Historic land deal clinched, conserving 78K acres in western Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 27, 2026

One of the largest gaps in Maine’s conservation landscape has been closed. The final paperwork was filed Friday to complete a multi-year effort to protect 78,000 acres of rugged woods in north Oxford County from development. Bridging two other conserved areas, the Magalloway project creates a 500,000-acre wildlife corridor in New Hampshire and Maine. The land has been sold and all conservation easements are now on file, but the $62 million deal isn’t quite done — the four conservation groups behind the project still have $1.9 million left to raise to create a long-term stewardship fund and cover the last of their legal fees.