The Foundation seeks to protect the lands surrounding sporting camps from changes that might adversely impact a camp’s survival. Sporting camps have thrived for 150 years in areas that have been continuously managed for timber harvesting, and are able to continue like this for another 150 years and beyond. However, commercial development of second homes or industrial operations are a threat to camps’ ability to continue offering the public the natural experience these customers seek.
Many forest landowners have already addressed this in their own planning and continue to separate development activities from the areas favored for forestry and thus sporting camps. Some have even taken steps to assure this in perpetuity, by using conservation easements that limit commercial development and foster the multiple uses of forestry and recreation.
Expanding conservation easements to cover more sporting camps is a major effort that will be achieved through various conservation activities including: educating the public about the importance of conservation efforts to preserve Maine’s natural resources and the undeveloped, pristine surroundings that most sporting camps rely upon; developing coalitions and partnerships with organizations whose primary missions involve land and wildlife conservation; and to draw the focus and resources into partnerships that will accomplish both the conservation goals, and the goals to improve sporting camps and local communities.
