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Preservation Reports
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Executive Summary
As a precursor to reintroduction of its plan, Plum Creek announced on March 30, 2006 a “conservation framework” to accompany its unprecedented development plan for Moosehead Lake. While this “framework” has been very successful at garnering positive press for Plum Creek, most of its conservation promises are illusory. Moreover, even those false promises omit some of the most ecologically sensitive and recreationally vital areas from protection. On balance, the environmental degradation from Plum Creek’s proposed development would far exceed the actual commitments that the company is offering.
Acres of Illusion
Plum Creek’s oft-repeated claim its plan “permanently protects over 400,000 acres from development” is demonstrably false or misleading in several respects. First, there are no guarantees that these acres will in fact be protected. The Conservation Framework is not a conservation deal; it is a document of purchase options, only binding upon approval of Plum Creek’s development plan. The Framework simply sets up an understanding between the negotiators of how certain lands can be preserved, if Plum Creek is not paid for the lands or the conservation easements, there is no assurance that certain lands will be preserved.
Second, even the framework’s purchase options come with strings attached – the framework becomes null and void if the State of Maine does not approve Plum Creek’s concept plan. Even if Plum Creek receives full approval from LURC, nothing in the framework guarantees that all 400,000 acres to be permanently protected from development. The only conservation component that state approval secures is a working forest conservation easement on 71,000 acres. For the remaining acres, the framework only creates purchase options, with considerable costs attached. The framework offers “a 15 year option to a qualified conservation entity to purchase a working forest conservation easement over another 269,000 acres, and a 5 year option to the State to purchase 27,000 acres in the Roach Ponds area.
Third, there is the matter of the public purse. Plum Creek is offering this conservation framework in exchange for something it wants from the State of Maine – approval of its sprawling development plan. But it is not as if Maine gets the conservation easement in exchange for its regulatory approval. Maine simply gets the option to use taxpayer dollars to buy Plum Creek’s land in exchange for its approval. Additionally, current zoning would likely prohibit Plum Creek from aggressively developing these areas that it is offering up for conservation. Some development might be allowed under “two in five” exemption, which would allow Plum Creek to sell off two large parcels over a course of 5 years within parts of its holdings without regulatory review. Anyone looking to develop those lands would need to get approval from LURC. The Open Space Institute estimated that Plum Creek might be able to sell off approximately 800 lots, but the process would stretch over a longer period of time than they would under their current rezoning proposal, and return less profit to Plum Creek. Basically, Plum Creek is not offering Maine much, but requesting a lot in return- the largest development in Maine’s history.
Fourth, it is crucial to note that Plum Creek’s promise to keep these acres in “conservation” does not mean pristine undisturbed habitat and recreational solitude. Rather, these areas will remain open to commercial logging. And while timbering has its place in the North Woods, such activity is a far cry from what most Mainers think when they hear the phrase “conservation lands.”
Fifth, and finally, genuine conservation measures would place the acreage in question under a strong preservation rubric – including:
• Landscape-scale conservation easements that include permanent protection of, and best management practices around, lake and river shorelines.
• Permanent protection of, and no harvesting on, identified critical wildlife habitat, scenic resources, high-value nature-based recreation destinations, and ecologically sensitive areas.
• Guaranteed public access for recreational uses on all conservation easements, except for limited access on critical wildlife habitat and ecologically sensitive areas.
• Conservation easements offered to conservation entities and the State of Maine at below market value.
• Third-party certified sustainable forestry on working forest conservation easements.
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