Penobscot Nation and Trust for Public Land launch online giving opportunity to strengthen fundraising support for 30,000 acre Wáhsehtəkʷ land return in Maine
For those looking to be part of an historic land return effort, Penobscot Nation and Trust for Public Land (TPL) this week launched an individual contribution page to support the Wáhsehtəkʷ (pronounced “WAH-seh-teg”) $32 million fundraising campaign which will return to the tribe more than 30,000 acres of ancestral lands adjacent to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
To donate (and learn more about the project), please visit https://support.tpl.org/wahsehtekw.
When completed, the effort will represent the largest land return between a U.S.-based nonprofit and a Tribal Nation. This landmark partnership between Trust for Public Land and Penobscot Nation will re-establish the tribe as legal stewards of the lands surrounding the East Branch of the Penobscot River, which was taken from them in the late 1800s.
Today, members of the Wabanaki Nations — including Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, and Abenaki communities — legally steward only one percent of their ancestral lands in Maine. The historic move to convey significant acreage to the Penobscot Nation aligns with TPL’s commitment to support tribal nations and Indigenous communities in their efforts to recover, restore, and protect their ancestral homelands
Located near the base of Katahdin, the Wáhsehtəkʷ lands contain abundant forests, wetlands, 53 miles of streams, and is considered sacred and vital to Penobscot community and culture. It hosts productive forest land and recreational trails – both of which support local communities and economies – and because of its size, elevation, and biological diversity, the conservation and long-term stewardship of the property are pivotal to helping the region mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The project will also bolster the growing outdoor economy of the region by working with the National Park Service to develop a corridor through a portion of the Wáhsehtəkʷ which will ensure much-needed southern access to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument through the nearby communities of Millinocket and East Millinocket.
About Penobscot Nation
The Penobscot Nation is a federally recognized tribe located in what is now known as Maine. The Nation is regarded as having one of the oldest continuous governments in the world. As a riverine tribe, the Penobscots rely on the river, who is also a citizen of the tribe, and surrounding lands for subsistence. The Nation currently holds over 128,000 acres for the benefit of its citizens, much of this land is located within the Penobscot River watershed. This includes over 95,000 acres of trust land, 5000 acres of reservation land, and 28,000 acres in fee-simple ownership. What most would call natural resources, are thought of as relatives to citizens of the Nation.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most, including sites that reconnect Indigenous and Tribal communities to their ancestral lands and outdoor spaces that honor Black history and culture. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,420 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $94 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.7 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
