AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Snowmobile Association (MSA) recently honored private, municipal and corporate landowners for their generosity in opening up their land to outdoor enthusiasts.

Fourteen individuals or entities received recognition at the annual Landowner Relations Awards Banquet on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in Augusta, which was sponsored by IF&W and hosted by MSA.

“More than 90 percent of Maine’s land is privately owned, and the generosity of landowners to allow access to hunters, anglers, snowmobilers and ATV riders, as well as other enthusiasts, is something to be applauded,” said Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “We remind outdoor recreationalists to always ask first before going onto someone’s land. It’s the right thing to do.”

The IF&W Landowner Relations Program seeks to maintain and build on Maine’s unique heritage of public access to private land for recreation and sport use, and works to ensure that the relationship between private landowners and the public is one of respect and good judgment.

“Public access to private property is a privilege and not a right,” said Col. Joel Wilkinson of the Maine Warden Service. “Without the support and generosity of private landowners, the majority of outdoor users would not have places to enjoy a whole host of outdoor activities. Stewardship of their land needs to be practiced by all users, as it only takes one user’s lack of respect to close down access for all.”

The Department works closely with Robert Duplessie, the state’s Director of Recreational Access and Landowner Relations, other state agencies, clubs from the various user groups, and landowners to build strong partnerships and to proactively address the issues that arise.

“The annual awards banquet is a wonderful way to show appreciation to the many landowners who allow use of their lands for recreational opportunities and also assist local clubs with materials or other in-kind services to build trails,” according to Duplessie. “A new awards category this year — the Organized Land User Group — allowed landowners to recognize local clubs or organizations that have helped them in protecting the land in a cooperative way, and it received many nominations. This demonstrated that landowners are grateful for the respect given to them by outdoor recreationalists.”

This year’s honorees are:

Corporate:

* Katahdin Forest Management of Millinocket, nominated by the Jo Mary Riders Snowmobile Club;

* WT Gardner & Sons, Inc. of Lincoln, nominated by Quad Country Snowmobile Club;

Public Landowner:

* Town of Lakeville, nominated by Quad Country Snowmobile Club;

* City of Presque Isle, nominated by Star City ATV Club;

Conservation Landowner:

* Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust of Oquossoc, nominated by the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association;

* Greater Lovell Land Trust, nominated by Kezar Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club;

Private Landowners (100+acres):

* Robert and Sonia Erskine of Dixmont, nominated by Dixmont Goldcrest Riders;

* Fred Flewelling of Crouseville, nominated by Washburn Trail Riders;

* Cecil Cross of Embden, nominated by Embden Travelers Snowmobile Club;

* A. Boyd and Rosalie Withee of Palmyra, nominated by Palmyra Snowmobile Club;

* Warren Foss of Weston, nominated by East Grand Snowmobile Club;

Organized Land User Group:

* Kennebec-Messalonskee Trails of Waterville, nominated by Central Maine Power Co.;

* Family Snowmobile Club of Bucksport, nominated by Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust;

* Maine Professional Guides Association, based in Augusta, nominated by North Maine Woods, Inc.

More than 500 nomination forms were distributed to various user groups, such as ATV, snowmobile, and fish and game clubs, and the nominations were reviewed by an awards committee that included representatives from the Maine Warden Service, the Maine Snowmobile Association, Maine ATV, and the state’s Landowner Relations Director.

To date, the IF&W Landowner Relations Program has recognized more than 80 landowners for their outstanding efforts in allowing their land to be used for public recreation.

No related posts.