Legislators need to fund Land for Maine’s Future

To the Editor;
I am asking our legislators to return to Augusta to vote on a Land for Maine’s future bond. It is imperative that our legislators vote before the end of August in order for the bond make the November 2019 ballot.

Land for Maine’s Future is one of the most successful land conservation programs in our state. Gulf Hagas, which came under protection of Land for Maine’s Future in 2017, is one example of Piscataquis County’s protected areas with open access that I and many residents cherish. Land for Maine’s Future has been successful in protecting 600,000 acres in Maine, including over 300,000 acres of working farms, forests, waterfronts and many miles of recreational trails and wildlife habitat. Furthermore, Land for Maine’s Future protects critical habitats and commercial areas that sustain our natural-resource economy.

Land for Maine’s Future is completely unfunded for this year. Legislators need to act swiftly – ideally in the next few weeks — to fund Land for Maine’s Future by approving a bond of $40 million borrowed over four years.

Funding Land for Maine’s Future is a step forward that should span party lines and unite Maine leadership. I urge my representatives, Rep. Higgins and Sen. Davis, to return to Augusta to vote in favor of a Land for Maine’s Future bond, which will protect lands in this region that both support our economy and ensure outdoor access for the future.

Barbara Brown
Dover-Foxcroft