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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.