Grand Lake Stream is a village of 150 souls in the interior of Maine’s easternmost county. By the numbers, Washington County is Maine’s poorest, oldest, and sickest. As with most statistics, they tell a different story depending on where you sit, or in this case cast a fly line.  Grand Lake Stream is well known as a premier fishing destination. Like many beautiful rural places, however, it faces development challenges that threaten its key economic drivers and quality of life.

After 10 years of community-driven efforts to protect the natural resource base that drives the local nature-based tourism and timber economy, the community was primed to seek an alternative future. In 2005, the Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT) established the Farm Cove Community Forest, located just west of the village of Grand Lake Stream. A key goal was to preserve the economic way of life of the area, which includes a concentration of local Registered Maine Guides and sporting camps and lodges.

Last year, a local landowner decided to sell 22,000 acres of land in and around Grand Lake Stream Plantation. The landowner sought a fair market return but was concerned about the conservation value of the property. This situation stumps many rural landowners who face the reality that their land is worth more as real estate than as productive timberland. In this case, the real estate value was boosted by 12 miles of West Grand Lake’s undeveloped eastern shoreline, which boasts a number of scenic ridges overlooking the lake.

The seller’s representative approached Concord, NH-based Sustainable Forest Futures, who worked with DLLT, Wiscasset-based Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and many other partners to craft a deal that would ensure a triple bottom line outcome with economic value, social benefits or equity, and environmental compatibility.

This group negotiated a favorable outcome with Lyme Timber – a conservation-minded timberland investor – to permanently conserve the land. DLLT secured an option agreement and the right to purchase conservation easements and the underlying fee interest in the property over seven years. The 21,700-acre West Grand Lake Community Forest will be added to the 33,700 acre Farm Cove property, dramatically expanding the community forest asset that will be sustainably managed for wildlife habitat, timber production, and public recreation.  

For more information on the Grand Lake Stream Community Forest, contact Mark Berry, Executive Director of Downeast Lakes Land Trust at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (207) 796-2100.