AUGUSTA – Most of the state’s gubernatorial candidates paid homage to the fruits of Maine’s woodlands Thursday night at a forum held by the Maine Forest Products Council.

In the process, state and federal regulators served as targets of dissatisfaction, as did outsiders favoring creation of a national park in the heart of the state.

“Maine lands should be in Maine hands,” said John Jenkins, a former state senator and mayor from Lewiston running for governor as an independent.

Establishing a preserve closed to timber harvesting would be “kind of like waving a white flag over” Maine’s forestry industry, said Democratic U.S. Rep. John Baldacci.

One prominent Blaine House hopeful was not invited to the forum.

A council spokesman said Green party activist Jonathan Carter, who has declared his intent to seek public campaign financing, was regarded as an exploratory candidate who had not officially announced.

His Clean Election Act declaration, dated Oct. 18, 2001, is on file with the state Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.

Carter, who ran for governor in 1994 and received 6 percent of the vote, said the council was “playing politics” in response to his referendum battles to curb clear-cutting in the Maine woods.

At the same time, he said, “It is accurate to say that I have not officially announced in terms of a press conference.”

Carter, who lives in Lexington Township, is one of four candidates to file Clean Election declarations of intent to date, according to ethics commission records.

The others are: Steven Farsaci, a Farmington minister who is also a Green party activist; Republican former state legislator Jim Libby of Buxton; and Jenkins.

Baldacci has raised in excess of $500,000 for his campaign, more than twice the amount collected by Republican candidate Peter Cianchette, according to statements issued by campaign spokesmen this week.

Baldacci, a Bangor restaurateur serving a fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, appears to be uncontested for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Campaign finance reports by candidates for governor are due to be filed with elections officials next week.

Other candidates for governor include independent David Flanagan of Manchester, the former chief of Central Maine Power, and Republican Jeffrey McKenzie of Rockland.

Cianchette, a former state representative from South Portland, zeroed in on Baldacci during his presentation at the forum, challenging the Democrat to join him in pledging a gubernatorial veto of any legislation that would weaken workers’ compensation provisions that have been favored by business.

The forum format did not allow for an immediate reply or follow-up.

Flanagan told council members he supported policies providing for multiple use of Maine’s forests, and said he would promote sustainable forestry in both northern and southern Maine, where he said expanding development presented special problems.

Libby warned against heavy-handed regulation at the state level and said as governor he would “work with business to try to help, not hinder.”

Farsaci, addressing the national park issue, said he would like to see decision-making on the matter kept within Maine, in line with his emphasis on local self-reliance.