SEBAGO — Loon Echo Land Trust and The Trust for Public Land recently announced the permanent protection of the newly created Tiger Hill Community Forest.
The 1,429-acre forest is home to sensitive wildlife habitat, traditional working forestlands, and safeguards the water quality of Sebago Lake – the drinking water supply for over one-sixth of Maine residents.
The property has long been used by local community members for hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting, snowmobiling, and other activities. Under LELT ownership, public access for recreation will continue.
“Land conservation supports robust outdoor recreation and wood products industries, while also preserving a traditional way of life here in Maine’s Sebago Lake region,” said Matt Markot, executive director of Loon Echo Land Trust. “The Tiger Hill Community Forest protects wildlife habitats, secures public access for recreation, and preserves working forestland. The conservation of this land, which would not have been possible without the support of the Sebago community and the Trust for Public Land, will benefit generations of Mainers and visitors to come.”
Tiger Hill Community Forest protects hundreds of acres of critical wetland habitat and miles of frontage on the Northwest River, Sebago Lake’s second largest tributary. The project is a cornerstone of Sebago Clean Waters, a collaborative effort of nine conservation organizations. In addition to protecting Sebago Lake’s water quality, the partnership seeks to support community well-being and the health of fish and wildlife in the Sebago watershed through forestland conservation.
TPL facilitated the acquisition of the property from landowners with a shared vision to create a community forest. The land is now owned by LELT and will be stewarded to meet community needs for generations to come. Support for the community forest was provided by Portland Water District, the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program, the Open Space Institute’s Resilient Landscape Fund, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Norway Savings Bank, Allagash Brewery, and many other foundations and individuals.
While the land is now under LELT’s ownership, the Trust still needs to raise another $250,000 to help cover the costs of caring for the land forever. Those costs include annual tax payments to the town of Sebago.
PHOTO: THCF and the Northwest River from above. (Jerry Monkman/ecophotography.com photo)
