Volunteers sought for Landowner Appreciation Cleanup Day

Volunteers will be out in force on Saturday, Sept. 13, working to clean up nearly 60 illegal dump sites throughout Maine, but officials say more help is needed to ensure this year’s Landowner Appreciation Cleanup Day is a success.
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau of Forestry is coordinating the volunteer land clean-up effort this year. Forest rangers, working in cooperation with the Maine Snowmobile Association, ATV Maine, and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, as well as other recreational groups, are preparing teams to clean up 50-60 dump sites across the state.
In other parts of the country, most undeveloped forest land is posted, with recreation limited to those who pay club fees to use locations. Maine landowners have a history of sharing their forest and farmlands for responsible outdoor recreation. Millions of acres of working farms and forests are open to the public for enjoyment throughout the year. Unfortunately, the privilege of enjoying access to private Maine lands is threatened every time irresponsible people litter or illegally dump trash.
“Landowner Appreciation Cleanup Day is a way to thank property owners for allowing access to private lands for outdoor activities, recreation and enjoyment,” said Gov. Paul R. LePage. “Most Maine people understand that public access to private lands is a special privilege to be respected and cherished, not a right. I commend volunteers and landowners alike for promoting public access and awareness of the need to respect private property.”
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Walt Whitcomb urges outdoor enthusiasts and organizations to support the effort by volunteering their time and energy.
“Department staff and our partner organizations have worked hard to make this annual effort a success,” said Whitcomb. “It is also symbolic of efforts made throughout the year by people and individuals to help ensure future access to private lands by keeping them clear of trash and debris. The goal is to avoid the posting of ‘no trespassing’ signs and the installation of gates that block access.”
The forestry staff, in cooperation with other state agencies and outdoor recreation groups, has been working with landowners to identify specific dump locations and enter them into a database to track progress on site cleanup. It will supply trucks and trash bags for the clean-up effort, but needs volunteers to help load the items. Dump sites vary from a single piece of discarded furniture, a washing machine or discarded tires to several pick-up truck loads of shingles and mattresses. To make it easier for volunteers, dozens of maps have been created that show the exact dump site locations. Cleanup volunteers who live near an illegal dump site may have to spend only a half hour or less.
Four local sites are included in Saturday’s clean-up effort. Portage and Perham are two dump sites being handled by District Forest Ranger Lance Martin, who can be reached at 435-6644 for more information. District Forest Ranger Robby Gross is in charge of sites in Castle Hill and Township 10 Range 3 (located east of Scopan Lake); he can be reached at 435-6975.
To volunteer for this project, contact Jeff Currier at 827-1800 or the Maine Forest Service at 800-750-9777.