Two conferences this spring have focused on the future of communities and economies in the Maine Woods. The first, “Protecting Livelihoods and Landscapes in Northern Maine,” was presented at Colby College in March and focused broadly on trends in land ownership and conservation. The second, the “Maine Green Forest Summit,” sponsored in Portland by a range of forest products interests, dealt more directly with emerging economic opportunities associated with Maine’s forestlands. Among other challenges faced by the new Maine Woods Consortium, carrying forward the information exchange exemplified by these events appears central to achieving a prosperous future for our region.

The Colby conference, organized by Colby’s Environmental Studies Program and the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, featured panels on a range of subjects. Alan Hutchinson of the Forest Society of Maine led a panel which outlined changes and issues in the North Woods, including the future of the forest products industry, conservation of large landscapes, public access, jobs, housing and infrastructure in gateway communities. A second panel, moderated by Jeff Pidot, formerly of the Maine Attorney General’s Office, explored the role of government in managing the forest resource and surfaced an interesting debate about the advantages of regulation over easements. A third panel, headed by Darby Bradley of the Vermont Land Trust, examined the role of private entities, specifically addressing the changing array of land owners and their respective values and agendas. Click here to view more on this conference.

The Green Forest Summit, sponsored by The Maine Forest Service, Maine Pulp and Paper Association, the Small Woodlot Owners Association of Maine, the Independent Energy Producers of Maine, Associated General Contractors of Maine, and the Maine Forest Products Council, highlighted emerging opportunities associated with “green” forest management. David Refkin of Time, Inc. and David Shirmer of Hearst Enterprises offered a forecast of increasing demand for certified paper products. Green building materials and new forest-based energy technologies were also addressed. Alec Giffen, Maine State Forester, assessed certification options for land managers and forest products manufacturers, comparing forest in Maine and Finland. Click here to view presentations made at this conference.