Gov. John Baldacci today hailed the acquisitions, one of which preserves 29,500 acres and the other 15,000 acres.

Mainers can now recreate on a vast tract of land that stretches from Moosehead Lake to Baxter State Park. The Appalachian Mountain Club today announced that it's purchased the 29,500 acre Roach Ponds tract, the missing link in a 63-mile-long corridor of conservation land between the lake and park.

The acquisition creates a parcel of nearly 600,000 contiguous acres open to public recreation use. The club has donated a conservation easement on Roach Ponds property to the state.

The easement permanently protects the headwaters of the West Branch of the Pleasant River, a native brook trout fishery, the club says. The AMC will manage the property to promote nature-based tourism, but some sustainable forestry will also be allowed.

In addition, The Nature Conservancy is acquiring 15,000 acres in western Maine's Moose River Reserve, a popular remote paddling route.

Gov. John Baldacci hailed the acquisitions today at an Augusta news conference.