Maine

Maine Conservation Program Gets Largest Fund Boost in Years

Supporters of the program said the pandemic illustrated the need to conserve more land in the state.

Maine's land conservation program will get one of the largest funding boosts since its inception under the state's budget.

Lawmakers included $40 million for the Land for Maine's Future Program. It's the largest allocation to the program since a voter-approved bond in 1999, the Portland Press Herald reported.

The state administers the program, which provides grants to conserve land for uses such as recreation, wildlife habitat and environmental protection. The program has protected more than 600,000 acres since it began in the late 1980s.

Supporters of the program said the pandemic illustrated the need to conserve more land in the state. Jeff Romano, public policy manager at the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, said the record number of people who sought outdoor recreation showed a need for more public lands.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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