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In 2013, with support from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, the Kennebec Land Trust and the Maine Forest Service with three statewide partners (Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and GrowSmart Maine) launched Local Wood WORKS (LWW). The Nature Conservancy and the Northern Forest Center signed on as partners in 2015 and MOFGA in 2023. The shared mission of the Local Wood WORKS partners is to advance forest-based local economies and support the long-term conservation and sustainability of Maine’s woodlands.
We use the term “local” in a broad sense, (e.g., Maine, New England, the Maritimes), and our partners have committed to promote:
• Sustainable forestry
• Land stewardship
• Strong and resilient local economies
• Conservation of both working woodlands and ecological reserves
• Reduced energy consumption and transportation costs based on local products
• Support for landowners, loggers, processors, manufacturers, and consumers
We are committed to promoting greater use of wood, as a locally-sourced and efficient heating alternative to fossil fuels, a light-weight and strong construction alternative to energy-intensive concrete and steel, and a means to sustain a diverse and ecologically-rich forested landscape. Wood, of course, is also aesthetically pleasing, indelibly linked to our colonial and industrial pasts, and a simple means to capture carbon dioxide, store it for generations, and thus help combat climate change.
Contact Information for Partner Organizations:
1. Kennebec Land Trust - Theresa Kerchner and Marie Ring; P.O. Box 261 Winthrop, Maine; 04364 (207) 377-2848 www.tklt.org
2. Maine Forest Service - Morten Moesswilde and Patty Cormier; 536 Waldoboro Road Jefferson, ME 04348 (207) 441–2895 www.maineforestservice.gov
3. CEI | Capital for Opportunity and Change - Keith Bisson 30 Federal Street; Brunswick, ME 04011 www.ceimaine.org
4. Maine Coast Heritage Trust - Donna Bissett and Angela Twitchell; 1 Bowdoin Mill Island Suite 201; Topsham, ME 04086 (207) 729-7366 www.mcht.org
5. GrowSmart Maine - Harald Bauer Bredesen; 227 Water Street; Augusta, Maine 04330 (207) 582-4330 www.growsmartmaine.org
6. TNC - Mark Berry and Connor Horton; 14 Maine Street; Suite 401; Brunswick, ME 04011; (207) 607-4843; www.nature.org
7. The Northern Forest Center - Amy Robinson and Mike Wilson; (603)-724-4974; www.northernforest.org
8. Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association - Maddie Eberly (207)-568-4142 www.mofga.org
Consultants: Lloyd Irland, a semiretired consultant with experience in state government and consulting to wood-using industries and others, and Ken Laustsen, a retired biometrician with the Maine Forest Service.
Reports and Position Papers
A Long Term Approach to Forest Managementment, A position paper for Local Wood WORKS from the Kennebec Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy
2018 White Paper, Building Maine’s Local Wood Economy, Together with Conservation, Harold Burnett of Two Trees Forestry, Local Wood WORKS Consultant
In late April 2023, Local Wood WORKS, with support from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation convened a group of interested people to discuss Local Wood WORKS’ mission and program, to widen awareness of what we are doing, and seek cooperators and ideas for future activities.
Event Summary Report and Discussion Themes, Local Wood WORKS Partners
Detailed Meeting Follow-up Report, Lloyd Irland - Local Wood WORKS Consultant
For more information about local wood WORKS please email: info@localwoodworksMaine.com