On April 4, 2018 at six o'clock at Vienna’s Mill Stream Grange on Route 41, the Kennebec Land Trust and Maine Woodland Owners invite the public to participate in a two-part introduction to non-timber forest products and Maine’s current-use property tax programs. Dave Fuller, of UMaine’s Cooperative Extension, and Harold Burnett, of Two Trees Forestry, will present.

As we all know our woodlots produce more than just trees and wildlife habitat. Dave will discuss and sample some wild edibles with some other non-timber forest products as potential sources of recreation, income, and sustenance. The opportunities to procure materials for familiar Maine products, including maple syrup, balsam pillows and wreaths, and birch bark, will be discussed along with fiddlehead ferns, wild leeks, birch syrup, weather sticks, ... The list is endless.

However, when it comes to property tax options for the same Maine landowners the list of options is short though the confusion seems endless. For example, recent rises in Tree Growth assessment rates have put some Open Space and Tree Growth assessments at surprising parity. State and municipal concerns about suspected Tree Growth tax program misuse have heightened landowner awareness and concern. Harold will attempt to evaluate which current-use program is best suited to your needs by presenting basic background information on the current-use programs and demonstrating a current-use calculator to review the three tax programs. Interested landowners may bring their property’s assessment record to plug into the calculator to review how assessments under each program may differ.

We will serve pizza and light refreshments at the Grange. Save the date for a field walk to accompany this workshop, on April 29, 2018 at the Vienna Woods on Trask Road. The Kennebec Land Trust holds a conservation easement on this 71-acre parcel.

For directions, more information, and to RSVP for dinner, please call 377-2848 or email Kbrewer@tklt.org.

Photo: Zach Harder