Conservationists purchase more than 15K western Maine acres

WATERFORD, Maine (AP) — Conservationists in Maine have purchased more than 15,000 acres in the western part of the state for conservation from a tree farm company.

The Conservation Fund said it has bought the land from Chadbourne Tree Farms in Oxford County. The fund said the purpose of the purchase is “to protect this iconic and historic working forest landscape from fragmentation and development.”

The fund said the forest is white pine timberland that the Chadbourne family assembled over the course of more than 150 years. The family still owns other forest lands in the area.

The fund is contractually obligated not to disclose the purchase price for the land, a spokeswoman said.

Conservation Fund said the purchase of the land also provides time for the implementation of other conservation strategies that will protect the watershed for the city of Portland.