Acadian Forest Management

Our Vision

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.