................................................................... 1 III. PREFACE ....................................................................................................................................... 3 IV. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................................................................... 3 V. LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING ............................................................................................... 4 VI. NATURAL/HISTORIC RESOURCES .............................................................................................. 5 VII. WILDLIFE RESOURCES ............................................................................................................. 8 VIII. RECREATION RESOURCES ...................................................................................................... 9 IX. TIMBER RESOURCES .................................................................................................................. 13 X. TRANSPORTATION ..................................................................................................................... 16 XI. PUBLIC ACCESS ....................................................................................................................... 16 XII. LAND TRANSACTIONS .......................................................................................................... 17 XIII. SUBMERGED LANDS ............................................................................................................. 18 XIV. SHORE AND HARBOR MANAGEMENT FUND ................................................................... 19 XV. COASTAL ISLAND PROGRAM ................................................................................................ 19 XVI. INCOME AND EXPENDITURES ACCOUNTING ................................................................. 19 XVII. ADMINISTRATION .................................................................................................................. 21 XVIII. FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FY 2010 ..................................................................................... 22 XIX. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 28 Appendix B .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Appendix C .............................................................................................................................................. 31 I. INTRODUCTION II. 2008 HIGHLIGHTS The Bureau of Parks and Lands is Acquisitions – 2008 was a quiet year for public responsible for the management and reserved land acquisitions compared to previous administration of Maine’s Public Reserved and years. Although only one 27-acre parcel was Non-reserved Lands, Submerged Lands, acquired in fee, this parcel provides deeded access Coastal Islands, and other lands as provided by from State Route 155 to the Bureau’s Bradford- law. Lagrange Unit. Also acquired was the last piece of This report constitutes required annual a multi-parcel expansion to the Bradbury Mountain reporting pursuant to: State Park – a 1-acre trail easement needed to connect recent extensions from Bradbury State ¾ 12 MRSA 1853, 1839 and elsewhere. Park to the Pineland Public Reserved Lands (via a ¾ 12 MRSA 1850(1) and 1836(1) and CMP transmission line corridor trail license). This elsewhere related to vehicular access to was a key piece completing the Bradbury – Bureau lands Pineland Project, one of the original LMF projects. ¾ 12 MRSA 1805 and 1853 related to Both of these acquisitions were funded from ecological reserves on Bureau lands. Bureau revenues. Two conservation easements were donated The Bureau is statutorily mandated to to the Bureau in 2008, protecting 303 acres along manage the Public Reserved and Non-reserved the Kennebec River in Madison, and 6,730 acres in Lands in a manner consistent with the principles the Western Mountains (Robinson Peak) adjacent of multiple land use to produce a sustained yield to the Bureau’s Mahoosuc Unit. of products and services in accordance with The Bureau also conveyed 7.5 acres of fee both prudent and fair business practices and the lands pursuant to legislative authorization. principle of sound planning (Title 12 MRSA 1833 and 1847). Plum Creek Moosehead Concept Plan and The “Lands” division of the Bureau is a Conservation Easement Review: This year the dedicated revenue component of the agency Bureau was engaged intensively in the dialog and funding all of its administrative, planning, formal review of Plum Creek Moosehead Region Concept Plan, in which the Bureau is contemplated management, and operational activities from rd revenue generated from the land base. Fifteen to be 3 party holder of approximately 400,000 year, multiple-use plans for the major properties acres of additional conservation easements guide the Bureau’s management activities. required as part of pending LURC approval. Benefits from the wise management of these Firewood Permit Program: In response to lands include: rocketing energy prices in the summer of 2008, the Bureau’s firewood program attracted many times ¾ Protection of unique natural and the interest of that in previous years. Nearly 800 cultural resources inquiries were answered by BPL staff, and 377 ¾ Enhancement of wildlife habitat permits totaling 2,020 cords were issued to ¾ Access to recreational opportunities individuals wanting to harvest their own firewood ¾ Production of forest products from Bureau-managed lands. The Bureau also has responsibility for Forest Certification – In 2008 the Bureau managing public trust rights to Submerged completed a full re-certification audit under the Lands, and, when granting leases for the use of Forest Stewardship Council program and the first Submerged Lands, includes conditions to annual audit under the Sustainable Forest Initiative. maintain customary and traditional public Dual surveillance audits were conducted in the access, navigation, and commercial marine Bureau’s Western Region, looking at high quality uses. timber harvests and best management practices for water quality. 1 The Bureau was awarded unconditional Wildlife – Most notable for wildlife management certification, reflecting its exemplary forest and activities in 2008 was that the Bureau was able to land management practices. conduct deer use surveys on many public land parcels due to abundant snowfall. Timber harvest Recreation – Providing extended trail plans for 14,892 acres of public lands were opportunities was the focus for continued work reviewed for fish and wildlife habitat compatibility on several public reserved units in 2008. In and potential habitat enhancement. southern Maine, after 8 years of acquisition work in partnership with the Pownal Land Trust on the Timber Management Program - In 2008 Bureau Bradbury-Pineland Project, the Bureau now has harvest volume decreased a bit, but still exceeded the legal right and approved permission to 100,000 cords for the second time, despite establish a multi-use trail connecting Bradbury excessive rain throughout the summer. Markets Mt. State Park in Pownal with the Pineland were weaker for many products, but hardwood Public Reserved Land Unit in Gray and North pulp demand was steady, enabling the Bureau to Yarmouth. In the north central area, on the market over 52,000 cords of low quality wood Nahmakanta Unit, a 1-mile trail and a campsite while improving the residual stands. were constructed with the help of the Maine Conservation Corps (MCC), finalizing a new Land Management Planning – In 2008 Regional loop option for extended hiking. In the far north, Management plans were initiated for the 36,000 - the hiking trail network was improved at the acre Aroostook Hills Region which includes the Deboullie Unit with the help of MCC services. Squapan and Scraggly Units and a number of small Improvements were made to the Deboullie tower lots; and the 57,300-acre Eastern Interior Region trail and a new 3-mile Black Mountain loop was including the Duck Lake, Bradley, Mattawamkeag constructed. In the downeast area, an effort to and Machias River Units, and a number of small establish extended hiking options in the Donnell lots. The Plans also address Bureau-held Pond Public Land Unit was launched in 2008. In conservation easements, which include easements the western mountains area, improvements in the Eastern Interior Region at Nicatous Lake, were made by the MCC to the Wright Trail on Mattawamkeag Lake, and along the Machias River. the Mahoosuc Unit to address deteriorating These plans are