USJRO Plans

The Upper St. John River Organization (USJRO) will:

  • 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 capabilities for forest inventory, forest management plan development, harvest operations, marketing, and sustainable business development.
  • Develop and promote new standards and methods for sustainable forest modeling.
  • 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 interpretive trails for outdoor recreation and education on community-owned forest parcels identified during the Upper St. John Valley Community Forest Project.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Assimilate information on natural-history, land use (farming, forestry, recreation, hunting, fishing, etc.), and establish and maintain a local nature center, astronomical observatory, and natural science data repository.
  • Pursue incentives for landowners to participate in conservation and/or sustainable management activities.
  • Establish an internet portal utilizing GIS-based technologies and e-marketing strategies for sustainable development of natural resources, businesses, recreation, education, art, music, and other sustainable opportunities within the Upper St. John Valley Watershed area.