Uh oh. It's happened again.

More land has been conserved for multiple recreational uses while allowing sustainable forest practices to continue.

That's right.

The state has just taken ownership of nearly 200,000 acres in and around Baxter State Park and the Machias River through easement and fee acquisition, in a deal with the Nature Conservancy.

The lands will be managed by the Department of Conservation and will likely become part of the public reserved lands system.

Check out this map to see what this deal means for conservation efforts around Baxter.

Outstanding.

It's the best of both worlds, in my view.

Access is preserved. Nobody gets locked out.

Hikers, backpackers, hunters, fishermen, skiers, snowmobilers. You name it, we can use it.

Industrial forestry and all its direct and peripheral jobs and services will continue. The land can produce its timber and we can continue to harvest it.

Wood, water, wildlife, recreation.

A big win-win.