Collaborative Restoration of Indigenous Agro-Ecology of Wester Maine

Restoring Native Food Forests in Western Maine

We're seeking funding to demonstrate how Native land management practices can restore the traditional agro-ecology of Northeastern forests. Our integrated approach combines cultural burning, mechanical management, mulching, reseeding, and rotational grazing—all part of a larger capital campaign that includes solar energy installation and climate-positive buildings.

Located on Western Wabanaki unceded territory in Maine's foothills, our landscape tells a story of erasure and opportunity. Settler colonialism deliberately destroyed sophisticated Indigenous systems: managed forests producing nuts and medicines, cultivated wetland fishponds, and productive corn and bean meadows. Today, the overgrown site reflects post-agricultural decline—tangled invasive species, diseased trees, and abandoned orchards.

Our restoration vision transforms this degraded land into a thriving biocultural landscape. We'll systematically remove invasive species like multiflora rose and Japanese barberry, then establish a food forest of native hardwoods, berry-producing shrubs, and revitalized fruit trees. Intensive vegetable gardens on improved soils, rotational grazing areas, and wildflower meadows will support both human programs and pollinator populations.

This demonstration project reconnects people to the land while honoring Indigenous knowledge. Restored walking paths invite direct interaction with the landscape, creating a model for biocultural regeneration across the region.