Conservation Lands

Maine currently has nearly 3.5 million acres of land protected from development. These lands provide a host of public and private benefits, ranging from recreation and firewood, to wildlife habitat and biodiversity protection. Together, these protected areas provide both recreation and ecosystem services for current and future generations of Mainers, and have been protected through the combined efforts of federal, state, and a host of municipal and nongovernmental groups, including nearly 100 land trusts. In fact, Maine has led the nation in the development and application of innovative land conservation tools, especially when it comes to private lands and the protection of working forests.