AMC Ash Permits

Photo by Tony Sutton

AMC Ash Permits

Like many agreements in Maine, recent access to land in Maine to harvest ash has been through handshake agreements with landowners. As these landowners change, access is lost and Wabanaki basketmakers need new areas to harvest basket quality ash. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) lands cover 114,000 acres in the south/central portion of Piscataquis County and as a part of working with First Light, AMC worked with the Penobscot Nation to begin issuing harvesting permits for brown ash to tribal members free of charge. To extend that work, Steve Tatko organized a trip with the Commission and members from First Light to AMC land during May of 2021 to visit ash stands. Sometimes visiting lands to look at resources can turn into a bit of a show and tell and when Steve was asked, could people harvest a tree too? AMC happily provided that opportunity. Having the opportunity to meet on the land, harvest a tree, and think through the permitting process directly shaped this new form of access, which now is available for every tribe and can be accessed through their cultural resource offices.