General Info

Founded in 1973, the Maine Department of Conservation is a natural resource agency that works to oversee the management, development and protection of natural resources. The department covers more than 17 million acres of forest land and over 10 million acres of unorganized territory. It also manages nearly 45 parks and historic sites. It serves the residents, landowners and users of natural resources and promotes stewardship and ensures the balanced use of land, forest, water and mineral resources. It is a field-based organization that maintains several offices in Maine. The department manages the Bureau of Geology and Natural Areas, which works to gather, analyze and disseminate unbiased information related to natural resources and facilitate decision-making for natural resource management, economic development, and conservation planning and regulation.