Activating the Rumford Community Forest

Residents celebrate the conservation of 446 acres of woodlands and wetlands for ecological, social, and economic benefits.

In February 2024, a two-year effort culminated in permanently conserving 446 acres of woodlands and wetlands in Rumford, Maine. The Northern Forest Center, Trust for Public Land, and Inland Woods + Trails worked with the community to plan how the forestland would be used and managed. As a final step, the Center oversaw development of a comprehensive stewardship plan that wove together recommendations from three separate reports – ecological assessment, recreation plan, and forest management plan – to guide future management of the property.

Aerial view of the Rumford Community Forest and its relative location to other community assets.

The Public Planning Process

The property had previously been approved for 257 residential and condominium lots. In May 2023, Inland Woods + Trails, the Center, and the Trust for Public Land began a 13-month public planning process with the Town of Rumford and other interested citizens from the region to permanently protect the land as a Community Forest. The Center facilitated monthly community planning meetings hosted by the Town of Rumford Planning Board to develop community priorities and vision for the project.

The Trust for Public Land led real estate due diligence and fundraising efforts, ultimately securing significant grants from the U.S. Forest Service Community Forest Program, Land for Maine’s Future, and others. Together these funds supported the acquisition costs. Inland Woods + Trails and the Trust for Public Fund raised additional funds to support stewardship of the parcel and other project costs. On February 28, 2024, Inland Woods + Trails officially took title to the property and will continue to manage the property in coordination with the Town of Rumford.

The community planning process included community surveys and other input opportunities, development of management and recreation priorities, creation of a vision and mission for the property, and establishment of a governance structure. In June 2024, Center Program Director Julie Renaud Evans and Program Coordinator Kendall Gray completed the stewardship plan for the Rumford Community Forest, fully integrating three professional plans into one cohesive document for future guidance on management decisions.

Contracting with three separate professionals allowed us to tap into equally important areas of expertise. Combining this base data with the priorities of the community planners and the capacity of the assisting organizations created an integrated approach for the care and use of the Rumford Community Forest moving forward.”

– Julie Renaud Evans, Program Director, Northern Forest Center

This innovative approach differed from projects that usually rely on the expertise of a single professional to create a management plan. The Center’s approach developed a robust plan that equally weighted ecological, recreation, and forest management priorities.

Explore the Rumford Community Forest Stewardship Plan

The Significance of the Property

The Rumford Community Forest is envisioned to complement the existing work of Inland Woods + Trails whose mission is to connect towns to anchor destinations throughout western Maine. The organization manages existing trail networks such as Pennacook Area Community Trails which link to Mountain Valley High School in Rumford. The property is located between downtown Rumford and Black Mountain of Maine. Mahoosuc Land Trust’s Rumford Whitecap Mountain Preserve is located three miles away by trail.

The property’s conservation values are notable, including Scotty Brook and its associated wetlands, extensive beaver ponds, a black ash swamp, and large hemlock near the brook. The community plans to steward this property to protect habitat, protect water quality, and allow the forest to mature to improve forest health, diversity, and resiliency.

The Future of the Forest

Now that the public planning process has concluded, Inland Woods + Trails (IWT) will manage the property with input from a Governance Committee comprised of IWT board members and town and community representatives. This summer, Inland Woods + Trails will begin improving the Community Forest’s infrastructure such as roads, bridges, parking lots and begin building its first public trail.

Rendering of proposed hiking and biking trails on Rumford Community Forest, including a 500’ accessible trail to overlook the Scotty Brook cascades.

In the Fall of 2025, Inland Woods + Trails invites you to attend the grand opening of the Community Forest. Look for details in a future issue of the Northern Forest News Digest.

Creating Community Forests

Owning forestland yields many benefits to communities: income from timber harvests, support for outdoor recreation, experiential educational opportunities, and permanent protection of open space and wildlife habitat. Pioneering projects have shown that Community Forests are... Read More

Staff Contacts

Julie Renaud Evans

Program Director

Cell: 603-724-8322

Kendall Gray

Program Manager

Cell: 443-841-5201

The Public Planning Process

The Significance of the Property

The Future of the Forest

More About Community Forests

Dartmouth Project Showcases Community Forests

Creating a Community Forest in Otisfield, Maine

The dream that nearly wasn’t

Creating Community Forests

Staff Contacts

Julie Renaud Evans

Kendall Gray