Prentiss & Carlisle, a provider of forestland management and investment services based in Bangor, was recognized as an outstanding landowner by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife at the Landowner/Land User of the Year Awards ceremony at the Augusta Civic Center this evening.
The firm was nominated for the award by the Bowlin-Matagamon Snowmobile Club. The club sought to publicly recognize Prentiss & Carlisle and its employees for their support of woodland sports.
“We are honored to be recognized with this award by the State of Maine and we very much appreciate having been nominated by our friends at the Bowlin-Matagamon Snowmobile Club,” said Benjamin D. Carlisle, president of Prentiss & Carlisle. “We share a long legacy of cooperation and appreciation for Maine’s forests with the outdoor recreation community, and being honored by the state at the request of one of its prominent members holds special significance for us because it reflects our commitment to being a good neighbor and partner.”
According to the state’s citation, in addition to allowing continuous access to its own lands for various forms of public recreation for decades, Prentiss & Carlisle was nominated for the award for authorizing and facilitating the construction of a snowmobile lane across the Seboeis River Bridge, which the firm owns and which is a key transportation route for snowmobiles traveling between Millinocket and Aroostook County. Because of ongoing logging operations in the area, snowmobiles were on the verge of being prohibited from utilizing the bridge. However, Prentiss & Carlisle supported the efforts of the snowmobiling community to build and maintain the special lane, even after the main bridge, the roadway accessing it, and the snowmobile lane itself were badly damaged by heavy flooding on the East Branch of the Penobscot River in May of 2008. During the event, the fence that served as a barrier on the outside edge of the snowmobile lane captured floating debris, which piled up and threatened the entire structure. Prentiss & Carlisle worked with the snowmobiling community to address the emergency and then supported efforts to redesign the lane to prevent such future occurrences.
In commenting on the Seboeis River Bridge project, Carlisle said, “We recognize the important role snowmobiling plays in the culture, quality of life, and rural economy of Maine. Our willingness to make the lands we manage accessible, and to facilitate access by clubs and individuals involved in the sport, was a natural extension of our commitment to Maine, to the stewardship of its natural resources, to its people, and to those who visit and recreate with us.”
About Prentiss & Carlisle
Prentiss & Carlisle is a fourth-generation family-owned enterprise that was founded in 1924. It provides timberland management and forestry services to landowners and investors on approximately 1.5 million acres across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Canada.