Northern Aroostook Region - Management Plan

The Northern Aroostook Region Management Plan was adopted in June, 2007. The plan guides management activities of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), Bureau of Parks and Lands on public lands at Deboullie, Eagle Lake, Salmon Brook Lake Bog, as well as smaller public lots in Caswell, Cyr Plantation, Hamlin, New Canada, New Sweden, St. John Plantation, Westmanland, Winterville Plantation, and common undivided interest in T16 R9. The links below are for downloading the management plan and related documents.

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Plan Update and Review

The Bureau has completed the second Five-Year Review of the 2007 Northern Aroostook Region Management Plan covering the period from 2013 through 2017.The Integrated Resource Policy (IRP) requires that the Bureau, at five year intervals, report to the Advisory Committee on accomplishments and changing conditions that may warrant amendments to the plan.

The Five-Year Review is prepared in a table format. The table is provided in Appendix B of the Final Report on the Five-Year Review, linked as a PDF below under Management Plan Review Documents. It:

  • Lists plan recommendations (left column), and
  • Actions taken (right column) to implement each recommendation, and
  • Identifies from the Bureau's perspective any new issues or circumstances that were not addressed in the plan that may warrant Committee discussion or action (at end of table).

The Five-Year Review table was sent to Advisory Committee members on March 15, 2018.

As described below the review table, the Bureau identified two new issues that could require amendments to the plan, related to development of camper trailer sites at Deboullie and a drive-to campsite at Eagle Lake. The Bureau proposed to develop these campsites in response to requests from the public. The Bureau accepted written comments on the table and the potential new campsites through March 30, 2018. Advisory Committee and other comments and Bureau responses are provided in Appendix C of the Final Report.

Bureau staff subsequently developed draft Plan amendments that would allow the campsite proposals to be implemented at Deboullie and Eagle Lake, with certain conditions and requirements. On April 12, 2018, the committee was sent the Draft Plan amendments and informed of a public meeting at which they would be presented for comment from the general public.

The public meeting was held in Ashland on May 9, 2018. The meeting agenda, presentation and sign-in sheet are provided in Appendix D of the Final Report. The attendees gave verbal comments in support of the Plan amendments; there were no comments in opposition to the campsite proposals or the Plan amendments. Comments were accepted for two weeks following the public meeting; no comments were received.

With the approval of the DACF Commissioner, the Plan amendments were adopted on July 6, 2018.

Proposed Salmon Brook Lake Ecological Reserve Expansion

In March 2022, the Governor approved the legislature’s revisions to 12 MRSA1805 that modified the statutory limits on total acreage and operable timberland that may be designated as Ecological Reserve. In response to this change, members of the public with intimate familiarity with the ecological resources of the Salmon Brook Lake Bog unit have developed a proposal to expand the existing Ecological Reserve.

This proposal would add the remaining 645 acres of the Salmon Brook Lake Bog Public Land to the existing 1,0133 acre Salmon Brook Lake Ecological Reserve. The nomination document is available below and provides information on the specific ecological characteristics of the proposed addition and other details. The proposal has been reviewed by the Ecological Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee.

The Bureau sent the proposal to the Advisory Committee and requested comments in March 2024 (the memo to the committee is posted below); all comments received were in support of the proposal. A public meeting will be held to present and take comments on the proposal. Meeting details are provided below under Public Meetings. If the Bureau accepts the proposal, it will adopt the amendment to the 2007 Northern Aroostook Region Management Plan posted below.

Public Meetings

No meetings currently scheduled.
Date and Time Headline Location Additional Information

Ecological Reserve Expansion Proposal Documents

Management Plan Review Documents

Management Plan Documents

For more information:

Jim Vogel
Senior Planner
Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
22 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-2163