Pictured: Governor Mills with Jay and Kathryn Libby
Tree farmers Jay and Kathryn Libby are the proud recipients of the 2025 Maine Outstanding Tree Farm Award, which recognizes their exemplary forest management and commitment to sustainable practices. The couple, who have been tree farming for more than three decades, were presented with the accolade by Maine Governor Janet Mills, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal and Maine Forest Service Director Patty Cormier during Maine Arbor Week (18 – 24 May).
Jay and Kathryn Libby manage a 49-hectare woodlot in Cornville, Somerset County. Their forest is a diverse and thriving ecosystem that features species such as maple, white pine, spruce, fir, hemlock, white ash, red oak and birch. With support from their consulting foresters, Jay and Kathyrn demonstrate a thoughtful approach to land management. Their goals include improving timber quality, maintaining recreational access for family and friends and preserving the natural character of their land for future generations.
“The real objective is having the enrichment of owning and caring for this property and involving our children and grandchildren to carry on our love of it,” the couple stated in their nomination application.
However, the couple’s stewardship doesn’t stop there. It extends to creating wildlife habitats for local species, including deer, grouse, turkey and bears. They achieve this by promoting masting trees such as red oak and beech and sustaining the wild apple trees. The property features wet areas and seasonal brooks that attract and support local wildlife, which the Libbys manage with the same care they give their trees.