Gov. Paul LePage continues to propose better utilization of Maine’s renewable timber resources to effectively lower the energy bills of low-income households. The LePage administration, led by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, is able to achieve this goal by harvesting timber at a rate that is well under its annual growth rate, in a manner that is Forest Stewardship Council- and Sustainable Forestry Initiative-certified and based on sound science and proper forest management practices.
This paper’s recent editorial, “Reason, science and the law: Where LePage’s public forest plans fall short,” on Sept. 25 fails to share the facts of the governor’s comprehensive plan, which provides significant opportunity to lower energy costs through modern heating systems and increased efficiency. The Maine people own this land, and they should benefit from increased timber revenue.
Maine’s public lands are indeed managed for multiple public uses: wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and timber harvesting. State professionals have continually refined the methods, techniques and practices that allow for successful management of lands that are owned by all Maine citizens. Sound management of our public lands also allows us to mitigate the damaging effects of forest pests, including the spruce budworm, for which an outbreak appears imminent. Maine citizens benefit from the many opportunities afforded by the wildlife habitat and outdoor recreational opportunities available to them on public reserved lands. We are missing an opportunity for Mainers to benefit even more from better management of a renewable resource, timber. And it can be done through better utilization of this resource without jeopardizing any of the objectives for which public lands are managed.
For several decades, the timber inventory on public lands has been accumulating at a rate significantly higher than the annual allowable cut, or AAC. Public lands foresters have used a conservative growth rate to determine an AAC of 141,500 cords based on the 2011 inventory. The AAC is not the sustainable harvest level; it is the harvest level selected by Public Lands for a variety of reasons, including available harvesting contractors, existing road network, available employees, written harvest plans and revenue needs. The best professional estimates and data available to us indicate that an annual harvest of 160,000 cords or more per year will not reduce the amount or quality of timber on public lands.
At the same time, the balance of the Public Reserved Lands Management Fund has swelled to $8 million and continues to grow. The governor repeatedly has proposed utilizing some of that money to establish a program to assist low-income, rural Mainers with heating costs in a manner that is in the public trust. This is a proposal, however, that has been rejected by legislators.
The conservative management approach applied on public lands was confirmed last June, when a review and reconciliation of timber production on public lands showed timber growth on public lands is approximately at the 180,000-cord level on an annual basis. The results of this finding were confirmed in a letter of opinion by professional foresters of the James W. Sewall Company of Old Town, Maine. The independent review revealed that the growth rate on Bureau lands is in the range of 0.432 to 0.449 cords per acre per year, or 180,800 cords per year to 188,000 cords per year on the 418,572-acre area.
The independent review reinforces that we are appropriately managing our public lands. It further demonstrates that we are following science to manage our lands. Critics continue to oppose LePage’s efforts to lower energy costs for all Mainers and using part of the $8 million in accumulated funds to lower energy bills of low-income households. However, persistent attacks against increased utilization of renewable timber resources that would be harvested under their annual growth rate are not based on science or sound forest management practices.
Doug Denico is the State Forester and director of the Maine Forest Service, part of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.