Governor signs bill on liquidation cuts

AUGUSTA – Gov. John Baldacci took a walk outside Wednesday to sign a bill to reduce a forest-cutting practice known as liquidation harvesting.

In a ceremony in Capitol Park near the State House, attended by lawmakers and representatives of forest-products and environmental interests, Baldacci called the bill he submitted a part of his initiative to promote sustainable forest management.

The bill, LD 1616, directs state forestry officials to write rules that substantially eliminate the practice of cutting and removing valuable lumber and then selling the land to make quick money.

It also requires increased oversight of timber harvesting on woodlands held for short terms and requires that harvests be conducted with long-term forest productivity and health in mind.

State officials estimate as many as 45,000 acres are subjected to liquidation harvesting each year in Maine.