Biobased Maine Presents at LandCAN’s “May the Forests be With You”
(Photo: Sen. King/Twitter)
Biobased Maine executive director Marina Bowie joined Sappi North America’s Donna Cassese and Tom Doak of Maine Woodland Owners on November 8 in Falmouth, Maine, for a FOR/Maine panel discussion on the current opportunities and challenges for Maine’s forest products industry, as part of the Land Conservation Assistance Network’s (LandCAN) event “May the Forests be With You.”
At the event, LandCAN put their own spin on the famous line from Star Wars, acknowledging the power of the forests of Maine as a force behind the state’s economy, recreation, and livelihood.
Maine Senator Angus King was the keynote speaker. Senator King was key in establishing the Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/Maine) Initiative, within which Biobased Maine plays a key role. As a strong supporter of the efforts to revitalize Maine’s forest economy, Senator King’s remarks focused on the impact of Maine’s forest products and the promising opportunities that lie ahead for the industry in Maine.
“If we work together, we can build on our success and put Maine’s forests in the best possible position to thrive.”
—Maine Senator Angus King
“Maine’s forests are among our state’s greatest natural assets, and we need to manage this resource in a way that maximizes its current and future value to Maine people,” said Senator King. “If we work together, we can build on our success and put Maine’s forests in the best possible position to thrive. That is the spirit of today’s event: bringing folks from all different sectors to the table to discuss new investments, cutting-edge innovations, and environmental stewardship efforts.”
In their panel discussion, Bowie and the other representatives of the FOR/Maine coalition focused on fostering connection with the industry, landowners, and interested Maine stakeholders, echoing Senator King’s message of growth and opportunity for Maine’s forest industry, and presenting challenges as well as potential gateway actions for people to be part of a solution.