Grafton Notch Protection

The folks at the Nature Conservancy have released a 16 March 2007 announcement that starts

"Federal funding awards for two Maine forest conservation projects – Grafton Notch and Lower Penobscot Forest – were announced today by Governor John Baldacci, the Maine Congressional delegation, The Trust for Public Land (TPL), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and The Forest Society of Maine (FSM). The Grafton Notch project, which was the nation’s top-ranked USDA Forest Legacy Program (FLP) project in federal fiscal year 2007 (FFY07), received $2 million for the protection of 3,688 acres of forest and recreation lands in the Mahoosuc Mountains of western Maine, just north of Bethel."

Appalachian Trail hikers in Maine know the area. "The Grafton Notch project would permanently protect 3,688 acres of stunning landscape, adjacent to one of the most rugged and most popular sections of the federally protected Appalachian Trail."

"Descending to the southeast from the 4,180-feet crest of Old Speck Mountain, one of Maine’s highest peaks, the Grafton Notch project area offers plentiful opportunities for recreation, hunting, sustainable forestry, and protection of diverse forest and riparian habitats. It is surrounded on three sides by Maine Public Reserve Lands and Grafton Notch State Park, a very popular tourist destination, and is adjacent to Mahoosuc Notch, one of the most rugged sections of the federally-protected Appalachian Trail (AT). The parcel is also in the viewshed from the AT, both from Mahoosuc Notch and from the Baldpate Mountain section of the trail. The Land for Maine’s Future program has already awarded nearly $1 million to this project which will help ensure its completion."