More than a century after Maine’s Penobscot Nation lost control of much of its ancestral landscape, 11,297 acres have now been returned; the wider $32.5 million effort aims to return more than 30,000 acres

11,297 acres surrounding the East Branch of the Penobscot River were returned to the Penobscot Nation, marking the first phase of a larger effort to restore more than 30,000 acres of ancestral homeland (Image Credit: Chris Bennett/ Trust for Public Land)

A vast stretch of Maine forest has changed hands in a return more than a century in the making. On September 16, 2026, 11,297 acres surrounding the East Branch of the Penobscot River were returned to the Penobscot Nation, marking the first phase of a larger effort to restore more than 30,000 acres of ancestral homeland. The Trust for Public Land, which is partnering with the Penobscot Nation on the project, said the wider effort began in 2023 with a $32.5 million fundraising goal. So far, $20.7 million has been raised, with additional funding still needed to complete the remaining phases.

A first step toward returning more than 30,000 acres

The 11,297-acre transfer is part of the Wáhsehtəkʷ land-return effort, named for the East Branch of the Penobscot River. The property lies near the base of Katahdin and just south of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. The first phase covers an area roughly comparable in size to the city of Portland, Maine. It includes about 15 miles of cold-water streams, 865 acres of ponds and wetlands, and habitat used by species including Atlantic salmon, brook trout and moose.The project is being carried out through a partnership between the Penobscot Nation and the Trust for Public Land. The conservation organisation purchased the broader property from timber harvesters after it came onto the market more than three years ago, while working with the Nation to raise the money needed to return the land. The partnership’s broader goal is to return more than 30,000 acres to the Penobscot Nation. Completing that effort will require another $12 million, according to the Trust for Public Land and Maine Public.

Land with cultural and environmental importance

The returned property is significant not only because of its size but also because of its connection to Penobscot culture and the East Branch of the Penobscot River. The Nation plans to take an active role in caring for the landscape, including restoring habitats around waterways and monitoring wildlife and ecological conditions. Planned work includes tracking ticks and monitoring bat populations, alongside broader efforts to protect habitats and waterways.The land also creates opportunities for Penobscot citizens to access natural resources. Those plans include hunting, harvesting and potential economic development, according to Chuck Loring, the Penobscot Nation’s natural resources director, as reported by Maine Public. For the Nation, the difference between advising on conservation and actually owning the land is significant. Ownership gives the Penobscot Nation greater authority over how the property is managed and conserved.

The 11,297-acre transfer is part of the Wáhsehtəkʷ land-return effort, named for the East Branch of the Penobscot River (Image Credit: Chris Bennett/ Trust for Public Land)

A potential new route to Katahdin Woods and Waters

The land return could also affect access to the nearby Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. One long-term possibility is the creation of a southern access route through the returned land near Millinocket. Currently, there is no southern access route into the monument, and the proposed connection could eventually make the area easier to reach.However, the access-road proposal is still in development. Details regarding its route, construction and timing have not yet been finalised. According to the Trust for Public Land, improved access could also benefit communities around the Katahdin region by making it easier for visitors to reach the monument and potentially increasing activity for local businesses, including restaurants, lodging providers and outdoor recreation operators.

Part of a larger Wabanaki land-return effort

The Penobscot project is also connected to a broader effort involving Maine’s Wabanaki Nations. The Wáhsehtəkʷ project forms part of Tributary Land Returns, a collaboration involving the four federally recognised Wabanaki tribes in Maine and seven conservation organisations. The wider initiative seeks to return more than 50,000 acres through 11 projects.The Penobscot Nation currently stewards approximately 140,000 acres, according to the Trust for Public Land. The organisation said the four Wabanaki Nations collectively hold only about 1% of their ancestral lands in Maine, placing the current project within a much larger history of land ownership and restoration. The partnership also reflects a shift in how conservation organisations approach Indigenous communities. Rather than treating tribes only as advisers or stakeholders in conservation projects, land-return initiatives place ownership and stewardship directly in tribal hands.

What happens next

The September 2026 transfer completes only the first phase of the Wáhsehtəkʷ project. The partners are continuing to raise money for the remaining land, with the overall campaign targeting $32.5 million and $20.7 million already secured. Once the full project is completed, more than 30,000 acres around the East Branch of the Penobscot River could be under Penobscot ownership and stewardship.For the Nation, the returned 11,297 acres represent more than a large tract of Maine forest. The property reconnects Penobscot people with land, waterways and natural resources tied to their culture, while creating opportunities for conservation, recreation and future economic activity. The first transfer therefore marks both the completion of one phase and the beginning of the next: a continuing effort to return the remaining acreage and restore Penobscot ownership across a much larger part of the ancestral landscape.