Standish Woodland Acquisition

Maine Woodland Owners raised funds in 2024 to acquire a parcel of woodlands in the Town of Standish to add to 423 acres already held in our Land Trust nearby. This was an opportunity to increase this mosaic of intact forests and catalyze conservation in a part of the state facing increasing development pressures.

A Leap of Faith for Conservation

The original Watchic Woods Conservation Watershed parcel, shown with the yellow border, was 289 acres. The purchase of the second parcel (in red) in 2021 allowed us to conserve another 134 acres of forest.

In 2018 we did something we have never done in our history: take out a loan to buy woodland for our land trust and expand our conservation “footprint.”

Purchasing the land was a stretch, but it was a decision the Board of Directors and staff saw as necessary. We already owned a significant parcel in Standish and a key parcel adjoining that holding came on the market, which would ensure access to our original parcel. This new piece represents some of the finest tree growing land in the area, as well as abundant wildlife, recreational trails, and water resources. With the acquiring of the second parcel, our total contiguous ownership increased to 423 acres.