For generations, the Hilton Family Forest in northwestern Maine has been important to people on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border as a source of economic vitality, recreation and stability. The Conservation Fund purchased the 44,000 acres of mountaintops, waterfalls, maple sugarbush and working forests to ensure they continue to provide for the region. 

Because the forest faced possible conversion, subdivision and development, The Conservation Fund took action to safeguard this extraordinary landscape. For the duration of our ownership and beyond, we will sustainably support the local timber and maple sugar industries, with trees providing needed lumber and syrup for years to come. 

As a beloved recreation hub for hiking, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and ATV riding, Hilton Family Forest also helps power the local economy. 

“The Hilton land is a valued resource for the Jackman and Moose River communities,” said Jackman Town Manager Kirstie Hale. “With The Conservation Fund assuring us these lands will remain a working and open forest, I am appreciative of their efforts to keep them a part of our lives and livelihoods.” 

Conserving the Hilton Family Forest forever safeguards four high-elevation peaks and the headwaters of the South Branch of the Penobscot River. Moreover, the land contains populations of multiple rare plant and animal species, including the Golden eagle and Peregrine falcon. We also are sensitive to the needs of our neighbors and traditional access. 

The Conservation Fund purchased this property to ensure it would continue to do all it does for the community. We are working with local residents and others to shape a permanent conservation solution and funding for this extraordinary forestland that preserves the cultural, recreational and economic uses that make it so vital to their lives and sense of stewardship. 

Learn More

• Press release: The Conservation Fund Protects Jobs, Outdoor Recreation in Northwestern Maine