Since the governor took office, harvests on state-owned lands have risen by 34 percent. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Lawmakers are seeking to block the LePage administration’s plans to increase timber harvesting on state-owned lands and are proposing to arm forest rangers with Tasers rather than create a new type of natural resources law enforcement Read More
Maine Forest Service
Legislators Say ‘NO’ To Slashing Forest Ranger Corps, and More
by Christine Parrish Free Press news story On Thursday, the legislative committee that oversees forestry officially rejected the Governor’s proposal to cut forest ranger positions, put control of Maine’s Public Lands under the Maine Forest Service and dramatically increase timber harvesting on Public Lands. Then they added some stiff legal language of their own before Read More
Legislative Panel Rejects LePage Department of Conservation Overhaul
by Scott Thistle, State Politics Editor Sun Journal news story AUGUSTA — A key legislative committee has rejected a proposal by the administration of Republican Gov. Paul LePage that sought to dissolve the state’s Bureau of Public Lands and fold its functions into two other agencies within the state’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. As part Read More
Legislative Panel Rejects Plan to Dismantle Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
The non-binding vote shows the difficulties facing Gov. Paul LePage in winning approval of parts of his proposed budget. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Members of a legislative committee are recommending against a LePage administration proposal to dismantle the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and divide its responsibilities among Read More
Committee Rejects Plan to Split Bureau of Parks and Lands
by Nakell Williams WABI-TV news story The Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry rejected a part of the governor’s budget plan. It involves splitting the Bureau of Parks and Lands and placing public lands under forestry. Committee members say they didn’t get any supporting calls or e-mails from constituents. They also say they Read More
NRCM Testimony in Opposition to LD 870, An Act to Amend the Maine Spruce Budworm Management Laws
Good afternoon, Senator Edgecomb, Representative Hickman and members of the committee. My name is Cathy Johnson. I am a resident of Alna and the North Woods Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I am speaking today on behalf of NRCM’s 16,000 members and supporters in opposition to LD 870. Many sections of this bill repeal Read More
NRCM Testimony In Support of LD 866, An Act to Ensure Efficiency and Safety in the Bureau of Forestry
Good afternoon Sen. Edgecomb, Rep. Hickman, and members of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee. My name is Eliza Donoghue. I am here today on behalf of the 16,000 members and supporters of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) to speak in support of LD 866, An Act to Ensure Efficiency and Safety in Read More
LePage Taps Key Ally to Oversee Forestry on Public Lands
The new duties for Maine Forest Service Director Doug Denico are likely to bring more timber-cutting on state land, which could affect recreation and wildlife. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The LePage administration has appointed the head of the Maine Forest Service to oversee forestry activities within the Bureau of Read More
Capitol Notebook: The Forest and the Trees
by Marian McCue The Forecaster op-ed Planted in the middle of Gov. Paul LePage’s State of the State address in early February was an unlikely comment about the supposedly imminent return of the damaging spruce budworm, which plagued the state’s softwood forests back in the 1970s and 1980s. LePage’s worry about the spruce budworm was oddly Read More
