Maine’s Ecological Reserve System
Overview
Ecological Reserves are State-owned lands specifically set aside to protect and monitor the state’s natural ecosystems. Maine has designated approximately 80,000 acres of Ecological Reserves on 19 public land units managed by the Maine Department of Conservation. The original designation was enabled by an act of the Maine Legislature in 2000. As specified in the legislation, the purposes of the Reserves are:
- "to maintain one or more natural community types or native ecosystem types in a natural condition and range of variation and contribute to the protection of Maine's biological diversity,”
- "as a benchmark against which biological and environmental change may be measured, as a site for ongoing scientific research, long-term environmental monitoring and education," and
- "to protect sufficient habitat for those species whose habitat needs are unlikely to be met on lands managed for other purposes" (Chapter 592, MSRA Section 13076).
Reserves were designated following a multi-year inventory and assessment project coordinated by the Maine Biodiversity Project, with staff assistance from The Nature Conservancy and the Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP). They range in size from 775 acres at Wassataquoik Stream in T3 R7 WELS to over 11,000 acres at Nahmakanta in Rainbow Twp.
Monitoring
With the guidance of a multi-disciplinary team, the MNAP has drafted an Ecological Reserves Monitoring Plan (July 2003) that describes monitoring at the species, natural community (stand), and landscape levels. To date, six reserves have been subject to baseline monitoring:
- Bigelow Preserve [MS WORD][HTML]
- Tunk Lake Area, including Donnell Pond and Spring River Lake [MS WORD][HTML]
- Salmon Brook Lake [MS WORD][HTML]
- Duck Lake [MS WORD][HTML]
- Rocky Lake [MS WORD][HTML], and
- Deboullie [MS WORD][HTML]
The monitoring effort is subject to funding availability. Monitoring in 2002 and 2003 was funded by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and the Bureau of Public Lands. As funding allows, additional baseline monitoring will be conducted at:
- Chamberlain Lake/Lock Dam [MS WORD][HTML]
- Cutler Preserve [MS WORD][HTML]
- Gero Island [MS WORD][HTML]
- Great Heath [MS WORD][HTML]
- Mahoosucs Unit [MS WORD][HTML]
- Nahmakanta [MS WORD][HTML]
- Wassataquoik Stream [MS WORD][HTML]
- Baker Lake [MS WORD][HTML]
- Big Spencer Mountain [MS WORD][HTML]
- Mt. Abraham [MS WORD][HTML]
- St. John Ponds [MS WORD][HTML]
Research Opportunities
One of the key purposes for designation of Ecological Reserves was to serve “as a site for ongoing scientific research, long-term environmental monitoring, and education.” In addition to the existing monitoring program, MNAP and BPL strongly encourage use of the Reserves for other applied research on forest structure and dynamics, rare plant species, wildlife, water quality, or other related issues. Contact MNAP for further information.
