FRYEBURG — A 370-acre forest in Ellsworth, the summit of Bauneg Beg Mountain in North Berwick and a patch of urban open space in Portland are among 20 new land conservation projects in Maine.
The Land for Maine's Future Board approved the projects. Land for Maine's Future is a conservation program that Democratic Gov. Janet Mills reactivated last year after a few years of dormancy.
The state approved $40 million for the program as part of the Maine budget. The board has approved 25 projects in total so far and more are expected later this year.
Mills said several of the applications to the program were from municipalities for the conservation of recreation areas. Those municipalities include Fryeburg, North Berwick, Owls Head, Portland, Searsmont and Windham.
The 20 new projects total a little more than $5 million.