There’s Still Time To Support The Magalloway—We’re Nearly There!
As we welcome June, the sun is shining, fish are rising, birds are returning, and we are more grateful than ever for the opportunity to conserve the lands and waters of the Magalloway. We’re also grateful to all who have supported the Magalloway project to date as we near the finish line in this historic effort. With just over a month left until the Magalloway project closes, we express our sincere appreciation to nearly 400 supporters who have already donated to conserve and keep these lands and waters accessible for generations to come.
We still have $2.3 million to raise by July 31, and we can’t do it without you.🙏
If you have not yet contributed or would like to make an additional contribution, don’t miss your chance to be a part of something bigger. If this work inspires you, consider making a gift and sharing the story with others who may be interested.
(Photo: paddlers on Upper Azisocohos Lake, August 2025. Courtesy of Seth Laliberte.)
Magalloway Conservation Story Featured on Maine Public, Borealis TV Show
April 24, 2026
Magalloway Featured on Episode Four | Borealis Season Three
Join host Aislinn Sarnacki as she explores places off the Old Canada Road and ventures to western Maine to meet the people behind the Magalloway lands and waters project. Borealis, produced by Maine Public, is an Emmy-award-winning outdoors show highlighting the nature of Maine. Hear from each project partner and learn about the significance of this project for climate, fish and wildlife, wilderness and Maine’s economy.
“The Magalloway project is that missing link in a big chain of conserved land, and so this project is hugely important for filling in that missing piece. We are working in an area that’s the largest intact mixed-temperate forest in North America. A big reason that connectivity is important is that wildlife need to be able to migrate across the landscape and count on that habitat as part of their range.” – Abby King, land conservation project manager, The Nature Conservancy in Maine.
Four conservation organizations have joined forces to purchase and permanently protect a massive tract of wild forestland in Maine’s north country, and some Trout Unlimited stream champions are doing their part to help seal the deal.
The Magalloway Collaborative is working to raise $62 million to conserve 78,000 acres in the Northern Appalachians, hard against the New Hampshire border just a short distance from Canada.
The gift can grow with additional support from TU members, chapters, councils and supporters.
A champion is leading the effort, but he can’t do it alone
Paul Doscher, a longtime TU volunteer leader and current member of the Board of Trustees, was inspired to spearhead TU’s support after talking with David Miller, the Executive Director of the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, which is a member of the collaborative of conservation organizations working to protect the Magalloway.
The property, Miller told Doscher, will provide additional opportunities for TU to expand restoration work that’s been ongoing elsewhere in Maine, for example in the Kennebago watershed.
TU crews have been strategically adding wood to streams in Maine, a restoration strategy that will continue on the Magalloway property. (Charlie Hildick-Smith photo)
Doscher said reaching TU’s ambitious fundraising goal would require reaching outside of Maine.
“Let’s open it up to anybody,” he said. “A lot of people from all over the country have been there and might be interested in participating and helping to preserve that amazing area.”
Read the full article. If you’re a TU member and want to make a matching contribution (up to $50,000), donate here and check the box “Contribute to a Trout Unlimited Matching Gift” and write in who you would like to recognize.
Magalloway Collaborative Project Featured on Outdoor Adventure Show—Explore New England
Watch Explore New England TV’s Ep. 48: Headwaters: Protecting Maine’s Upper Magalloway River Watershed. Produced and narrated by Tom Richardson, this episode examines the Magalloway Collaborative Project, a partnership of four conservation organizations seeking to conserve some 78,000 acres surrounding the Magalloway River in western Maine. From fishing on the lower Magalloway to hiking in the remote northern corner of the project area, the episode covers recreational access and each partner’s role in the larger conservation effort.
Dependent on cold, clear, well oxygenated waters, brookies [brook trout] are considered an indicator of healthy habitat—the kind still found in northwest Maine’s Rangeley Lakes Region.” – Tom Richardson, Explore New England producer and host.
Community Gathers at Saddleback to Celebrate Conservation Progress
March 11, 2026
The Magalloway Collaborative Partners Host Happy Hour for Nature
On February 28, community members, partners, and supporters gathered at Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, Maine, for “A Happy Hour for Nature: Conserving the Magalloway.” Held in the Fireplace Room of the main ski lodge, the event brought together people who care deeply about the future of the Magalloway region and the remarkable conservation effort underway there.
Hosted by members of The Magalloway Collaborative, the evening offered an opportunity to connect with neighbors, learn more about the project, and celebrate the significant progress made toward protecting one of Maine’s most iconic landscapes.
David Miller of Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, addresses attendees at Saddleback Mountain. February 28, 2026.
During the event, speakers shared exciting news about the campaign’s fundraising progress. To date, the collaborative has raised 84% of the $62 million needed to complete this historic conservation project in the heart of Maine’s western mountains. The update energized the room and underscored the widespread support behind conserving forests, rivers, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities for future generations.
