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Woodland Owners Gather at Sebago Lake State Park

On a sunny Saturday in late September, 70 woodland owners, foresters, conservationists, and educators gathered under shady pines at the Sebago Lake State Park picnic area for the sixth Woodland Owner Appreciation Day. It was my first trip to the state park, and it was an excellent introduction.

Maine’s nearly 6,000 lakes and ponds have some of the best water quality in the country. Much of that is thanks to the abundant forest covering almost 90% of our state and serving as a natural filter. We are lucky to have many family forest owners in the region who care about keeping their land forested. Woodland Owner Appreciation Day is a chance to recognize these individuals for their part in regional conservation. 

At the event, on-site walks and talks with foresters and resource professionals provided a rich, hands-on opportunity to learn about different aspects of forest management. Forester Jesse Duplin led an introductory forest management walk, pointing out stand characteristics such as wind damage, dieback, and potential crop trees while discussing forest management plans. Across the woods, foresters Paul Larrivee and Mike Richard shared tactics for managing invasive plants such as Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, and Asiatic bittersweet. Meanwhile, Maine Audubon’s Sally Stockwell and Maine IF&W biologist Greg LeClair led a walk on managing forests for wildlife. 

Back at the picnic area, others gathered under a pavilion to learn about the Family Forest Carbon Program, which helps landowners with 30+ forested acres by providing annual income and resources for forest management planning.

This year, the first “Sebago Clean Waters Forest & Water Quality Award” was presented to Mary Ann Hague in honor of Bart Hague and the family’s longtime stewardship of the Crooked River Watershed. 

Forests benefit our well-being, wildlife, water quality, and so much more. Woodland Owner Appreciation Day is a free celebration to recognize our local woodland owners and offer resources and networking opportunities. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the sixth Woodland Owner Appreciation Day on Saturday, September 28th, 2024 at Sebago Lake State Park. We had a beautiful sunny day and a great turnout of woodland owners from across the Sebago Lake watershed. The event included guided forest walks with local foresters, biologists, and conservationists, as well as lunch and drawings for raffle prizes. The Woodland Owner of the Year Award was presented to the Hague Family.

A big thank you to all our partners, Sebago Lake State Park, and Bissell Brothers Brewing for donating Bissell Bubbles, a sparkling non-alcoholic hop water and made with naturally filtered Sebago Lake water.

Special thanks to Sebago Clean Waters, Portland Water District, Sebago Lake State Park, and all our partners who brought the day together. Thank you again to all the woodland owners across the region; your stewardship efforts have ripple effects across the watershed that benefit us all.

For info about the next Woodland Owner Appreciation Day, visit www.mainelakes.org/woad.


2024 Photo Gallery – photos courtesy of Rooted in Light Media.

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