Landowners recognized at annual banquet

    AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Snowmobile Association (MSA) recently honored private, municipal and corporate landowners for their generosity in opening up their land to outdoor enthusiasts.
    Fourteen individuals or entities received recognition at the annual Landowner Relations Awards Banquet on Oct. 20 in Augusta, which was sponsored by IF&W and hosted by MSA.
    The IF&W Landowner Relations Program seeks to maintain and build on Maine’s unique heritage of public access to private land for recreation and sport use, and works to ensure that the relationship between private landowners and the public is one of respect and good judgment.
    This year’s honorees are:       Corporate: Katahdin Forest Management of Millinocket, nominated by the Jo Mary Riders Snowmobile Club;  WT Gardner & Sons, Inc. of Lincoln, nominated by Quad Country Snowmobile Club.
Public Landowner: Town of Lakeville, nominated by Quad Country Snowmobile Club;        City of Presque Isle, nominated by Star City ATV Club;       Conservation Landowner:        Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust of Oquossoc, nominated by the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association;       and Greater Lovell Land Trust, nominated by Kezar Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club;       Private Landowners (100+acres): Robert and Sonia Erskine of Dixmont, nominated by Dixmont Goldcrest Riders;       Fred Flewelling of Crouseville, nominated by Washburn Trail Riders; Cecil Cross of Embden, nominated by Embden Travelers Snowmobile Club; A. Boyd and Rosalie Withee of Palmyra, nominated by Palmyra Snowmobile Club; and Warren Foss of Weston, nominated by East Grand Snowmobile Club;       Organized Land User Group:        Kennebec-Messalonskee Trails of Waterville, nominated by Central Maine Power Co.; Family Snowmobile Club of Bucksport, nominated by Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust; and Maine Professional Guides Association, based in Augusta, nominated by North Maine Woods, Inc.
    More than 500 nomination forms were distributed to various user groups, such as ATV, snowmobile, and fish and game clubs, and the nominations were reviewed by an awards committee that included representatives from the Maine Warden Service, the Maine Snowmobile Association, Maine ATV, and the state’s Landowner Relations Director.
    To date, the IF&W Landowner Relations Program has recognized more than 80 landowners for their outstanding efforts in allowing their land to be used for public recreation.