Over 3,500 acres of land saved from development thanks to monumental state program — here's how the protection is making a difference

Thanks to Maine officials, more than 3,500 acres of land have been earmarked for preservation and public use under an ongoing conservation program, Beacon reported.

The program, Land for Maine's Future, is an ongoing initiative to buy and protect natural spaces in Maine. It was reinforced by the state legislature in 2021 with the addition of $40 million in funds that are being disbursed to a range of smaller conservation programs. So far, over 600,000 acres of land have benefited from the program.

Land to be preserved includes forests, waterfront, wetlands, and farmland. Much of it will join existing parcels of public land across the state.

Steven Walker, executive director of the Brunswick Topsham Land Trust, was overjoyed by the opportunity, especially in the face of the world's rising temperature, Beacon revealed. "We really are excited about adding it to our list of spaces that will forever be open to the public and available for public recreation," he said.

The Brunswick Topsham Land Trust will use its Land for Maine's Future funds to preserve over 80 acres located off West Bay Bridge Road in Topsham.

The site includes more than 4,000 feet of shoreline connected to the Muddy River wetland complex, Beacon reported — which means the funds are helping to preserve the state's salt marshes and freshwater tidal areas. Rising sea levels from global warming are already starting to affect these iconic locales.

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"This parcel will function to help mitigate that effect," Walker said, per Beacon. "To make sure marshes continue to be part of the landscape moving forward."

Meanwhile, the Town of Wells Conservation Commission is conserving over 160 acres of habitat for multiple species, including the endangered New England cottontail rabbit.

In Ellsworth, the existing public forest will be expanded by almost another 300 acres.

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And those are just a few of the many sites to be set aside using Lands for Maine's Future funds. Other states also have enacted a wide range of protections for key sites.

Want to see similar policies at work in your state? You can vote for pro-climate candidates to boost conservation efforts in your area.