Fishing boats anchored in the harbor in Stonington in May 2022. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

More than 3,500 acres of land across the state will be protected through a state conservation program, the governor’s office announced Monday.

The land, which includes farmland, working waterfronts and undeveloped areas for recreation and wildlife habitats between Berwick and Hancock, will be preserved using $3.8 million from the Land for Maine’s Future Program.

“These conservation projects will protect thousands of acres of land for the future use and enjoyment of Maine people – including vital working lands that our farmers and fishermen rely on,” Gov. Janet Mills said in a statement Monday.

The Land for Maine’s Future program – administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry – provides state grants to preserve land for outdoor recreation, environmental protection, wildlife habitat and working farms, forest and coastal waterfront. It was established in 1987 through a $35 million bond approved by voters and has since conserved more than 542,000 acres of land, created 100 miles of coastal access, preserved 42 farms and 9,819 acres of farmland, conserved 30 working waterfront properties and converted 158 miles of former railroad corridors to recreational trails, according to the governor’s office.

Since the Legislature voted in 2021 to spend $40 million to reinvigorate the program, the board has approved 75 new projects totaling nearly $30 million. Those projects are expected to leverage an additional $58.75 million in private and federal funds, the governor’s office said.

Amanda Beal, commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, said the latest projects approved by the board include four significant farmland conservation efforts that will protect 2,820 acres.

“These conservation efforts reinforce Maine’s commitment to maintaining its agricultural heritage and natural landscapes for future generations,” she said in a statement.

The 12 projects announced Monday are:

• Dunn Farm in Berwick, a former dairy farm now used to raise beef cattle and grow sweet corn and hay. The project ensures the 128-acre property will continue to be used for agriculture in a region increasingly threatened by development.

• Fortin Farm in Benton, a 188-acre former dairy farm that supports hay and silage production. The funding preserves land crucial for dairy farming and potential diverse agricultural uses.

• Piper Farm and Williams Farm in Somerset County, two projects spanning 2,504 acres will be preserved in support of a large dairy operation. The largest investment ever funded by the state’s Working Farmland Access Protection Program and the Land for Maine’s Future Program will protect 12 miles of Kennebec River frontage and 945 acres of fields.

• Clark Cove Working Waterfront in Bristol, preserves 187,750 feet of working waterfront with 250 feet of shore frontage along Clark Cove and the Damariscotta River that support lobster, oyster, mussel and seaweed fisheries.

• Hancock Marine in Hancock, preserves 1.8 acres of working waterfront with 730 feet of shore frontage along Mt. Desert Narrows. The site supports lobster, menhaden, mackerel and herring fisheries.

• Stonington Lobster Cooperative, Coop II, in Stonington, protects three-fourths of an acre of working waterfront with 900 feet of shore frontage vital for lobstering and crab, scallop, sea urchin, mussel, elver, pogie, herring and oyster fisheries.

• Town of Wells/Wells Conservation Commission, preserves 161.5 acres of undeveloped land in Wells, including parcels adjacent to the planned Eastern Trail and critical habitat for the endangered New England cottontail rabbits.

• Chebeauge & Cumberland Land Trust, preserves 79 acres off Turkey Lane in Cumberland’s largest unprotected forested parcel.

• Brunswick Topsham Land Trust, preserves 81 acres off West Bay Bridge Road that features 4,000 feet of shoreline on the Muddy River and 5,000 feet of tributary stream frontage.

• Branch Lake Extension in Ellsworth, protects 279 acres, increasing recreational opportunities and expanding the existing 238-acre public forest.

• Portage Hills Phase II Moody Road Parcel, Francis Small Heritage Trust in Oxford County, protects 98.6 acres of critical wildlife habitat and prime recreational destinations connected to their existing 700 acres of conservation lands.

Patrick Keliher, commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources, said Maine’s limited working waterfront is facing increased pressure from development and climate change. The board’s support of working waterfronts “underscores the state’s commitment to our vital commercial fishing and aquaculture industries,” he said.

“The Land for Maine’s Future program continues to be a leader in conservation for Maine’s wildlife, and those that love the outdoors,” Judy Camuso, commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said in a statement.