Maine Audubon raises Plum Creek objections

FALMOUTH – Maine’s largest wildlife conservation organization on Thursday called on Plum Creek Timber Co. to scale back its plans for development of nearly 1,000 house lots in the Moosehead Lake area.

In its first public statement on Plum Creek’s proposal, Maine Audubon said development should be confined to a small area along the southwest shore of Moosehead Lake and that remaining lands should be placed under a land conservation agreement.

Plum Creek’s proposal now calls for rezoning the lands around the lake for 975 house lots, two resorts, campgrounds and other uses. The total project involves 426,000 acres, with about 10,000 acres slated for development.

“The current proposal exemplifies development in the wrong place, with far too little wildlife conservation and almost no guaranteed public access to the land,” said Kevin Carley, Maine Audubon executive director. “Wildlife conservation and public access are essential if the tourism and recreation economy of the region is to prosper.”

Plum Creek filed its proposal last spring with Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission. Company officials have since said they are revising the plan to address concerns expressed by residents during a series of public forums during the summer.