![May 2, 2019. Pleasant River Headwaters Forest, Maine-- Photo by Isaac Crabtree. Dan Rinard](https://www.outdoors.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Pleasant-River-Headwaters-Forest-Page_Main-Image_DJI_0950-1-scaled.jpg)
Pleasant River Headwaters Forest
Signature Watershed of Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness: Conserved!
We did it! Thanks to the help of AMC members and donors, the Pleasant River Headwaters Forest (PRHF) in Maine is now protected by AMC.
This 26,584-acre parcel lies in the heart of Maine’s famed 100-Mile Wilderness region, the land surrounding the northernmost 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Protecting PRHF has been a high priority for us and our friends in the conservation community, holding special ecological significance as part of the largest contiguous expanse of undeveloped forest in the eastern United States.
![Jun. 15, 2017. Pleasant River, Northeast Piscataquis, Maine– Photo by Jerry Monkman. Jun. 15, 2017. Pleasant River, Northeast Piscataquis, Maine-- Photo by Jerry Monkman.](https://www.outdoors.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Monkman_MENGS_D10072-scaled.jpg)
Why This Project Matters
The 100-Mile Wilderness lies in the heart of Maine’s North Woods, a region that features some of the largest areas of undeveloped forests, lakes, and ponds in the United States, as well as an area of exceptionally high habitat connectivity and resilience to climate change.
Our efforts to restore aquatic habitat on the property have helped to reestablish renowned native brook trout populations and allow Atlantic salmon to return to native spawning grounds in the headwater streams of the West Branch for the first time in nearly two centuries—making it one of the only places in the state where this is possible. Additionally, we're leveraging responsible forestry efforts on the property to position multi-use forestland as the ideal stronghold for ecological resilience and climate adaptability.
![Jun. 15, 2017. Pleasant River, Northeast Piscataquis, Maine– Photo by Jerry Monkman. Jun. 15, 2017. Pleasant River, Northeast Piscataquis, Maine-- Photo by Jerry Monkman.](https://www.outdoors.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Monkman_MENGS_D10073-scaled.jpg)
Learn More
- Maine organizations receive $1 million federal grant to protect over 13,000 acres of wildlife habitat
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Awards Multi-Million Dollar Recovery Land Acquisition Grant to the State of Maine for the Appalachian Mountain Club
- Nearly 27,000 Acres Purchased in Maine’s North Woods for Conservation and Economic Benefits
- Appalachian Mountain Club adds 27,000-acre Maine forest to its historic Maine Woods Initiative