One attendee summed up the feeling of the evening with a powerful remark:
“If I had $10 million, I would give it to this project. That was inspiring.”
Beyond the presentations, the event was filled with meaningful conversations among people connected to the region in many different ways. Attendees included neighbors from the Saddleback area, longtime Rangeley residents, outdoor enthusiasts, and supporters of local conservation organizations. Conversations ranged from memories of the Magalloway River to stories about camping and paddling trips downstream of the project area. Moments like these reflected exactly what the project aims to protect: a place where future generations can continue to explore, learn, and connect with the outdoors.
Sun Journal: Conservation groups near $62M goal for 78,000 acres in western Maine
February 5, 2026
The Magalloway Collaborative has raised over $49 million to permanently conserve forest and wetlands for a variety of public uses
By Joe Charpentier, staff writer
The 78,000-acre parcel, about a 30-minute drive west of Rangeley, contains 170 miles of rivers and streams and 2,400 acres of wetlands and lakes. The parcel will connect about 500,000 acres of conserved land stretching from New Hampshire into Maine’s Franklin County, including along portions of the Canadian border.
The collaborative, which launched fundraising for the conservation project in March 2025, has a remaining goal of $12.4 million toward the purchase before its May deadline to close on the property.
“We are currently just over 80% of our fundraising goal,” said Molly Shaw, communications director for the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust. “If the potential donors we are now reaching out to respond as favorably as our early donors have, we should be on track to close that 20% gap in time to execute the option at the end of May.”
With just four months remaining to secure the final funds, we are truly within reach of a once-in-a-generation conservation achievement. 🎉Here’s how you can help us cross the finish line:
👉 Share this news with friends and family who care about land conservation.
👉 Learn more and educate: watch this webinar about the project.
👉 Join us in person. Connect with fellow supporters at an upcoming Magalloway happy hour at Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, Maine. Learn more and RSVP.
Magalloway spotlight at the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit
January 23, 2026
Conservation, Elevating Outdoor Recreation are Shared Economic Priorities
This week, representatives from the Magalloway Collaborative team joined more than 400 leaders, policymakers, educators, business owners, other nonprofits, and outdoor advocates at the 2026 Maine Outdoor Economy Summit in Portland — a pivotal gathering focused on growing Maine’s outdoor recreation economy.
The summit, framed around the Maine Outdoor Recreation Economy Roadmap, highlights a shared state vision to expand Maine’s outdoor sector by 10% over the next decade and solidify its role as a meaningful economic driver.
Reps from Magalloway Collaborative organizations at the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit in Portland – January 2026. Left to right: Molly Shaw (RLHT), Becky Clough (NEWT), Mark Berry (TNC Maine), Rich Knox (NEWT), Jake Metzler (FSM), and David Miller (RLHT).
At the summit, presenters from across sectors showcased strategies and community-driven projects that align with the Roadmap’s goals, including workforce development, expanded access, inclusive recreation, and infrastructure investment.
Mark Berry, forest program director for TNC Maine, introduces the Magalloway project partners
Mark Berry, forest program director at the Nature Conservancy in Maine, touted the Magalloway Collaborative’s work over the past year to conserve 78,000 acres of lands and waters in western Maine. “This is an outstanding outdoor opportunity area that’s treasured and really important to its local communities, but it’s also easily accessible by a massive human population, and that leads to real pressure on the landscape and real urgency to the conservation approach,” Berry said.
As this Portland Press Herald article states, outdoor recreation, and the public access that conservation secures, helps contribute $3.4 billion to Maine’s economy, represented 3.7% of the state’s gross domestic product and that more than 30,000 jobs.
The main takeaway: collaborative, largescale conservation efforts can secure Maine’s outdoor recreation future.
Magalloway Project, One of Five Recipients of NFWF Funding Through Acres for America
December 15, 2025
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Announces $3.6 Million in Grants from Walmart’s Acres for America Program
The Magalloway lands and waters conservation effort is another step closer to completion with a recent grant award. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced the award of $3.6 million in grants through Acres for America, a land conservation partnership with Walmart, to permanently protect more than 145,000 acres of wildlife habitat across five states.
For more than two decades, the Acres for America program has exemplified the power of public-private partnerships to conserve large landscapes, support wildlife populations and open new areas for public recreation. The five projects announced today will safeguard nationally significant wildlife habitat and increase public access to the outdoors, delivering lasting benefits to local communities and economies.
Projects funded through this year’s investment include:
In Florida, Alachua Conservation Trust will conserve a 4,636-acre tract that connects more than 87,000 acres of previously protected and publicly accessible land within the Lochloosa Wildlife Corridor. The project will safeguard habitat for black bear, gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake and other key Florida wildlife; expand opportunities for public recreation; and allow for expansion of longleaf pine habitat across the landscape.
