Skip to main content

News Brief: Maine Announces Protections for Critical Brook Trout Habitat

Five new land projects to conserve thousands of acres throughout the state.

Maine Announces Protections for Critical Brook Trout Habitat

Portions of the Kennebago River watershed, which is important native brook trout habitat, will be protected under the "Land for Maine's Future" project. (Joshua Bergan photo)

Maine Governor Janet Mills recently announced several new projects within the state’s “Land for Maine’s Future” (LMF) program that will protect and conserve thousands of acres, in some of the last best Eastern brook trout habitat in the country.

"“This is an exciting moment for conservation in Maine,” said Governor Mills. "I am proud that the State of Maine is once again preserving our cherished lands and waters in a meaningful way.”

The largest of these projects, the East Grand Lake Weston Conservation Easement, protects nearly 4,500 acres and many miles of shoreline on East Grand Lake, Deering/Longfellow Lake, Brackett Lake and Sucker Lake, along with the headwaters of the St. Croix International Waterway. This is the final phase of the "East Grand Watershed Initiative" that will conserve more than 11,000 acres and 30 miles of undeveloped shoreline.

The 1,723-acre Kennebago Headwaters project will help protect the headwaters of the Kennebago River, becoming part of the larger Kennebago Headwaters project that includes over 10,000 acres and protecting most of the Kennebago watershed. The area provides some of the highest quality habitat for eastern brook trout, and the river annually attracts thousands of anglers.

The 813-acre Kennebec Highlands project between the Kennebec and Androscoggin River drainages provides public access for fishing and other recreation near the population centers of Waterville and Augusta.

The Caribou Stream Deer Wintering Area proposal will conserve 1.8 miles of stream habitat for wild brook trout in Aroostook County. The project protects two large parcels of excellent wildlife habitat in an agricultural area, and should greatly benefit the trout.

All of the projects include public access. The total bill for the five projects was just over $3 million.

“These projects protect the public’s access to wilderness in Maine, preserving our proud history of outdoor recreation and essential wildlife habitats at the same time,” said Judy Camuso, Commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.


To report fly-fishing news, please e-mail Fly Fisherman's digital editor Josh Bergan.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
How-To/Techniques

André Brun Demonstrates the Backhand Snake Roll Fly Cast

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
Fly Tying

Tim Cammisa

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
How-To/Techniques

Fly Tier's Bench: Bakko's Phat Azz Hopper

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...

Ed Jaworowski's Fly Casting Video Series, Video 3: Critical Angle

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
How-To/Techniques

Nymphing Is A Drag

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
Fly Tying

Blane Chocklett: fly-tying innovator & guide, reveals new flies & relationship with Lefty and ASGA

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
News

Jay Nichols

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
How-To/Techniques

Ed Jaworowski, a lifetime of studying the physics of fly casting

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
How-To/Techniques

Ed Jaworowski's Functional Fly Casting Part 2: Rotation & Leverage

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
How-To/Techniques

Fly Tier's Bench: Max's Mess Maker (MMM)

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
News

Lefty: The Greatest of All Time

Master fly tier Charlie Craven shows how to use compressed air and markers to do custom paint jobs on popper flies. All ...
Gear

DIY Airbrushing on Popper Heads

Fly Fisherman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Fly Fisherman App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Fly Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Fly Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Fly Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use