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The Holt Research Forest is the site of long-term forest ecosystem research in Arrowsic, Maine. Maine TREE acquired the 350-acre property in 2014 through a merger with the Holt Woodland Research Foundation. The woods are predominantly a dry ridge, oak-pine ecosystem in Maine’s coastal climatic and midcoast biophysical regions.
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Arrowsic is similar to the peninsulas found throughout Maine’s Mid-coast region. However, it’s an island surrounded by the Kennebec, the Sasanoa, and the Back Rivers in Maine’s coastal climatic region, and the midcoast biophysical region is the island. This region has the greatest woody plant species richness in the state partly because it falls within the transition between the Northeastern coastal forest to the west and south and the New England/Acadian forest to the east and north. The soils are derived from shallow glacial deposits on ridges and deep glaciomarine sediments in low-lying areas.
Now Accepting Applications for
2025 Summer Research Technicians
Multiple Positions Available
Spend the summer at Holt Research Forest in Arrowsic, Maine!
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Maine TREE Foundation is hiring multiple seasonal Research Technicians for the summer of 2025. Holt Research Forest Technicians will work in the field on the Maine coast as part of a research team, collect ecosystem data to contribute to ongoing ecological monitoring studies, assist with stewardship projects, and conduct an independent research project to communicate Holt Research Forest findings to relevant audiences.
Featured Research
Forest Ecology
Since 1983, we have extensively monitored tree growth and health. Research at the site explores how timber harvests and climate change influence tree growth, regeneration, and species composition. This work provides valuable insights into forest resiliency and sustainability.
Wildlife
We collectdata on birds, salamanders, and small mammals to document their long-term trends and study the impacts of timber harvests on these populations. Our research suggests that wildlife species have wide-ranging effects on forest ecology and respond differently to various harvest methods.
Climate Change
Our research informs the management decisions of small woodlot owners and forest-based communities in Maine. The site's management goals aim to increase forest resiliency to climate change. Timber harvests can enhance forest resiliency by increasing species and structural diversity, thus helping the forest adapt to climate change
