The Sun Journal Oct. 27 editorial, “Bond issues make sense for Maine’s future,” misses the mark on Question 3.

Voting yes on that question makes good economic sense for Maine.

The program serves the economy by conserving the foundation of Maine’s natural resource-based industries: the land.

For more than two decades, the Land for Maine’s Future program has enhanced the state’s long-term economic health by conserving key assets, such as working farms, working forests, waterfronts for commercial fishing opportunities and key tourism and recreation sites all across Maine.

In our region, we are fortunate to have several projects that exemplify LMF’s commitment to the natural resource-based economy. Two examples:

The Packard-Littlefield Farm in Lisbon. An LMF grant enabled the Androscoggin Land Trust and the landowners to conserve the property with a conservation easement, ensuring the farm remains a vibrant contributor to the local economy, providing vegetables and fruits. With the Packard-Littlefield farm as the centerpiece, Lisbon has become a hub of farm and business training for new immigrants in the region and empowers them to pursue economic independence through agriculture. These goods flow to Lewiston’s weekly farmers market, which is popular among residents, visitors and many immigrant farmers.

In all, Packard-Littlefield Farm is one of 26 working farms statewide conserved with LMF funds, supporting family farmers producing dairy, vegetables, meat and flowers. It is the only state funding program that includes farmland conservation through the acquisition or the purchase of development rights as part of its mandate. The program and the Department of Agriculture work in partnership to identify projects, and fund proposals focused specifically on farmland conservation.

The second project in our area is the ALT’s David Rancourt River Preserve, a 14-acre property in Lewiston that is a key link in the city’s growing riverfront trail and park network that it shares with Auburn. The property contains a walking trail, two beautiful sand beaches along the Androscoggin River, and a scenic overlook. With Lewiston’s recently adopted Riverfront Island master plan, access to the riverfront for recreation linked to the downtown is clearly seen as central to economic growth.

LMF is having this kind of impact all over Maine.

It is helping to conserve more than 250,000 acres of working, commercial timberland; it is supporting sustainable forest management and public access for hunting, hiking, fishing and many other uses. By protecting coastal access sites, it is helping ensure clammers and wormers can access mud flats. Other commercial fishermen are being helped through the permanent protection of working waterfronts.

In short, LMF serves our people by making Maine a more desirable place to live and work. Question 3 deserves support.

Barbara Trafton, Auburn

Trustee, The Nature Conservancy