In Maine, the Forest Society of Maine, Northeast Wilderness Trust, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust and The Nature Conservancy in Maine will conserve 78,000 acres of forestland containing a nationally important watershed for brook trout and a landscape of various wildlife habitats, vital bird migration routes, productive timberlands and recreational opportunities for the public.
In Michigan, The Nature Conservancy, along with the Little Traverse Conservancy, will assist the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to conserve an 8,850-acre property that is one of the last remaining large intact, privately owned forests tracts in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The project will ensure the tract will be properly managed for sustainable timber, wildlife habitat for deer and upland game bird species, fish habitats and public recreational areas.
In North Carolina, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina will conserve 12,000 acres of mountainous forestland at the junction of the Blue Ridge Mountains and South Mountains of Western North Carolina. The project will acquire land for public ownership, guaranteeing public access, habitat management and preservation, and water quality protection.
In 2024, the Maine Climate Council released the first major update to Maine Won’t Wait since the state’s climate action plan launched in 2020. Thanks to the plan’s early ambition, Maine has been able to tap into historic federal climate investments—accelerating progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, creating new green jobs, and strengthening communities against climate impacts.
22.5% of Maine’s land is already conserved. The goal: 30% by 2030.
Did you know? According to the updated report, 22.5% of Maine’s natural and working lands are already conserved—bringing the state within striking distance of its bold goal to protect 30% by 2030. To help reach that milestone, Maine has several large land conservation projects in the pipeline, including the Magalloway. At 78,000 acres, the Magalloway conservation effort will play a huge part in helping Maine fast-track to the 30% goal.
Four conservation organizations—The Nature Conservancy in Maine, Forest Society of Maine, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, and Northeast Wilderness Trust—are partnering to raise funds to conserve 78,000 acres of forests, rivers, and wildlife habitat in the upper Magalloway region of western Maine. These efforts safeguard critical landscapes, support biodiversity, and strengthen Maine’s climate resilience.
About the Maine Climate Council, Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and Future
On June 26, 2019, Governor Janet Mills and Legislature created the Maine Climate Council, an assembly of scientists, industry leaders, bipartisan local and state officials, and engaged citizens to develop a four-year plan to address the impacts of climate change on Maine, build resiliency to climate effects, and meet state statutory targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What if there was a large landscape in northern New England where animals could migrate in a warming climate? Where development was prohibited but sustainable forestry was still allowed? Where outdoor recreation could continue alongside land set aside for wilderness? That’s the goal of the Magalloway Conservation Initiative.
In the Rangeley Lakes region of western Maine, an ambitious effort is underway to conserve tens of thousands of acres in historic Wabanaki territory. For centuries, these have been prized hunting and fishing grounds, home to bear, lynx, deer and moose and one of the last strongholds of native brook trout in the country.
The woods bathed in moss on the Magalloway project lands.
But with a recent construction boom, forest fragmentation and rising temperatures, woods and wildlife are under threat. The Magalloway Conservation Initiative aims to safeguard both while also protecting public access to the region.
In mid-October, angler and fishing guide Alex Caisse navigates his pickup truck along logging roads in the woods of remote western Maine, not far from the northern New Hampshire border. He’s showing off highlights of the Magalloway project, nearly 80,000 acres of woods and waters that four organizations — The Nature Conservancy, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, Forest Society of Maine and Northeast Wilderness Trust — are working together to conserve.
“The area really speaks for itself,” Caisse says, setting off toward Aziscohos Lake. “It’s something that’s uniquely special in the way that it looks and the way that it feels.”
It’s moose hunting season. The leaves have turned orange and gold but Caisse still has fishing on his mind. For two decades he worked in the restaurant business and then, about 13 years ago, he became a fishing guide. He moved to Rangeley in part, he says, because of the cold, swift-moving waters of the Magalloway River. That’s how much he loves this place and why he’s passionate about keeping it intact.
Getting out of the truck, he takes a short walk through some dense woods to the edge of the upper Magalloway. It’s quiet and remote, one of Caisse’s favorite spots.
“When you come here, you lose sight of all the other things that are going on in the world and you focus more on the moment,” Caisse says. “You don’t focus on tomorrow. You don’t focus on yesterday. And so oftentimes, I think it is like church out here because it’s just so peaceful.”
A wooded trail leads to the Upper Magalloway River.
The groups have until the end of May 2026 to raise $62 million to conserve the property. Right now, they’re a little over halfway to the goal. But if they’re successful, they’ll have secured the final parcel on a remote and wild landscape of more than half a million connected acres that have previously been conserved.
Read the full post and listen to the Maine Public radio story.
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