Policy Action Alert: Land for Maine’s Future bond up this week

In order for farms to continue to provide the economic, environmental, pastoral, recreational, and educational benefits to the state, there must be the land base to support and grow Maine’s food and agricultural economy. The Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) Program is an important source of public funding for conservation in Maine. The LMF Program has helped to protect more than 40 farms in Maine, covering nearly 10,000 acres of productive farmland.

MFT supports a bond commitment so that the LMF Program can be an effective source of conservation funding. This funding is necessary because it reflects the rising land prices that have resulted from increased development pressure in the state, particularly in southern and coastal Maine. This public funding will also be used to leverage private support to protect farmland and secure this critical resource for the people of Maine. Moreover, since farmland protection projects often need an extended period of time to be finalized, regular, predictable and complete funding through the multiple-year bond ensures that the most important projects are completed. It is also important that landowners have increased certainty that the public support will be there to successfully complete projects in a timely fashion.

Help push this bond package through the finish line! Call your legislators this week and tell them that LMF works for ME.

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Since 1987, LMF has:

• Conserved more than 150 destinations, encompassing over 600,000 acres with guaranteed access for traditional activities, including hiking, paddling, hunting, birdwatching, snowmobiling, picnicking, and fishing
• Protected hundreds of miles of four-season trails
• Secured over 50 recreational water access sites for boaters and anglers
• Conserved more than 360,000 acres of working forestlands
• Protected two dozen working waterfront properties, supporting over 1,250 fishing families
• Conserved more than 40 farms covering nearly 10,000 acres of productive farmland
• Expanded recreational opportunities at Maine State Parks including: Mount Blue, Camden Hills, Aroostook, Ferry Beach, and Bradbury Mountain
• Secured permanent public access to unique natural areas in every corner of Maine: Mount Agamenticus, Scarborough Beach, Pleasant Mountain, Cutler Coast, Donnell Pond, Machias River, Mount Kineo, and many more.