Things on Our "To Do" List

The USJRO has identified several specific activities that might be employed to support the Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs including to:

• Function as Land trust, and such lands must be managed to meet even-flow sustainability standards of the USJRO.
• Pursue incentives for landowners to participate in conservation and/or sustainable management activities.
• Act as 3rd party compliance monitor of other land trust holdings.
• Purchase and maintain internet domains related to the Upper St. John River Organization.
• Develop interpretive trails for outdoor recreation and education on community-owned forest parcels identified during the Upper St. John Valley Community Forest Project.
• Establish a nature center, astronomical observatories, and a natural science data repository and assimilate information on natural-history, land use (farming, forestry, recreation, hunting, fishing, etc.).
• Develop GIS-based natural science monitoring programs that can be carried out in one day per site per year by a wide range of people for such things as water quality, tree growth, fisheries, aquatic invertebrates, forest birds, amphibians, and small mammals (again utilizing community-owned forest parcels identified during the Upper St. John Valley Community Forest Project).
• Establish field camps for use in projects, especially on community-owned land.
• Promote sustainable management of our forests and other natural resources as the basis for sustainable development to build a vibrant, healthy economy and quality of life.
• Develop and promote new standards and methods for sustainable forest modeling and sustainable forest management strategies.
• Develop capabilities for forest inventory, forest management plan development, harvest operations, marketing, and sustainable business development.
• Establish partnerships for sustainable development with government managers, local educational institutions, the aboriginal community, local professionals, individuals, businesses, and others committed to sustainability throughout the region.
• Support sustainable development in the areas of natural science, art, music, recreation, history &culture, and agriculture and cuisine by developing synergistic partnerships with others throughout the St. John River drainage area with common or complimentary interests and abilities. 
• Develop and maintain an internet portal for nature, art, music, local goods and services, festivals & events, etc. as a vehicle for promoting sustainable management.
• Pursue partnerships with other organizations interested landscape-level connectivity in our area.
• Act as the non-profit sponsor of selected projects within the USJRO area (the drainage to the St John River) that meet our standards for local sustainable business or sustainable management, including select benevolent or complimentary non-profit efforts in the area, or otherwise pertinent projects including local research and monitoring by students, young professionals, and USJRO Directors.
• Utilize students from the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the University of Moncton at Edmundston, and the University of Maine at Presque Isle in USJRO projects.
• Pursue direct involvement in Maine DOC BPL Land in the St. John Valley and elsewhere in Aroostook County for model forest development for even-flow provision of biodiversity and forest products, and sustainable business development for value-added products or fuel within the St. John River Watershed.
• Pursue opportunities for partnership and funding of other wildlife projects in northern Maine, which may include activities in management, monitoring, restoration (cedar, hemlock, silver maple, or other trees), and education and information.

Interested parties can Contact Us.