Tote Roads and Memories

For many of us, the woods of northern Maine are a place to hunt, fish, hike and enjoy. Most recognize the fact that we recreate in a working commercial forest, but beyond that, we don’t tend to think about it too much. Weekend recreationists meet the occasional log truck and see the fresh cuts and piles of wood, but for the most part, the machines are turned off and the woods are pretty quiet when boats or blaze orange head north and west.

Maine is unique in many ways, and one of the most notable is the fact that so much private land is open to recreational use by the public. No other state in the nation can boast such a strong tradition of public access. It’s so unique, we might benefit by taking a look back in history to better understand how this all came about.

Unlike most places, which were settled by homesteaders in the early days, northwestern Maine was so rugged and remote that it remained wild and undeveloped for quite some time. Early speculators bought townships in this vast unorganized territory, and held onto the land for its valuable timber resources instead of promoting farming and settlement.

Early on, high quality pine and cedar trees were harvested with hand tools and horse power, and floated down the rivers to the mills. Over the decades, markets changed and so did the forests. The abundant spruce, fir, and hardwood forests filled the needs of different markets. Fire, pests and disease all wreaked havoc on this valuable resource the landowners held onto and woods workers relied on.

The evolution of timber harvest, transportation, economics and forest protection in the big woods led to the need for more intensive management of the forest. That’s when the big companies brought on folks like John Sinclair to look after their woodland interests.

In “Tote Roads & Memories”, Sinclair tells the story of his life as a representative of some of the major timberland interests in northern Maine from the 1940’s and into the modern era of forest management today. He shares his observations on the vast changes that took place in the Maine woods throughout that time period and the challenges faced by landowners, foresters and timber harvesters.

Sinclair started from humble beginnings, born to a farming family in St. Francis, Maine, along the banks of the St. John River. His father spent winters cutting wood, and John followed suit. After some time travelling and working various jobs, John became the chief forester and land agent for the Pingree Heirs, one of the largest landowners in Maine.  He later represented the Irving Pulp and Paper properties, and helped establish the Seven Islands Land Company, which manages Pingree lands to this day.

John worked tirelessly to promote responsible forest management in northern Maine. He also placed a high value on recreational use on these lands, and helped establish the North Maine Woods organization, probably the most successful private lands recreation management program in the country today.

“Tote Roads and Memories” is a fascinating book. I learned a great deal about the early days in the Maine woods, and enjoyed some interesting stories from familiar places. Sometimes it’s hard for us hunters and anglers to understand why our favorite places are being managed the way they are, and we don’t always agree with it. Sinclair’s book provides a good perspective on the woods from a forester and land manager’s point of view. It helps explain how the forest of northern Maine got to where it is today, and got me thinking more about where it’s headed in the future.

“Tote Roads and Memories” is printed and sold by North Maine Woods Inc., and all proceeds help fund the management of recreational use in the private timberlands of northern Maine.  You can contact them at www.northmainewoods.org.