Landmark Deal Marks Step Toward Permanent Protection for 500 Acres of Rare Oldest Forest in Northern Maine

NEW ENGLAND FORESTRY FOUNDATION • June 23, 2026

The New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) and Irving Woodlands Maine have signed an agreement to defer timber harvesting in nearly 500 acres of rare, old, natural forest — also known as late-successional and old-growth (LSOG) forest — in Aroostook County, safeguarding carbon-rich ecosystems and rare habitat as part of a broader effort to conserve some of Maine’s most valuable forestland. Under the agreement, NEFF will provide funding to Irving Woodlands Maine in exchange for deferring planned timber harvests while partners work toward a permanent conservation solution for the area. As part of the agreement, NEFF is also providing funds to support practices that will increase future timber production in younger forests, including thinning dense young stands.