Moosehead Region - Management Plan

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands has adopted a 15-year management plan for approximately 31,200 acres of lands known as the Moosehead Region. The region roughly encompasses the southern three-fourths of Moosehead Lake and the surrounding area to the east, south and west within about 12 to 15 miles of the lake, in Piscataquis and Somerset Counties. This plan will guide the Bureau’s management of the Little Moose, Days Academy and Sugar Island Public Lands, as well as undeveloped State Park lands at Farm Island and Kineo, and Bureau fee and easement lands on the shoreline of Moosehead Lake and to the east and west of the lake.

The Moosehead Region Plan is posted below. To read these files, you will need a copy of the free Adobe Reader software.

Plan Amendment

A Greenville-area non-profit organization, the Moosehead Outdoor Alliance (MOA), proposed to develop a network of mountain bike trails on the Little Moose Unit. This type of recreation development was not discussed during the plan’s development; however, the Bureau believes the concept is consistent with the vision for the unit expressed in the plan. A proposal for development of the trails within three delineated zones was discussed with the Advisory Committee during a virtual meeting held February 4, 2021. Meeting notes are posted below under Past Meetings & Minutes.

The Bureau prepared a draft plan amendment that would allow MOA to develop up to 25 miles of mountain bike trails on the Little Moose Unit. The Bureau held a virtual meeting to obtain input from the public on April 7, 2021. The meeting was held via Microsoft Teams videoconference. Written comments on the draft amendment were accepted during the two weeks following the meeting; no comments were received. The final plan amendment was adopted on May 6, 2021. The final report on the amendment process, including AC meeting notes, written public comments, and the final amendment is posted below under Management Plan Documents.

Plan Update and Review

The Bureau of Parks and Lands has completed the first Five-Year Review of the Moosehead Region Plan covering the period from 2017 through 2021. The Integrated Resource Policy (IRP) requires that the Bureau, at five year intervals, report to the Advisory Committee (AC) on accomplishments and new issues or changing conditions that may warrant amendments to the plan.

The Five-Year Review is prepared in a table format. It is linked below as a PDF under Management Plan Review Documents. It:

  • Lists plan recommendations (left column), and
  • Actions taken to implement each recommendation (right column), and
  • Identifies, from the Bureau's perspective, any issues any new issues or circumstances that were not addressed in the plan that may warrant Committee discussion or action (at end of table).

The Five-Year Review table was sent to AC members on April 15, 2022.

The Bureau identified no new issues that were not addressed in the plan or that warrant Committee input, but alerted the Committee to the completed donation of conservation lands and easements in the region, and the transfer of one small public lot to an adjoining plan area. The Bureau asked AC members for comments on the review table and to identify any new issues or circumstances that they believed may require Committee input or action. Written comments were accepted for three weeks following the email distribution of the review materials.

A Final Report on the Five-Year Review, summarizing the review process and the Bureau’s response to comments was sent to the Advisory Committee on May 16, 2022. The Final Report is also linked below as a PDF under Management Plan Review Documents..

No meetings currently scheduled.
Date and Time Headline Location Additional Information

Past Meetings & Minutes

02-04-2021 - A Moosehead Region Advisory Committee meeting was held via Microsoft Teams from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
02-04-2021 Meeting Minutes (PDF 199KB)

Management Plan Review Documents

Management Plan Documents

Moosehead Region Plan:

Plan Amendment - Little Moose Unit Mountain Bike Trail Development:

For more information:

Jim Vogel
Senior Planner
Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
22 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-2163