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Our Programs : Maine Tree Farm
Committee
More than 80,000 Mainers own millions of Maine's forested acres as small woodlots. Click on underlined words to link to more information. Only about 3,000 of these individuals are active in either the Maine Tree Farm program or SWOAM (Small Woodland Owners Association of
Maine). Few woodland owners take advantage of professional forestry expertise to help them plan for integration of all the natural resources present in their woodlands. Lack of awareness and planning sometimes leads to poor resource management decision making. Our first step in addressing this education and awareness need was to survey and subsequently understand the real and perceived barriers preventing more professional planning for these smaller woodland properties.
With support from the Maine TREE Foundation, both Maine Tree Farm Committee,
The American Tree Farm System and SWOAM are expanding the ways in which they
assist small landowners. Maine TREE is providing significantly increased administrative support to the Tree Farm Committee as well as administering a pilot program of subsidized inspections of tree farms. Maine TREE is also supporting the SWOAM Forester Program which makes a forester available to work with any small woodlot owner to learn about the economic and environmental benefits of long-term forest management. A handbook and video co-sponsored by Maine TREE and SWOAM will compliment the work of the forester and be a reference for the landowner.
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The
Maine Tree Farm Committee has announced the selection of John and Marie Dudley
of Alexander as the Maine Outstanding Tree Farmers of 2009
Runners up in the Maine Tree Farmer
of the Year Contest this year are Richard Randall of Standish and the Auburn
Water District. Randall is also the Cumberland County winner, while the
Auburn Water District is the Androscoggin County winner. Elizabeth Foster
of Farmington is the Kennebec County winner for her Tree Farm in Vasselboro.
Mari Abercrombie of Newburgh is the Penobscot County winner and William and Jean
Noon of Springvale are the York County winners.
Maine
Tree Farm Outstanding Tree Farm Field day will be held at John & Marie
Dudley's tree farm in Alexander, ME on August 8, 2009.
Please click here
for article and directions
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 John
and Marie Dudley
The Maine
Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year is the Washington County winner, John and Marie Dudley.
John
and Marie own a 258 acre Tree Farm in Alexander. John cuts and markets spruce, fir and poplar most years, as well as
enough firewood to last him through the winter. As a former teacher, it comes naturally for John to take school children
on tours of his woodlot. He
maintains trails with stops along them to demonstrate different activities he
wants the children to understand. John
has volunteered for the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine for many
years. He also proudly displays his
Tree Farm sign at the foot of his driveway.
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