Beginning in the spring of 2016, visits were made to the Great State of Maine generally to get a lay of the land and determine what parts of the State would be suitable for Habitat for Canaries. The initial criteria included large acreage so as to insulate the intended land use from neighboring uses, navigable stream or pond, more hardwoods than softwoods, drive time to airports (Portland or Bangor), no major offending uses nearby like power stations or asphalt plants, elevation above sea level (300’+), topography and vehicular accessibility. Though a number of sites were found, none that matched all eight criteria.

We found a nice lake with surrounding land having a good topography, but far too many softwoods. So we kept looking.

After three trips, we can now identify 4 general zones to concentrate the investigation. Using Lake Sebago (about 30 miles due west of Portland Me) as a reference point, parcels southwest, northwest, north and northeast towards Bangor are the primary search areas for 2017.