Media report on group’s announcement to grow Maine’s forest industry
The Portland Press Herald, Maine Public, Bangor Daily News, News Center Maine, WABI (Channel 5) and WVII (Channel 7) reported on an announcement made at the University of Maine to help boost Maine’s forest economy. Forest Opportunity Roadmap/Maine (FOR/Maine), a group with representatives from industry, communities, government and others including UMaine, said the forest products industry could maintain a leading role in the state’s economy if it is more nimble in adapting to rapid changes in markets, technology and social trends, Press Herald reported. The goal of the group is to grow Maine’s forest economy from $8.5 billion annually to $12 billion by 2025 by maximizing existing resources and adding new technologies and products, according to Maine Public. Charlotte Mace, executive director of Biobased Maine, told Maine Public that research at UMaine and in the private sector is helping to develop the products of the future. Sun Journal, Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal carried the Press Herald report.