Maine webinar panel outlines how towns plan, fund and implement open-space strategies

Gregory LeClaire, municipal planning biologist with the Beginning with Habitat program at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, hosted a webinar panel that described how Maine towns can develop and implement open-space plans and what local officials and volunteers should expect.

Panelists said open space encompasses both publicly owned undeveloped land and privately held parcels kept out of development, and that planning for open space can advance water-quality protection, wildlife habitat, recreation and community resilience. "Open space is just as much about wild places and ecosystem function as it is about people and how people interact within their communities," said Matt Marcotte, executive director of Loon Echo Land Trust and a member of a town open-space committee.

Why this matters: Panelists framed open-space planning as a practical tool towns can use alongside comprehensive planning to direct growth, maintain access to lakes and forests, manage flood-prone areas and, in some cases, reduce municipal costs. They emphasized that effective plans require a core group of motivated volunteers or staff and often succeed when a land trust or nonprofit partners with town officials.

Panel summary

Gregory LeClaire opened the session by saying the webinar would be a panel discussion on open-space planning in Maine and introduced the two panelists and host. Tom Mariola, senior planner with DACF's Municipal Planning Assistance Program, moderated and handled logistics and…