Management plan for Raymond Community Forest drafted

BRIDGTON — Jon Evans, Loon Echo Land Trust’s stewardship manager, and trust biologist Paul Miller met with Jeremy Stultz of Integrated Forest Management on May 16 to discuss Raymond Community Forest’s draft management plan.

As the planning continues for Maine’s newest community forest, the management plan is a required part of the Land for Maine’s Future funding. LMF funding helped pay a portion of the purchase of the 356-acre preserve.

With the recent forest cutting by the previous owner, Hancock Land Co., no forest management will occur during the 10-year life of the plan that Loon Echo is developing.

According to Evans, Loon Echo’s management goals for Raymond Community Forest include habitat, recreation and timber management. The emphasis of the timber management portion of the plan focuses on wildlife habitat and diversity of species and age classes.

Visual impact on the iconic Pismire Bluff is also included in the plan. The overall management plan for the 356-acre parcel calls for free public access for non-motorized recreation, including walking, hiking, bird watching, hunting and general enjoyment.

Loon Echo has already opened up the forest with three new trails, including a trail to the cliff known as Pismire Bluff. A parking area on Conesca Road in Raymond was developed late in 2016 for the public to access the area. Miller is developing interpretive educational signs along one of the newly constructed trails.

Loon Echo Land Trust, a membership-supported organization, protects nearly 6,700 acres of land and manages 31 miles of multi-use trails in the northern Sebago Lake region.

FMI: www.lelt.org, 207-647-4352.