DLLT and Meddybemps Land Trust Partnership

 

 

The Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT) and Meddybemps Lake Land Trust (MLLT) recently formed a landmark long-term partnership for the purchase and management of 503 acres of property along Meddybemps Lake.  DLLT will own the property and MLLT will manage the lands.  This partnership succeeded in conserving for generations to come, two parcels of land that are a part of the Meddybemps Lake watershed.  These properties include shoreline on Meddybemps Lake and Ryan Lake on the northeast corner of Meddybemps Lake. The surrounding forest, nearby Meddybemps Heath and Staples Fen wetlands provide invaluable benefits for mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining water quality.  Meddybemps Heath is the second largest domed bog ecosystem in the Eastern Coastal and Interior regions.  These ecologically significant areas offer superior opportunities for environmental and cultural education, sustainable forestry, community conservation, and equitable access to recreation.      

Future plans for the properties are to build trails, ensure public access, and sustainably harvest wood.

Together, this collaboration has harnessed the collective strengths of both organizations to enrich the natural environment, preserve our wetlands, enhance the lives of people in our communities and advance conservation efforts in Downeast Maine.  Cary James, the President of MLLT put it well, “The first of its kind partnership between MLLT and DLLT stands as an exemplar for what like-minded conservation organizations can do when they put their minds together”.