Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District Joins Maine Tree Farm Program

The Maine Tree Farm Program is excited to announce the addition of the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) as its newest Stewardship Hub. 

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District joins a network of dedicated local organizations committed to sharing knowledge and best practices in forest management. These Stewardship Hubs are crucial in facilitating meaningful discussions around responsible forest management. By bringing together Tree Farmers, landowners, and community members, the Hubs encourage and engage participants in stewardship and meaningful discussions about managing our forests responsibly.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this dynamic group of resource providers and are dedicated to connecting the residents of Piscataquis County to information about the benefits of being a Maine Tree Farmer. Our organization owns and maintains two Tree Farms - the Law Farm Nature Trails and the Williamsburg Forest - and we are looking forward to providing information, demonstrations, and programming at our Tree Farms for the public.” - Kacey Weber, Executive Director of the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District

The expansion of the Stewardship Hub initiative is funded by a grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund. This grant also supports the development of several StoryMaps, a web-based application that provides interactive multimedia resources. These StoryMaps will be utilized to offer on-demand tours of Hub Host sites featuring narratives, maps, images, and videos on place-based forest management. 

This project comes at a crucial time when local organizations need increased capacity to meet the evolving needs of diverse landowners. Family forest owners are responsible for over 30% of Maine’s forests, over 4.5 million acres, and play a significant role in environmental stewardship, yet only 27% of these landowners currently utilize Forest Management Plans. By empowering local organizations to support family forest owners and showcasing responsible forest management, we can build resilient local communities and protect Maine's natural heritage for future generations.

The Piscataquis Stewardship Hub will join the four existing Stewardship Hubs: Sebago, hosted by Loon Echo Land Trust; Downeast Coast, hosted by Downeast Coastal Conservation; Lower Penobscot Valley, hosted by Great Pond Mountain Trust; and Downeast Lakes, hosted by Downeast Lakes Land Trust.