Dennys River Corridor Land Management Plan
Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission
Augusta, ME
Kleinschmidt was hired to develop a Land Management Plan (LMP) for 4,707 acres of land along two major river corridors in rural
Washington County, Maine for the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission (ASC). The riparian lands, along the Dennys River and
Cathance Streams, were acquired by the ASC in order to protect spawning and rearing habitat for endangered populations of
wild Atlantic
salmon.
The purpose of the plan was to identify significant environmental, recreational and cultural resources on ASC-owned land and to delineate priority management zones to protect those resources. The LMP provides the client with specific strategies for implementing salmon habitat protection measures and measures for the continued provision of public access and recreation opportunities within the Corridors.
Development of the LMP began with GIS data collection of the various ecological, cultural, and recreational resources located in and adjacent to the lands, as well as land use and property ownership information for adjacent properties. The location of sensitive resources such as rare plants, wetlands, steep slopes, significant archaeological sites, significant wildlife habitats (e.g., important deer wintering yards), as well as important access points were mapped so that the plan could incorporate management guidelines that were both protective of the target resource (an endangered fish species) and allowing of various compatible recreational and socioeconomic land uses such as hunting, fishing, and limited timber removal.
The LMP timber harvesting strategy allows for the removal of trees outside the most sensitive habitat protection zones, and specifies guidelines that will protect water quality, and preserve important wildlife habitat, and other important riparian resources. In addition, management criteria were developed to preserve the visual integrity and traditional recreational activities of the river corridors.
The process was a direct result of a stakeholder-driven effort combined with public outreach and comment. A multidisciplinary team of Kleinschmidt biologists (fisheries, wetlands, riparian ecology and forestry), GIS specialists, recreation specialists, and facilitators identified management priorities and specific management strategies such as buffer widths, access points, and road maintenance.