Fisheries Enhancement

Large wood is an important part of the forest-stream ecosystem and is important for the survival of trout and salmon that inhabit streams. Large wood diverts water flow, changes water velocity to trap sediment, creates pools and provides cover for juvenile fish. Since natural stream processes have been altered in many areas, aquatic habitat restoration activities are an important method for reintroducing necessary structure to stream channels.

The following guide is intended to be used by forest managers and others to aid with the implementation of wood addition habitat enhancement projects in Maine. This guide should be considered a living document that will be updated as new information becomes available.

To be eligible for an exemption to state permitting, a licensed forester must have completed training in wood addition techniques approved by the Bureau of Forestry and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. They must also work with a fisheries biologist employed by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or Maine Department of Marine Resources, or other qualified person identified by those departments, who has attended training in wood addition techniques. The following is a list of licensed foresters and fisheries biologists who have attended such training.

To be considered a designated reach a treatment plan must have been prepared by a DIFW or DMR biologist or their designee for that reach. The plan must be mutually agreed upon and signed by the DIFW or DMR and the landowner or their agent and is intended to aid the forester implementing the treatment. A treatment plan template is available here:

For guidance on potential locations for a chop and drop project, please view the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Wild Brook Trout Priority Conservation Areas dataset, available here: https://www.maine.gov/geolib/catalogagency.html#ifw This dataset may also be found on ArcGIS Online.