A "missing link" of Maine land protected

Connectivity is a key word in the conservation movement these days: As land becomes more fragmented because of roads or subdivisions, environmental groups are looking to ensure large tracts of protected land are linked together.

(AMC photo)

And today, with the announcement that the Appalachian Mountain Club has purchased 29,500 acres of beloved Maine Woods, hikers, skiers and backpackers now have a 63-mile long corridor to enjoy the wild from near Greenville north to Baxter State Park. The purchase ensures almost 650,000 contiguous acres of conservation land is open for public recreational use.

The Roach Ponds purchase from Plum Creek for $11.5 million is the first milestone in a planned 400,000 acre conservation effort.

The purchase, buffering more than 20 miles of the Appalachian Trail corridor, also permanently protects the headwaters of the West Branch of the Pleasant River, beloved by fishermen for brook trout.

“Today marks an incredible step forward for land conservation and outdoor recreation in Maine,’’ said AMC Deputy Director Walter Graff, who helped broker the deal. “This parcel has been the missing link in a corridor of protected land.”

The area is in what is known as the 100-mile wilderness conservation corridor of the Appalachian Trail. AMC has donated a conservation easement on the property to the state to ensure it is protected for ever.

For more information, go to http://www.outdoors.org/about/newsroom/roach-ponds-event.cfm