PROTECTING MAINE’S LAND, FISH & WILDLIFE HABITATS TO BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITIES & FUTURE GENERATIONS

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust (RLHT) has a vision of a mosaic of connected conserved lands open to public access in perpetuity and facilitate the uninhibited movement of fish and wildlife species across the landscape. They strive to actively conserve land, catalyze conservation, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and manage for healthy, climate-resilient forests to benefit the community, future generations, and wildlife. Anyone who wants to know about RLHT and its conservation efforts is encouraged to visit rlht.org.

Kennebago Headwaters Project

Among RLHT’s current projects is the Kennebago Headwaters, a pioneering effort to conserve and restore fish and wildlife habi- tats of national and global importance. The Kennebago watershed supports one of the most resilient, Maine’s self-sustaining wild Eastern Brook Trout populations in Maine. The presold, well-oxygenated surficial groundwater, deep water lakes, and miles of connected streams, combined with high elevation, create a quality habitat that Brook Trout require to thrive. Though much of the Kennebago seems to be unspoiled wilderness, there is a long history of manipulating the watershed’s natural systems to accommodate industrial forest operations, including the log drives of yesteryear. The Kennebago River and its tributaries show signs of channelizing, loss of structure due to previous log driving, boulder removal, and the absence of significant inputs. Stream crossings are another hazard to a healthy aquatic ecosystem. A network of roads intersects the watershed, and culverts pose barriers to native fish species and macroinvertebrates. Replacing these barriers is one of the first steps to reconnecting and restoring miles of critical Brook Trout spawning, rearing, and thermal refuge habitat. In a changing climate, deep cold-water lakes and streams offer a retreat from critically high-water temperatures.

RLHT, in partnership with the USFWS, Trout Unlimited, and MDIFW, has begun an ambitious restoration of the upper Kennebago River and its tributaries. The project promotes watershed connectivity and essential riparian buffers, enhances in-stream habitat, and bolsters climate resilience.

Support

None of this is possible without the support from RLHT's members, the community, and conservation partners. If you want to contribute to RLHT's conservation efforts in the Rangeley Lakes Region, please use the QR code or visit rlht.org.