Why would the large landowners spend hundreds of dollars per acre to improve their land if they cared little about the future of the forest? Trees planted today will not produce any return on investment for decades, yet tens of thousands of acres of seedlings are planted every year by the large landowners. The notion promoted by environmental groups that the large landowners are out to exploit the resources and make a fast dollar does not hold water when you consider the landowners' investment in these long term improvements.
Today's environmentalism business has nothing to do with saving the environment and everything to do with fund raising. Mass marketing companies masquerading as environmental groups promote outrageous notions of impending natural crisis and then beg gullible people to send them money to "protect the environment." The only thing being protected is the directors of these organizations from having to find meaningful work.
If you are now contributing to these organizations, please consider that your money is being spent to spread misinformation about forestry in Maine. The good people who make their living tending the Maine forests do not deserve to be slandered so that these pathetic environmentalist groups can sell memberships and collect donations.
Yet there are re-forestation efforts that do need our help. Ten percent of the gross revenue from this www.forestryinmaine.com website is contributed to the American University of the Caribbean in Haiti, which is building a forest nursery to provide multi-purpose trees to local farmers. The country of Haiti is one third the size of Maine, is home to seven million people, and is the most heavily de-forested country in the western hemisphere. Please click here for details on how to help our neighbors.