A lot of people are talking about the Plum Creek plan for our land in the Moosehead Lake region, and that’s no surprise. It isn’t every day a landowner proposes a comprehensive vision for 426,000 acres of land. In fact, our plan is the first ever of its kind proposed in Maine. However, we believe, once all of the facts are known, people will understand our plan and why it makes so much sense for the Moosehead region.

There will be a lot of opportunities to discuss Plum Creek’s plan publicly; the Land Use Regulation Commission has started that dialogue with a series of scoping sessions. We look forward to hearing viewpoints from everyone, including those who have concerns about our plan. As we hear from the public, let’s start with a few facts.

When we submitted our plan to LURC in April, we were proud of what we proposed: a first-of-its-kind approach to land management in the North Woods. Never before has a private landowner taken such a comprehensive look at such a large parcel. Never before has a timber company drafted a proposal that responds, in such detail, to an area’s conservation, cultural, economic and recreational needs.

Plum Creek has taken on conservation projects in Maine before. Our stated business model is to operate as an SFI-certified timber company practicing sustainable forestry, but also to consider additional uses – such as conservation, recreation and development – for lands less well-suited to forestry.

That is why we have already sold land to the state for permanent conservation along 29 miles of shorefront on the east side of Moosehead Lake, 7.5 miles along the Kennebec River, the entire shoreline of Flagstaff Lake, and 4,000 acres on Mount Abram.

We’ve also completed a major lake concept plan on First Roach Pond, which placed 11 miles of shorefront in conservation, and made 89 camp lots available, clustered amidst the 110 camps already on the lake.

Now, we’ve taken our entire Moosehead Lake region ownership – 426,000 acres – and proposed a long-range plan for it. We crafted the plan to have an initial 30-year term, automatically renewable in 20-year increments thereafter, unless LURC actively decides to terminate or modify it. We did that to ensure the plan provides long-term protection, while still providing the State a way to make changes, if necessary, in the generations to come.

Our plan covers a large area, but for the vast majority of that space, the plan ensures it will look the same way decades from now as it does today. In fact, 417,000 acres (98 percent) of the plan area will remain shielded from change through conservation and protective zoning. Less than one percent will ever have houses on it.

For the remaining 2 percent of the plan acreage, our plan calls for a variety of uses, each in concert with the economic needs and traditional uses of the communities of the Moosehead Lake region.

For example, the plan stipulates the creation of 55 miles of hiking trails, 71 miles of snowmobile trails, and allows the establishment of a new hut-to-hut hiking and skiing trail system. And the public can rest assured that, under the plan, Plum Creek will continue to allow public access to our forestlands for recreation.

Our plan also sets aside land for new job opportunities. It allocates acreage for a new sawmill, which would bring new jobs to the area, as well as setting land aside for new affordable housing.

Most importantly, our plan would provide new opportunities for lodging places for folks to stay who visit the Moosehead region. Greenville and Jackman, and all of the Moosehead Lake communities, depend on visitors to support their local, eco-tourism based economies. For more than a century, these towns have counted on seasonal and year-round visitors to bring money in from away. Traditional resorts, inns, sporting camps, cabins and second homes are a deeply-rooted part of the Moosehead Lake culture. Through our plan, we hope to help revive that tradition.

Our plan allows for zoning designating two areas in which resorts could be permitted at a future date, subject to regulatory review. We have not yet determined the features of these potential resorts. However, their inspiration lies in the grand tradition of resorts, like the famous Mt. Kineo House, that have hosted guests around Moosehead Lake for generations.

The plan allows for, but does not create, three campgrounds similar to those that have been traditionally used by family campers in the region. In the last year alone, one campground has closed its doors, and another soon will. Our plan offers the opportunity for someone to fill this critical need.

Lastly, the plan would zone for the creation of 975 new residential lots over 10 to 15 years; 575 of these lots would be on shoreline, with 400 on back lots, and all would be developed in clusters. Under current zoning, similar new lots could be created, but not with the careful, strategic outlook the plan allows. By viewing the region as a whole, and planning accordingly, we’re enabling local communities to capture the economic benefits of new second homes in the region, while minimizing wilderness impacts.

Plum Creek worked very hard with the help of many people in the Moosehead Lake region to design a plan for our land that is comprehensive, fitting with the area, and tailored to enhance existing industries, uses and customs. We know our plan is good for the Moosehead Region, and good for Maine as a whole.

Jim Lehner is general manager, Northeast Region, for Plum Creek.