Re[2]: [at-l] 241,000 arces of Maine Forest protected

[Bob C." <ellen@clinic.net (Bob C.)]

The  TNC deal does include improvements to the AT buffer, particularly in t=
he 10
miles  of  trail below Nahmakanta which is part of the proposed 200,000 eas=
ement
land.

The  buffer  improvements were left out of the original negotiations betwee=
n TNC
and  Great  Northern.  They  were  added  at  the  suggestion  of  the new =
Maine
Appalachian Trail Land Trust and ATC.

ATC will pay $300,000 to acquire the fee in this area and will pay for that=
 from
their  revolving  acquisition  fund. The land trust has proposed to ATC tha=
t the
fee  be  held  by  our  land trust and we=92ll help raise the $300,000. The=
re is a
reasonable  possibility that NPS would acquire the fee and reimburse ATC mo=
st of
their  investment  at  some  later  date.

The  total  28  mile  corridor  that  passes  through GNP land had been exp=
anded
somewhat  in  a  1990  easement  to the state, but there was still logging,=
 etc.
permitted  in several areas close to the trail and the fee continued to be =
owned
by  GNP.

The  fee  in  the  15  -  18  miles  of  trail that passes through the
=93wilderness  area=94  around  Rainbow  Lake  that  is being acquired by T=
NC may be
transferred to ATC or NPS at a later date. That issue and the management of=
 this
area is still an open item.

For  those not familiar with land deals. "The fee" means The Nature Conserv=
ancy,
ATC  or  somebody  has bought all the rights to the land. An easement means=
 they
have  bought  only some of the rights. In this deal the original owner can =
still
harvest  wood  for  its  mills, subject to sustainability restrictions, but=
 must
allow public access and may not allow new commercial or residential develop=
ment.

The  Maine  Appalachian  Trail  Land  Trust  is  currently recruiting "foun=
ding"
members  at  $100  each  to  provide  some initial funds for operating expe=
nses.
brochures and the like.

I  missed  the  last  couple of meetings because I was either in the hospit=
al or
recuperating. I'll post an address as soon as I find it.

Weary