David Griswold

Auburn has long wrestled with how and where to build houses in the Agriculture and Resource Protection Zone.

Some opine that building houses is the “highest and best use” of “undeveloped” land. What has been missing from the discussion is consideration of economic activity that already exists in the AGRP and its potential growth.

Auburn’s Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Plan both recognize the importance and value of the AGRP.

AGRP development restrictions from the 1960s have resulted in a city unique in Maine. Auburn boasts a vibrant urban center, unique scattered neighborhoods, and lands available for agriculture, forestry, wildlife and recreation. Lake Auburn, Taylor Pond and the Little Androscoggin River are huge assets.

The AGRP hosts agriculture lands, woodlots and open space. All three are considered important enough that long-standing state tax programs support them. The recently adopted state climate plan, “Maine Won’t Wait,” affirms their importance through a goal to increase conserved land to 30% by 2030, to help Maine reach carbon neutral status.

Another “Maine Won’t Wait” goal is to increase locally produced food to 30% of Maine food consumption by 2030. There are many reasons to do this.

Hunger is an issue in Maine. Our children would benefit from more fresh local food in school lunch programs. The pandemic demonstrated that supply chains are fragile. Twenty years of drought in the West have reduced water flow in the Colorado River.

The federal government and several states are reducing water allocations. Over time, this will take significant cropland we depend on out of production. Transporting food long distances increases cost and impacts the climate.

The Sun Journal in January ran a story reporting that harvests are increasing in Maine while declining in the U.S. as a whole. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that Androscoggin County farmers had sales of more than $40 million. Forty percent of producers were identified as “new or beginning.”

Auburn farmers, and Auburn’s additional available acres with soils of statewide significance, are positioned to be part of the solution.  Businesses with facilities to process and store food are needed regionally to improve markets.

Auburn’s woodlots contribute to Maine’s $8 billion forest products industry. Maine Forest Service data reveals an average of 428 acres was harvested in Auburn over the past 30 years. The AGRP could support more.

Even woodlots not actively managed are a financial resource. Given unexpected medical expenses, college costs or layoff, a landowner can hire a forester and logger to produce revenue with a responsible harvest. That trailer load of pine saw logs you just saw on Route 4 nets the landowner about $1,200. Trees grow faster than dollars invested in CDs at 2022 interest rates.

Auburn landowners benefit from many varied markets within trucking distance. Some of these mills produce biproducts that could be used for 3D printed houses being developed at UMaine. Imagine a 3D printing operation in Auburn, close to raw materials and close to populations in need of affordable housing! Woodlots also provide increasingly important wildlife habitat, water filtration, storm-water mitigation and carbon sequestration.

Auburn has many land-based recreation opportunities, including skiing, hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, horseback riding, fishing and bird watching. All bring visitors with an opportunity to spend money at local businesses. Auburn can do more to promote these.

The Sun Journal recently ran a story reporting that Auburn has the third highest deer harvest in the state. Auburn’s deer herd is a product of the AGRP. Development of much-needed meat processing at the right location would benefit hunters, farmers and local consumers.

The economic potential of the AGRP would be threatened by unplanned development. A major challenge for farmers and woodlot owners is conflict with new neighbors who don’t understand their business and don’t like noise from equipment, smells from livestock, or changes in the view. Woodlots close to roads and developments are most likely to be converted to other uses. Trail systems of all sorts depend on the goodwill of landowners.

Foresters have a good model for planning and action. Before cutting starts, a plan is written. The plan inputs include evaluating the trees, the lay of the land, water features, wildlife and sensitive areas.

A map is prepared to guide the discussion. The landowner’s objectives are determined. The forester gets on the same page with the landowner and logger about where to put the skid trails and water crossings, and which trees to cut. Regulators and neighbors are notified about what to expect.

Similarly, Auburn needs a well-considered, detailed and broadly accepted plan to optimize the mix of economic benefits and opportunities available from our special AGRP. We must prepare for the future. History proves this is not easy and can be controversial.

The City Council should take the time necessary to understand and address the whole big picture. Once a plan is developed, the city should commit resources to support it.

A quick “fix,” that only addresses today’s valid housing concerns and goes bad, will have long-term consequences that cannot be reversed.

David D. Griswold is has been a Maine licensed forester for 45 years, an Auburn resident for 35 years, and has more than 25 years of service on a variety of Auburn boards, committees and working groups.