Table 9-1. Amount of Forest Land (thousands of acres) in 

 Coastal Maine by Forest Sampling Unit 



Forest 



sampling 



unit 



Capital ^ 

 Hancock 

 Washington 

 Totals 



Forest 

 land 



1288 



909 



1510 



3707 



Land 

 total 



1721 



984 



1635 



4340 



% 

 Forest 



75 

 92 

 92 

 85 



^ Includes Sagadahoc County. 



Forest systems also are important for economic, recreational, and aesthetic 

 reasons. Forests in the coastal counties of Maine account for 20% of the 

 State's forests and provide approximately 17% of all timber harvested in the 

 State. Maine's timber is used for pulp and paper, sawlogs , veneer, pilings, 

 posts, turnings, and other products. The total value of manufactured goods 

 resulting directly or indirectly from Maine's forests accounted for 

 approximately 40% of the State's total manufacturing output in 1975, and its 

 associated industries employed about 257o of the State's work force. 

 Recreational and aesthetic values of forest systems include photography, 

 hunting, camping, snowmobiling, skiing, sightseeing, hiking, and trapping. 



The major threat to Maine's coastal forests is real estate development. The 

 spread of urban and suburban areas, accompanied by industrial plants, shopping 

 centers, roads, and powerlines, results in the permanent loss of forest 

 habitat that will not be replaced. This loss of forest land sometimes 

 seriously damages the river systems flowing through and from the forests. 

 Water flow may be seriously altered. Heavy rains may produce excessive 

 flooding and soil erosion; during low precipitation rivers may exhibit 

 unusually low flows. In industrial areas pollution may become severe. 



The purpose of this chapter is to describe coastal forest ecosystems, forest 

 composition, the functions of forests, their importance, and data gaps. A 

 detailed discussion of forest management is found in chapter 19, "Commercially 

 Important Forest Types." Chapter 19 describes important tree species and 



9-2 



