Welcome to the Maine Natural Areas Program's Data Checker site. This data checker allows you to verify the existence of rare plants and rare or exemplary natural communities in the vicinity of specific locations in Maine.

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Maine Data Checker Overview

The Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) maintains mapped information on rare species and rare and exemplary natural communities. The Data Checker enables inquiries on behalf of landowners or their designated agents regarding MNAP records in the vicinity of specific properties.

This is a non-regulatory tool intended to help foresters and landowners acquire information relevant for timber harvest reviews, forest management planning, forestry cost-share practices, forest certification, or related purposes. This is not a permitting tool, and it does not include screening for data from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (e.g., lynx or Atlantic salmon) and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. For inquiries regarding development or forestry permitting, please follow standard permitting procedures by contacting the Department of Environmental Protection,(www.maine.gov/dep), Land Use Regulation Commission (www.maine.gov/doc/lurc), or Maine Forest Service (www.maine.gov/doc/mfs), or other permitting authorities.

For questions or comments regarding this tool, please contact MNAP at (207) 287-8064 or send an e-mail to maine.nap@maine.gov.

What can you get by using the Data Checker? (scroll down)

• You will receive an automatic confirmation if there are no MNAP features in the vicinity of your project area.
• If features are found in the vicinity of your project area, you will be guided on how to contact MNAP staff for further information on the features and management considerations for them. This follow-up, on your part, is voluntary.

What CAN'T you get by using the Data Checker?

• Although you can use the data checker to find out if there are MNAP features in the vicinity of a property, you cannot accurately determine the location of the features or the specific feature itself. The Data Checker looks for potential overlap to MNAP features.
• The tool does not provide any information about what kind of features might be in an area. You will need to contact MNAP for more information on the feature when an overlap is detected.
• If there are MNAP features in the vicinity, you cannot get a definitive statement of whether your project will actually impact rare species or natural communities. The Data Checker collects some information about each project, but more project details (e.g., site plans) or a site visit may be needed to assess impacts. Please follow up with MNAP (see below)
• The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife is the source of information for animal occurrence data. MDIFW is in the process of developing animal information for inclusion in the "data checker." While development is ongoing, you may contact the Department’s regional offices for animal occurrence data. This URL -- http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/management/wildliferegionmap.htm -- will direct you to MDIFW’s regional map and contact information for our seven regional field offices.

What information do you need to have to use this site?

• The specific location (polygon) of the area you are interested in.
• The name, address, and contact information of the landowner and confirmation that the landowner agrees to the request for information.
• If the requestor is not the landowner, the name, address, and contact information of the person requesting the information on behalf of the landowner.
• The type of project for which this information will be used.
• If a follow up inquiry to MNAP is recommended, please submit a map and brief project description to MNAP at maine.nap@maine.gov, or via hard copy to:

Information Manager, Maine Natural Areas Program, State House Station 93, 17 Elkins Lane, Augusta ME 04333.