State acquires conservation easement on 4,200 acres
Boston Globe.com, Monday June 30, 2003



WELD, Maine (AP) The state has added another 4,200 acres to land being protected from development around Mount Blue State Park and Tumbledown Mountain, officials said Monday.

The Maine Department of Conservation is spending roughly $480,000 to conserve nearly 4,200 acres adjacent to the park.

The conservation easement was facilitated by the Trust for Public Land, which purchased the parcels from McDonald Investment Co. and TR Dillon Logging Inc. to keep them off the market while conservation money was sought.

''This is another important step forward in the larger effort to conserve critical lands in the region around Mount Blue State Park and Tumbledown Mountain,'' said Whitney Hatch, regional director of the Trust for Public Land.

Monday's announcement involved three parcels. The largest, 2,445 acres, lies directly north of the park and includes 2,185-foot Pope Mountain.

Overall, approximately 20,000 acres have been conserved, including the summit of Tumbledown Mountain. The Tumbledown Conservation Alliance hopes to eventually protect approximately 30,000 acres.

More than $5 million has been raised to date from public and private sources to support the conservation effort. Nearly $3 million came from federal Forest Legacy Funds secured by Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.

Additional funds are being sought this year for the purchase of tracts that include hiking trails leading to the top of Tumbledown Mountain.