The Meduxnekeag River land return to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, a Tributary project
The beginning of 2026 marks the halfway point in the Tributary Land Returns, a historic collaboration between five Tribal communities and numerous organizations to return more than 50,000 acres to Wabanaki people. Five of the eleven projects have been returned to the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Tribes, many more projects are deep in process, and half of the funds are raised to complete the Tributary returns.
On a chilly January morning, Tribal leadership, Commission members, and First Light community partners gathered in Winterport. We spent a day together learning from each other and the completed Tributary returns – Medicine Wheel, the North Branch of the Meduxnekeag, Patten Pond, and Hungry Island. We heard detailed updates from project partners about the returns still in progress, and discussed the future of Wabanaki land return beyond the eleven projects in this initial cohort.
We were honored to be joined by Penobscot Chief Kirk Francis, who offered opening remarks grounding us in the importance of this collective work to return land to the Wabanaki nations. In the morning, Wabanaki elders helped create the space with song and prayer. Wabanaki and non-native project partners shared detailed overviews and learnings from five of the returns that are still in process (see below for a detailed overview of the five projects). Afterwards, we gathered in small groups, to discuss challenges and opportunities that are arising in the work, to pool our learnings, and to think creatively about how to best support the work going forward.
In the midst of the hard work, we also took time to celebrate how far we’ve come together. We shared a beautiful meal, cooked and served with love by Katahdin Kitchen, and we shared gifts.
In the afternoon, we gathered in a full circle, to reflect on the work so far, and share our hopes and ideas for the future of land return beyond the Tributary projects. We discussed ways that non-native organizations can respond to Tribal priorities and create different options and pathways for access and ownership. We talked about new strategies to coordinate fundraising and reach new funders. And we learned about the Wabanaki Commission’s community prioritization process, which will engage the five Wabanaki communities in conversation over the next year about land and access priorities to inform future projects after Tributary is complete.
Conversations about active land return projects from those closest to the work:
Chuck Loring, the Penobscot Department of Natural Resources Director and Betsy Cook of Trust for Public Land spoke about Wáhsehtəkʷ: A return to Penboscot Nation of over 30,000 acres of forest and wetlands in the East Branch of the Penobscot River watershed. The opportunity first came to Trust for Public Land (TPL) in June 2022. The Forest Society of Maine (FSM) connected them with the Penobscot Nation to discuss the project. This parcel will create more opportunities for Tribal land and water stewardship, and expanded recreational and economic opportunities. The project is led by partners Penobscot Nation and TPL, and TPL is actively fundraising for the $32M in project costs. With $17.8M raised so far, TPL hopes to make a phase one transfer of 11,000 acres to Penobscot Nation in 2026, but this is contingent on USDA grants that are currently in limbo.
Dale Mitchell, one of the Commissioners for the Passamaquoddy at Sipayik spoke with Jacob van de Sande about Rocky Lake / Edmunds, a return to the Passamaquoddy Tribe of 6,300 acres of forests and streams, 15 miles from Sipayik. As sea level rise threatens Sipayik, this land could offer a place to retreat to, with the benefits of good road access and a location in an unorganized territory that is favorable for the Federal Trust process. The project partners are the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and the Conservation Fund. The land has been acquired by the Conservation Fund, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust is actively fundraising, with $790,646 raised so far towards the $6.81 million project cost. The goal is to transfer ownership to the Passamaquoddy Tribe within 2-3 years.
Shannon Hill, Mi’kmaq Director of Environmental Health and Brett Ciccotelli of First Light spoke about Bridgewater, a return to Mi’kmaq Nation of over 3,400 acres of forests, wetlands, and waterways, 20 miles from both Presque Isle and Houlton. This project will double the Mi’kmaq Nation’s landbase, providing open woods and wetlands for forest management, recreation, hunting, fishing, land care, ceremonial, and spiritual opportunities. The project partners are Mi’kmaq Nation, First Light, and The Conservation Fund. The Conservation Fund has acquired the land and $1.85 million has been raised towards the $2 million project cost.
Darren Ranco, Executive Director of the Wabanaki Commission and Adam Pereira of Maine Coast Heritage Trust talked about a 16-acre, undeveloped coastal island, slightly east of Popham Beach at the mouth of the Kennebec River. There is strong interest in Wabanaki ownership and stewardship, and conversions are still ongoing about which Nation or Wabanaki entity will be the future owner. Closing needs to occur by the end of 2026, and $227,000 is currently raised towards the approximate $1,187,000 project cost.
Shannon Hill of the Mi’kmaq Nation and Abby King from The Nature Conservancy of Maine spoke about Oxbow, a possible land return to Mi'kmaq Nation, currently stalled in process, of 249 acres along the Aroostook River. The parcel is right on the Oxbow of the river, and includes one mile of river frontage. Tribal leadership and Commissioners and from both Mi’kmaq Nation and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians have visited and discussed this parcel and supported its acquisition and ownership by Mi’kmaq Nation as an important place to connect to the Aroostook River, harvest ash, hunt, fish, and gather medicine. Currently, the seller and the Nature Conservancy have been unable to come to an agreement on the purchase price. While project partners hope the seller will eventually come around, the project is offering hard but important learning about the challenges that arise in this work, and raises important questions about what to do when a project stalls.