Trust for Public Land Acquires Over 30,000 acres in Katahdin Region

Today, Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors, announced the purchase of 31,367 acres from Conservation Resources, a timber investment management organization. The land is adjacent to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and is a critical puzzle piece in providing much-needed southern access to the monument from the Towns of East Millinocket and Millinocket.

Trust for Public Land (TPL) has purchased the land with loans and must raise $32 million over the next
few years to support the permanent protection of the land as a recreational, economic, ecological, and
cultural resource.

“This property offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide access to Katahdin Woods and
Waters from these southern communities,” said Betsy Cook, Maine State Program Director for Trust for
Public Land. “We are committed to working with partners to develop a long-term ownership plan that
benefits communities connected to this land.”

Since Conservation Resources planned to sell this property by the end of 2022, TPL acted quickly to
purchase the land as an interim owner. Over the next several years, the nonprofit will work with
community leaders, outdoor advocates, public officials, and communities connected to this land to
examine long-term outcomes for the property, to ensure southern access to Katahdin Woods and
Waters National Monument is enhanced, and to protect trails on the property. Under TPL’s ownership,
the property will be open to use by the public, and the nonprofit will continue to pay property taxes.
“It has been our goal to permanently protect the most important conservation aspects of our portfolio
in Maine. Our long-term relationship with the Trust for Public Land has enabled us today to meet that
goal,” said Kent Gilges, Managing Director for Conservation Resources.

Given its size and elevation, the property boasts a wide array of natural and outdoor recreation
resources important to the area’s economy and the character of its communities. Among these are
productive forestland, existing trails, diverse wildlife and fish habitats, and some 53 miles of rivers and
streams.

Congress is considering legislation recently introduced by Senators Angus King (D-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to authorize the National Park Service to secure additional access to the monument. Over the coming years, TPL plans to develop a comprehensive approach to the property that ensures optimal access to the monument while also maximizing the diverse other public recreation, economic, and cultural benefits of this special property.

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. Since 1972, TPL has protected more
than 3 million acres of public land, created more than 5,000 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic
outdoor places, raised $84 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected more than
9 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.

About Conservation Resources

Conservation Resources is an impact investment organization founded in 2004. The firm is focused on
offering portfolios of natural resources with investments in complementary opportunities along the
value chain of the assets the firm manages. This is done in a manner that seeks to provide above-market
rates of return for investors while optimizing environmental impact values. To learn more, visit
www.conservationresources.net