Dept of Conservation Partners with Amherst on Community Forest Project

Amherst - The Amherst Mountains Community Forest is thousands of acres of land that future generations of Mainers will be able to enjoy.

"We'll take care of it and fish, hunt here, play, admire the beautiful lakes," said Isaiah Massey, an 8th grade student at Airline Community School.

That's because the town of Amherst and the Department of Conservation have agreed to protect it. The state bought the land with the help of the Forest Society of Maine. It will be used for logging and for recreation.

"They continue to have forest lands that are producing timber and places where you can go and hike and go outside and have recreational opportunities and wildlife in your backyard," said Alan Hutchinson, Executive Director of the Forest Society of Maine.

In 2002, the land, which had been privately owned but open for public use, was put on the market. Amherst residents were worried it would be bought, developed, and made inaccessible. The town worked for years to come up with a way to prevent that from happening.

"Two and a half years ago they signed the deed and transferred it to the state and now we're here celebrating a tremendous accomplishment I think for all people in town and all the people that put all of the hundreds of hours into this project," said Neil Butler, former Amherst First Selectman and planning board chairman.

Not everyone in town is celebrating this new partnership. Some folks say this public land is actually less public than it used to be.

"Since the State of Maine has acquired this land for allegedly public access, what we've seen is the public has been shut out of certain areas, areas are denied, roads are blocked with boulders," said Brad MacDonald of Amherst. He serves on a committee that advises the Department of Conservation on the management of this land.

The agreement designates around 2,000 acres of land for recreation and about 3,000 acres for producing forest products.

The two parties say this will allow town members to reap the economic benefits of timber production, while still being able to enjoy the scenery and the activities the forest has to offer.