PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 8, 2020
While the Portland area is loved for its quality of life and outdoor opportunities, open land in the region is disappearing fast. Our emerging vision includes greenbelts that connect municipalities and cross watersheds, supporting both habitat corridors and long-distance recreation. We support expansions of off-road networks for commuting and recreation. We know the retention of forests is an imperative for carbon sequestration and clean drinking water. We continue to protect farmland so that food can be grown locally. Coastal marshes are a priority resource for the resilience of Casco Bay in the face of rising sea levels and ocean temperatures. We will provide leadership for expanded and stronger Maine State Parks, and larger state and federal Wildlife Management Areas close to where people live. We are the Portland area’s land trusts. ~ Alan Stearns, Royal River Conservation Trust, and Rachelle Curran Apse, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust