The Governor's Task Force Regarding the Management of Public Lands and Publicly-Held Easements

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2008.
(An extension of the December 1, 2007 reporting deadline has been granted.)

Click here to download a copy of the final report. For a printed copy, including the appendix, please call 287-4909.

OVERVIEW

On February 20, 2007, Governor John E. Baldacci issued an Executive Order creating the Task Force Regarding the Management of Public Lands and Publicly-Held Easements.

The purpose of the Task Force is to develop recommendations to improve the accuracy and
availability of information regarding management of public lands in Maine and to ensure that
decisions regarding management of public lands are made in a fair manner that meets the full
array of recreational interests in Maine now and into the future.

For additional information regarding the purpose of the Task Force, download The Governor's Executive Order here (.pdf).

MEMBERSHIP

Governor Baldacci appointed 16 members to the Task Force. The Executive Order states, "Nine members shall represent recreational interests; four members shall represent landowners of different size and from different parts of the state who provide for public recreation on their lands; one member shall be the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation, or his designee; one member shall be the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, or his designee; one member shall be the Director of the Lands for Maine's Future Program." In addition, there are five legislative members; two members of the Senate and three members of the House of Representatives.

Download a list of Task Force members here (.pdf)

MEETINGS, MATERIALS & REPORT

During the August meeting of the Task Force, The Department's of Conservation, Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and Land for Maine's Future Program gave presentations pertaining to land management and the inventory of public land.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD:

THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, BUREAU OF PARKS & LANDS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (.pdf)

For more information regarding recreational opportunities on public lands managed by the Bureau of Parks & Lands, please click here.

THE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES & WILDLIFE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (.pdf)

THE LAND FOR MAINE'S FUTURE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION (.pdf)

The Task Force met five times from June to December. Meeting agendas and minutes can be downloaded below in .pdf format.

Download the draft meeting notes from the Bangor session here.

Download the draft meeting notes from the South Portland session here.

PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS WERE HELD ON NOVEMBER 27 & 28, 2007

The Public Lands Task Force held two regional public listening sessions, one in Bangor and the other in South Portland. Task Force members and staff would like to thank all those who attended and those who submitted written comments.

Questions that the Task Force asked the public to address:

What is working well and not so well regarding recreational opportunities on our public lands?
What types of recreational activities would you like to see offered or provided on Maine public lands?
What recreational activities are missing from our public lands?
What more could we do, or how could we better manage public land for recreation?
What should the State’s public land management priorities be?
What are your Ideas for addressing conflicts between different user groups regarding priorities or uses of public lands?

Download all documents pertaining to the public listening sessions below:

Download the public listening sessions agenda here.

Download the press announcement regarding the public listening sessions here.

Download the Task Force background information handout here.

Download the draft meeting notes from the Bangor session here.

Download the draft meeting notes from the South Portland session here.

*Please note that the meeting notes are in draft form and are staff's attempt to summarize the oral comments given during the listening sessions.

For additional information regarding the Public Lands Task Force please contact the The Department of Conservation at (207) 287-4909.