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Current Projects

Passamaquoddy Tribal Lands

• Size: 2,000 acres
• Location: Lowelltown, Maine
• Link: Passamaquoddy Tribe

Summary: Orion Timberlands, LLC was the successful bidder for a two year stumpage sale on Lowelltown, located in western Maine, Somerset County. Awarded in 2005, this sale was the first stumpage sale to be awarded to a non-tribal contractor on the tribe's western Maine lands. The harvest area was comprised of approximately 2200 acres. Harvesting was conducted using a cut-to-length system, feller-buncher system and several hand crews with cable skidders. During the course of the operation, Orion constructed approximately 4 miles of new class III gravel road and 2.5 miles of gravel road reconstruction.

Orion's relationship with the Passamaquoddy Tribe continues to grow. In 2006, working with the tribe to expand operations in western Maine, Orion worked cooperatively with the tribe and the State of Maine, Bureau of Parks and Lands to improve access to the Lowelltown-Holeb block by reconstructing almost four miles of primary access to the Lowelltown-Holeb tracts and cost sharing in the construction of a a new bridge across the Moose River. Orion maintains a strong professional relationship with the Passamaquoddy Forestry Department and is working with them to enhance operations in western Maine.

The Passamaquoddy Tribe owns nearly 130,000 acres of land in Maine, 50,000 of which is located in western Maine, near Jackman. These lands are monitored and maintained by members of the Passamaquoddy Forestry Department.

These lands were purchased after the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Agreement of 1980. This was the largest settlement of its kind in the country and the first to include provisions for the reacquisition of land. This legal precedent has provided the foundation for land claims by a number of other eastern tribes.

View other case studies:

• Downeast Lakes Land Trust
• Maine Public Reserve Land
• Canopy Logging Maine INC