Landowner Relations Program 
When Maine people want to get back to nature, they don’t have far to go. The careful and productive use of natural resources has always been the foundation of the Maine economy. It’s our heritage and our way of life.
The ability of private landowners to continue earning their living from the land is also essential for outdoor recreation. Productive farmland and forests help to keep land from being developed.
Maine has a unique history of public access to private land. Over the past 200 years, landowners, residents and visitors have forged a tradition of neighborliness and shared access that is found nowhere else in the nation.
Approximately 94% of the state’s land area is privately owned and more than 10 million acres of working farms and forests are open to the public. This voluntary contribution by landowners needs to be understood and respected by everyone who ventures outdoors.
The private land you use for recreation belongs to someone else, just as surely as your car or home belongs to you. Access to private land is a privilege, not a right.
Now and in the future, private ownership is key to preserving Maine’s rural heritage and recreational opportunities.
The owners of Maine’s farms and forests take great pride in the stewardship of their lands and they enjoy sharing these resources with others.
Keep in mind, however, that you should always ask first for permission to use private land. It’s the right thing to do. Some landowners may require permits for certain activities. If so, respect that request. Remember, your actions affect everyone who wants to use private land for recreation.
Working with owners of farms and forestland
To help preserve access to private land, guests must take care to keep their activities compatible with the management of farm crops and timber. Please remember:
- For safety, logging trucks always have the right of way on forest road
- Avoid driving — especially 4-wheeling — on muddy roads, fields and croplands, which can cause extensive damage and create hazards for other users.
- Hunting and other recreational activities should never take place where people are actively working in the woods or fields.
- Camping and campfires should be in designated areas only.
- Vehicles should never be driven in sensitive areas like wetlands or across streams, where ruthng can cause environmental damage. Landowners use special techniques to prevent such damage during harvests.
- Trash should always be carried out.
- Bicycles, snowmobiles and APIs must never be operated on active logging roads.
- Christmas tree and firewood cutting, fir tipping and motorized gold prospecting are allowed only with permission of landowners.
- Users must obey all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Accessing Private Land
Bow Hunters/ Landowners Information Program (BLIP)
Landowner Liability Explained
Landowners and Land Users - How to Get Along
Courtesy Cards
Sign Assistance Program
Supersport Program
