Augusta, Maine - Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) Commissioner Amanda Beal has announced that Steve Walker will be joining the Department as Land for Maine's Future (LMF) Director. Walker brings extensive experience and knowledge of conservation easement and land acquisition transactions, including strategic project selection, supportive policy, and successful funding and implementation.

Walker currently serves as Coordinator of the Beginning with Habitat program at the Maine Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife (DIFW), where he has been responsible for supervising program staff, coordinating the efforts of the program's steering committee and partner group, and implementing relevant aspects of Maine's Climate Action Plan. He has held various conservation and land protection positions throughout his career, including Maine Endangered Species Coordinator at DIFW, where he guided species management and conservation efforts, and Mid-coast Land Protection Coordinator for the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, where he was responsible for all aspects of land protection from Brunswick to Rockland, and as a Natural Resources Planner in Brunswick, where he crafted long-range natural resource plans, including the award-winning Rural Brunswick Smart Growth Plan, and Brunswick Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan.

"The Land for Maine's Future program plays an important role in protecting our natural and working lands and ensuring broad access to the public to many of our most beautiful and ecologically important lands," said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. "Steve Walkers unique set of experiences, expertise, and vision will serve the Land for Maines Future program and our state very well."

"Steve Walker knows the Land For Maine's Future program from every angle, as an applicant, a project sponsor, a municipality, leveraging partnerships, and a grant writer. I am delighted he is joining our Bureau of Resource Information and Land Use Planning team," said Bureau Director Judy East.

Walker holds a B.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Brown University. He lives in Brunswick with his wife Jackie, a four-year-old son, and two teenage stepchildren. He is a Brunswick Town Councilor, has served on the Brunswick Planning Board, and is a board member of the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. He has participated in several professional organizations, including The Wildlife Society (Maine Chapter), the Maine Association of Wetland Scientists, the Josselyn Botanical Society, and the Maine Association of Professional Planners.

About the Land for Maine's Future Program

The Land for Maine's Future Program, housed within the DACF Bureau of Resource Information and Land Use Planning, was established in 1987 through a $35 million bond approved by Maine citizens, is the State's primary method of conserving land for its natural and recreational value. Recognizing the importance of working lands and public access to these lands in preserving Maine's quality of life, the program has conserved over 624,000 acres of land, including 333,425 acres of working land.

This remarkable work includes the establishment of 70 water access sites, providing over 67 miles of shoreline on rivers, lakes, and ponds, the preservation of 41 farms and 9,884 acres of farmland, the conservation of 30 working waterfront properties, the conversion of 158 miles of former railroad corridors into recreational trails, and the creation of over 69 miles of coastal access.

For more information about the LMF program and the conservation projects, please visitmaine.gov/dacf/lmf.