Whalesback in Aurora. Frenchman Bay Conservancy photo
Frenchman Bay Conservancy (FBC) will conserve 3,223 acres in Hancock County with support from MaineCF’s Ram Island Conservation Fund.
FBC closed on the purchase of two forever-wild conservation easements in Aurora, referred to as Whalesback. Forever wild is the highest available conservation protection for land in the country.
The Whalesback easements protect an extensive habitat block that includes a portion of the Union River’s headwaters, and provides exceptional wildlife habitat for inland waterfowl, wading birds, brook trout, endangered Atlantic salmon, and many other wide-ranging species. The Whalesback project is part of FBC’s mission to conserve large, undeveloped landscapes along the Union River and its major tributaries.
“Whalesback is a biodiversity hotspot that is large enough and close enough to other large, conserved properties, such as the nearby Amherst Mountain Community Forest, that the property will act as a core refuge for species moving across the landscape in response to climate change,” said Aaron Dority, executive director of FBC. “By protecting uninterrupted landscapes, we’re creating wildlife corridors that protect Maine’s iconic species and the ecosystems that build Hancock County’s resilience to climate change.”
The land will remain open to public access for hunting and fishing.
Financial partners include MaineCF, Northeast Wilderness Trust, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s North American Wetland Conservation Act Program, and The Anahata Foundation. This project was funded in part by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, in which proceeds from the sale of a dedicated instant lottery ticket are used to support outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation.
