Pingree forest partnership: Monitoring easements at the landscape level

The Pingree Conservation Easement in Maine is a model of how large landowners can accomplish forest management and long-term conservation goals while realizing a financial return for this decision. The land conservation trust holding an easement has the perpetual responsibility to ensure that the owners of the property adhere to the easement terms. In this capacity, the New England Forestry Foundation has the responsibility to develop an independent, cost-effective, and scientifically defensible monitoring protocol for the Pingree easement. Elements of the monitoring program, including a three-level hierarchical monitoring method, from satellites to ground, are under development.