AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine Forest Rangers are asking for more volunteer help from individuals and outdoor recreation groups with the upcoming third annual Landowner Appreciation Cleanup Day (LACD), scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15.

Regional Ranger Jeff Currier of the Maine Forest Service (MFS), under the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, is the incident commander for the Maine Forest Service Incident Management Team, which helped make last year’s LACD a success.

“Our role is to organize the event and provide vehicles and manpower to transport items to the transfer stations,” Currier said. “We still need volunteers to spend an hour or two loading items.”

“For those who recreate on Maine’s privately owned forests, there is no better way to thank a landowner for allowing public access than to participate in this event,” Currier said.

So far, MFS forest rangers have identified more than 130 sites where illegally discarded items ranging from old furniture and washing machines, to tires and construction materials have been dumped.

Their plan is to work with volunteers to try and cleanup 100 sites, which is roughly 11 per district. Forest rangers will be working in cooperation with the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM), Maine Snowmobile Association and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

“We have an awful lot of clubs involved this weekend,” said Bob Meyers of the Maine Snowmobile Association. “Dozens of clubs will be out there.”

Meyers said that Maine’s club members, who are very pro-active, are very much aware of the issue of illegal dumping. They have received “excellent” cooperation from the Maine Forest Service on their year-round clean-up projects to support landowners who let them use their forest and farm lands.

“Our clubs know it’s not just a once-a-year shot,” Meyers said.

MFS forest rangers investigate hundreds of illegal dumping cases each year. Anyone convicted littering has to pay fines, cleanup costs and in some cases, complete several hours of community service.

For those interested in helping on Landowner Appreciation Cleanup Day, contact the Maine Forest Service at 1-800-750-9777.

A map showing sites to be cleaned up on Sept. 15 can be viewed on the Maine Forest Ranger Facebook page.

For more information about the Maine Forest Rangers, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/ffchome.htm

For more information about the Maine Forest Service, go to: http://www.maineforestservice.gov