Maine Voters Approve Conservation Bond

Vote Ensures that Land for Maine’s Future Program Continues

Portland, Maine - November 9, 2005

Once again the people of Maine have voted by a wide margin to fund conservation programs crucial to Maine’s future, say members of a broad coalition who supported Question 5 calling for passage of a $12 million land bond. Sixty-four percent of voters approved the bond.

“Mainers voted to protect the wildlife habitat and working landscapes at the very core of our state’s great heritage,” said Kevin Carley, executive director of Maine Audubon, a member of a diverse coalition of 300 organizations and businesses supporting the land bond campaign. Members include the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, The Nature Conservancy, Maine Farmland Trust, Maine Council of Churches, Maine Public Health Association, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, the Garden Club Federation of Maine, Hancock Land Company, Maine AFL/CIO, Maine Marine Trade Association, Maine Professional Guides Association, Maine Small Business Alliance, Maine Snowmobile Association, Maine Tourism Association, the City of Caribou and more.

“This vote is a victory for Maine people,” said George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, another coalition member. “The Land for Maine’s Future program is vital for protecting wildlife habitat, preserving working farms and forests and saving access to the state’s rivers, lakes and coast.”

Land conservation projects statewide will go forward this year thanks to voter approval of a $12 million bond. The positive vote on Question Five renews funding for the popular Land for Maine’s Future program. Over nearly 20 years, the award-winning program has saved farms, kept forestlands intact, protected vulnerable wildlife habitat and provided Maine people with publicly accessible land for hiking, fishing and hunting. This bond also provides funds for a pilot program to help commercial fisherman preserve working waterfronts.

Maine’s voters have twice before supported the Land for Maine’s Future program by large margins. Voters created the Land for Maine's Future program in 1987 with enthusiastic support for a $35 million bond issue. In 1999, voters approved a $50 million bond for the program.

This year's bond has a new component—$2 million to preserve waterfront access for commercial fishermen. This portion of the bond funds won't purchase land outright but will fund grants providing a portion of the funding fishermen may need to buy a warehouse or wharf. It does however follow the successful Land for Maine’s Future model of requiring matching funds from a variety of private and federal sources.

The Land for Maine’s Future program is Maine’s most effective and successful conservation program, helping make possible 150 land and water conservation projects across all 16 Maine counties.

Question 5 on the November 8 ballot read: "Do you favor a $12,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for conservation, water access, wildlife and fish habitat, outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing, farmland preservation and working waterfront preservation to be matched by at least $7,000,000 in private and public contributions?"

The Maine Land Bond Coalition represents more than 270 businesses, associations and organizations promoting funding to support the Land for Maine’s Future program. www.mainelandbond.org

Maine Audubon works to conserve Maine's wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation, and action. With a 160-year history, Maine Audubon today is affiliated with Audubon’s national organization and has seven local chapters in the state. Support for Maine Audubon comes from 11,000 member households and donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations.

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