Landowner Profiles

Chris Dorion

Orono, ME

Property Statistics:

How much land do you own? +- 300 acres.

Where is it located? Orono , Maine .

Do you live on the property? No, but I live in the town of Orono .

When did you acquire it/how long have you owned it? About a year and a half.

What is the breakdown of cover types (forest, meadow, agriculture, wetland)? The Property is dominated by forest. The property has no agriculture land either cultivated or pastured. There are about 10+ acres classified as wetland, 30 acres of peatland, and some stands of pure black spruce.There is also an old railroad right-of-way on the northern part of the property.

Do you post your land? Why/why not? No. I feel that landowners ought to keep their land open to responsible use by the public. I do not believe in “posting land.”

Ownership Objectives:

What are your reasons for owning your forest? Your objectives for management? I purchased this particular property in order to keep it as forest land and insure that it remain open to public use. In the long term I am looking to produce forest products of both high quality and value. I also hope to create valuable wildlife habitat in conjunction with managing the property for timber production.

The main reason is to grown wood for retirement and the next generation who will inherit the property.

Do you have a forest management plan? If so, does it include recreation? Yes. The recently completed plan does mention recreation. Specifically the creation of walking and cross-country ski trails. This property and its trails also helps link together existing trails which cross Orono Land Trust lands and easements.

Recreation:

What types of recreation do you allow on your land? A variety of activities are permitted and encouraged on the property. Both Snowmobile and ATV access are permitted on a major trail that crosses the property and connects with an existing organized trail network. A network of cross country ski trails exists and is undergoing improvements. Like the snowmobile trails, the cross country ski trails connect to a larger network of trails on adjacent properties, known as the Caribou Bog ski trails. Mountain biking is permitted and a limited number of new trails have been constructed by users with my permission. Walking and bird watching are common activities by local residents. Hunting and trapping are also allowed on the property. Landowner permission is not required for any of this public use.

Why do you allow recreation? I feel that allowing the public to use my property is part of owning land. With rights come responsibilities you might say.

Who recreates on your land? A diverse group of users frequent the property in all seasons. The types of recreation that occur on the land are varied and run the gamete from walking and skiing to hunting and snowmobiling. The result is that all types of people use the land. The majority of users are from the town of Orono or the surrounding area. The proximity to the University of Maine means that the land also sees use by students.

What problems have you experienced with recreation impacts or recreationists, and how have you worked to solve those problems? I have not had any problems with recreational users to date. However, I am concerned with the potential for users, especially inexperienced users to become lost and or injured on the property. Even though the land is only a few miles from the busy town of Orono it is in many respects fairly remote. I am not worried about the liability related to an injured user since Maine state law protects landowners from liability in most cases. I just don't want to see anyone get in trouble on the property. However, there isn't much I can do to prevent an accident since the public is free to use the property at their own risk.

Interesting facts about your property? The old Orono/Veazie railroad used to run through a portion of the property. Today the tracks are all gone but the railroad bed remains. It is a well built bed which makes an excellent walking, biking, and ski trail.