Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District Named 2026 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year

In a celebration of leadership, legacy, and landscape-scale stewardship, the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) was recognized as the 2026 Maine Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year award recipients during the Forestry Forum at the annual Agricultural Trades Show. Since 1954, this prestigious award has recognized landowners who go above and beyond the standard, demonstrating that a working forest can simultaneously protect water quality, bolster wildlife habitat, and support a local economy.

At the center of this achievement is the Williamsburg Forest, a 266-acre woodlot near Brownville. Since acquiring the land in 1980, the PCSWCD has transformed it from abandoned Great Depression-era farmsteads into a vibrant outdoor classroom. “This property is clearly designed to educate landowners and the public on how to enhance forest health, improve wildlife habitat, protect water quality, and manage woodlots for both economic and environmental benefits,” noted DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal in her congratulatory speech. 

What truly distinguishes Williamsburg is its sophisticated Forest Management Plan. Developed by University of Maine graduate student Elisa Schine, alongside Consulting Forester Molly London, Dr. Jessica Leahy, and other advisors, the plan is a masterclass in modern silviculture, designed as a replicable framework for other landowners. “Amazingly, [Elisa] wrote it with a lot of input from a whole lot of foresters, and you can imagine how well we all agreed on everything,” Molly London joked during the award ceremony. Despite varying perspectives, the team integrated the rigorous requirements of NRCS, Maine Woodswise, and the American Tree Farm System, while prioritizing Forestry for Maine Birds lessons.

The PCSWCD stewardship approach is defined by "zooming out" and viewing the 266 acres as a single piece of a larger landscape puzzle. By managing the land as a bird would see it and focusing on canopy complexity and habitat connectivity, the District has deepened its relationships and collaborations with neighboring landowners, including the Penobscot Nation. 

The district’s success is also rooted in its unique leadership structure. Managed by an all-women team under the banner "A Forest for Everyone, Managed by Women," Williamsburg Forest has become a hub for community inclusion and resilience, even hosting "pop-up wood banks" to provide heating assistance to local families. “I do love to see how [Williamsburg Forest] is being managed by a core of capable and diverse women,” remarked Commissioner Amanda Beal during her congratulatory speech. “The governor has proclaimed the year 2026 of women in ag in Maine, and I think we can extend that celebration to also recognizing women in forestry.” State Forester Patty Cormier agreed, saying, “It is serendipitous that this year highlights women in agriculture, and PCSWCD receiving this award fits very well with that theme.”

This award adds to a growing list of accolades for the PCSWCD, including recognition from Maine Audubon as a birding destination and selection as the 2019 Austin Wilkins Stewardship Award recipients. “Over the 40+ years we have managed the forest, there have been a lot of people involved with the vision and the energy there,” said PCSWCD Executive Director Kacey Weber. “It would take me ages to recognize everyone.” State Forester Patty Cormier offered a poetic reflection on the District’s collective effort: “As a strong forest isn’t necessarily about individual trees, but about how they support each other to create a powerful ecosystem, this team’s strength comes from synchronized effort, just as the trees all reach for the light.”