Thank You, Tom for Your Incredible Contribution to Maine Woodland Owners and Maine’s Woodlands!
After nearly 22 years, Executive Director, Tom Doak will be retiring at the end of January 2026.
Tom served as Executive Director since 2004. A third generation woodland owner, Tom graduated from the University of Maine with degrees in Forest Management and Wildlife Management. He has been a Licensed Professional Forester for over 30 years. Early in his career he worked as a forester and land manager on Maine’s state owned forestland working for the Bureau of Public Lands (BPL). He became Director of the Maine Forest Service in 1999 and served in that capacity for nearly four years.
Tom has served as the lead advocate for small woodland owners at the Maine State House and has consistently defended the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law, which is one of the most critical tools for keeping forestland undeveloped and productive.
The organization’s land trust program grew to conserve more than 11,000 acres across more than 50 communities under Tom’s leadership including the largest land donation in the group's history—a 2,000-acre parcel in New Gloucester from the Chandler family.
Doak was appointed by Governor Janet Mills to the Maine Forest Carbon Task Force. He has been instrumental in educating landowners on carbon sequestration markets and how small forests can contribute to the state’s climate goals through programs like "Maine Won't Wait".
He has regularly produced instructional content, such as tree identification guides and legislative updates. He also co-authored research on the factors influencing the sale or conversion of Maine’s family-owned forests to help inform long-term stewardship strategies.
Doak managed the organization’s commitment to keeping its conserved lands open to the public for activities like hiking and hunting while maintaining traditional uses like sustainable timber harvesting.