A Historic Conservation Opportunity

78,000 Acres in Western Maine

In the heart of the Northern Appalachians lies a unique place that has sustained human and natural communities for millennia. This area glimmers with sweeping water features, including 170 miles of rivers and streams, over 2,400 acres of wetlands and crystal-clear lakes. When conserved, this project will effectively connect half a million acres of contiguous conserved lands to the east and west, a historic accomplishment for the region.

Recognizing the irreplaceable value of this place and unprecedented opportunity, four conservation organizations have joined forces to permanently protect it.

Behind The Magalloway Collaborative

The Magalloway Collaborative brings together four conservation organizations in a partnership that leverages local and regional expertise.

With a decades-long track record of successful conservation in the region, The Nature Conservancy in Maine (TNC) led the dialogue with the property’s owner, Bayroot LLC to produce an option agreement that allows for conservation.

Forest Society of Maine (FSM), having conserved more than one million acres, is one of Maine’s leading forest conservation organizations. FSM will hold the conservation easement on the 62,500 acres of managed timberland on the property.

Based in Rangeley, Maine, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust (RLHT) is a local land trust focused on conserving, restoring, and stewarding the lands and waters of the Rangeley Region. RLHT will own and manage over 4,400 acres for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation.

Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT), an organization exclusively focused on wilderness conservation, will own and safeguard an 11,200-acre wilderness preserve in the northern section of the parcel.

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A Key Piece of the Conservation Puzzle

Located in the far corner of western Maine, the Magalloway project effectively connects 500,000 acres of existing conserved lands between Maine and New Hampshire. This region is a global conservation priority and spans some of the last, vast mixed-temperate forests in North America.

Outdoor Recreation

The rivers, lakes, and streams on the property are some of the most magnificent in the Rangeley Lakes Region. This region has hosted world-class fishing, hunting, hiking and other outdoor recreation for more than a century. Conservation of the property will ensure that these traditions can continue into the future.

Fly Fishing
The Rangeley Region has a legendary history of trophy catches. Furthermore, the Magalloway watershed is one of the few remaining in the country capable of supporting self-sustaining wild brook trout populations assuming severe future climate scenarios. We must protect and preserve these waters.

Hunting
Conservation of the Magalloway will continue the right to hunting and fishing these lands and waters into the future.

Snowmobiling
This project preserves a main section of the International Trail System (ITS)-84, a snowmobile thoroughfare connecting Maine and New Hampshire. Conserving this section of trail is key to sustaining snowmobile access and supporting the local outdoor economy.

Paddling
Paddlers have long sought the waters of the Magalloway region for peace and tranquility.

Birding
This area has been identified as a globally important habitat for a variety of boreal and neotropical bird species. From the echo of a common loon call to a rare sighting of a Bicknell’s thrush, there’s much for birding enthusiasts to enjoy.

What Part Will You Play?

Help Us Reach The Goal of $62 Million

We have an immense opportunity before us. In the face of future climate scenarios, the loss of biodiversity, the threat to public access and increased development, we have the ability to take action, but we must act now. Please join us with an investment in the Magalloway lands and waters project.

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Our members care deeply about the lands, waters and wildlife of the region and are thrilled with this project. It conserves the wild, native brook trout waters and vast forests we love so much. This landscape has a long history of world renowned trout fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation, and is vital to our working forest economy. We fully endorse the Magalloway Project and are excited about its contribution to the future of the region, its people and the natural world.

David S. Kretzing

President RRG&SA

Maine DEP supports the conservation of undeveloped lands for water quality protection and carbon sequestration. These are important strategies to maintain ecological health, protect one of Maine’s most important economic resources, and mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The Magalloway Project will also help Maine meet its climate action goals while continuing to support sustainable utilization of wood products.

Department of Environmental Protection Maine

Melanie Loyzim

Commissioner, Maine DEP

At Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) we care deeply about conserving the longstanding relationship Mainers have with the land, waters, and wildlife of our state. Public access to hunt, hike, fish, and otherwise enjoy the outdoors is increasingly under threat and this project will help permanently protect a key large parcel of land. We support efforts to preserve public access like the Magalloway project.

David Trahan

Executive Director, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine

Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club is proud to support The Magalloway Project. This project will preserve a main section of ITS-84 that connects the Rangeley Lakes Region to New Hampshire. Maine’s snowmobile industry relies on landowner cooperation and this project ensures that this corridor will remain open in perpetuity. As one of the region’s largest economic drivers, snowmobiling is an important part of our outdoor economy and it allows more folks to access our beautiful western Maine mountains.

Jon Lewis

Trail Master, Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club

The Magalloway region possesses prime wildlife habitat. Conserving these lands will safeguard wildlife from increasing environmental threats, connect them to other conserved lands, and allow for sustainable recreational traditions such as hunting and fishing to continue.

Judy Camuso

Commissioner, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

The Magalloway Project will be extremely beneficial to the land and waters of the area and its wildlife inhabitants, as well as to guides like myself who bring hundreds of clients to Maine’s beautiful world-class rivers, like the Magalloway.

Vic Medina

Registered Maine Guide

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