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Larry and Barbara Beauregard – 2024 Maine Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year Award Recipients
Larry and Barbara Beauregard have been named the 2024 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year by the Maine Tree Farm Program. The couple has owned their 117-acre woodlot since 1981 and have been active Tree Farmers since 2005.
Their goals for their woodlot are to promote sustainable growth of forest products for commercial harvest while leaving legacy trees and maintaining forest aesthetics and identify and harvest non-timber products for personal and family use, such as maple sugaring, wild mushrooms, edible berries, and balsam fir. They also strive to provide recreational opportunities for family and friends, all while preserving and stimulating opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Larry and Barbara spend a lot of time enjoying their woods, which they consider a source of recreation and their passion. They see their woodland as an opportunity to learn and contribute by participating in several Citizen Science projects sponsored by the Maine Forest Service and Maine Department Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, including Budworm Tracker, HERON (Heron Observation Network), Maine Bumble Bee Atlas, and Bug Watch. They frequently host events at Beauregard Woodlands in collaboration with the Maine Forest Service, Maine Woodland Owners, Maine Tree Farm Program, UM School of Forest Resources, Maine Audubon, and Hirundo Wildlife Refuge.
Larry Beauregard strongly promotes sustainable forestry practices as they apply to small woodland owners. He has done several interviews on the subject, resulting in published articles and a TV program. He has also written several newsletter articles describing his family’s woodland experiences. He has taken multiple courses on sustainable forestry practices at the University of Maine School of Forest Resources and participates in online programs offered by various organizations. Larry is a member of several organizations that relate directly to the forests and woodlands of Maine, including the Maine Tree Farm Program, Maine Woodland Owners, and The American Chestnut Foundation. As the Maine Tree Farm Program Secretary, Larry was instrumental in the program’s recent restructuring, leading the process for the group to become an independent 501(C)3 nonprofit organization in 2023. Additionally, Larry serves as the Maine Woodland Owners Penobscot Valley Chapter Leader.
With the help of their consulting forester, Dave Wardrop, the Beauregards have had three commercial harvests designed to improve forest health. The most recent harvest was completed in 2021 with assistance from NRCS EQIP funding. The harvest consisted of a 3-acre overstory removal patch cut, 12 acres of marked crop tree release, and a selection harvest of approximately 30 acres. The couple has also completed several NRCS-supported projects, including installing two culverts and a bridge, creating a 1.1-acre pollinator plot, and invasive plant identification and management on two sites.
Larry and Barbara are proud of the work that they have done and plan to do on their woodlot in Old Town and are anxious to share their experiences with fellow woodland owners, forestry professionals, students, and the public.
The Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year award is annually awarded to recognize exceptional forest management practices and dedication to sustainable forestry. The award is sponsored by the Maine Tree Farm Program, a program of the American Tree Farm System.
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