Partnership in Stewardship

Partnership in Stewardship. . , Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area is over 1,000 acres, including 600 acres of a rare sandplain-grassland community surrounded by a sizable acreage of upland forest. Kennebunk Plains is the first property purchased with Lands for Maine's Future Funds, Maine's primary source for conserving public land for its natural and recreational value., Historically, frequent natural fires and periodic burning by Indigenous Peoples maintained a mosaic of grasslands, shrublands, and dry forests known as pine barrens. As the area became settled by Europeans, natural fires were viewed as a threat to local communities and became increasingly suppressed., The conservation of this property in 1990 was made possible through many conservation partnerships with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Since then, the Department has cooperated with the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy to maintain the grassland habitat for species requiring this rare habitat., The conservation and stewardship of this property has enabled land managers to use controlled burns, or prescribed fires, to restore and maintain habitat for a range of unique plant and animal species., Want to learn more about fire? Access additional resources using the QR Code, or visiting the link below:, FireScienceNorthAtlantic.org/fire-learning-trail , [photo captions, left to right:] , Staff from Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and The Nature Conservancy discuss management at Kennebunk Plains. Photo Credit: Forest Stewards Guild, A burn crew igniting a controlled burn. Photo Credit: Jerry Monkman., Controlled burn crew volunteers gather to discuss a burn operation to discuss the operation and ensure everyone's safety. Photo Credit: Jerry Monkman