Page Farm purchase joins state acreage

The Nature Conservancy announced Thursday that 6,700 acres of wild land along the Mattawamkeag River and Mattagodus Stream, located near where Penobscot, Aroostook and Washington counties meet, will be preserved with public access.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has purchased 1,279 acres known as Page Farm to provide a connection between two parcels of state land that are managed for recreation and wildlife habitat.

The land has traditionally been used by hunters, hikers and fishermen. It also provides habitat for several rare species, such as the Tomah mayfly and the Clayton’s copper butterfly.

The entire corridor will include more than 12 miles along the Mattawamkeag and 10 miles on Mattagodus Steam near Kingman Township and Drew Plantation.

The project was funded through a $100,000 grant from the Land for Maine’s Future program and $25,000 from The Nature Conservancy. Additional funding from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund is pending.