Martin thanks lawmakers for protecting outdoors

    AUGUSTA – Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Roland “Dan” Martin recently presented Commissioner’s Prints to two outgoing members of the Joint Committee of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for their outstanding commitment to the department.     House Committee Chairman Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, and Rep. Jacqueline Lundeen, D-Mars Hill, were recognized for their tireless efforts to protect Maine’s outdoors and its traditional heritage, according to Martin.
    “I congratulate Rep. Jackson and Rep. Lundeen for their outstanding service to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the state’s outdoor sports enthusiasts and the people of Maine,” Martin said. “Their commitment is noticed every time an angler hooks a native brook trout, a hunter bags a wild turkey or a citizen admires a moose in the distance. These opportunities remain abundant because of the work of legislators such as Rep. Jackson and Rep. Lundeen.”
    The Commissioner’s Print was created almost five years ago to recognize exemplary donations of time, energy or funds to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. This print honors the generosity of individuals, organizations or companies that go above and beyond what most do. The Commissioner’s Print is awarded at the sole discretion of the commissioner and deputy commissioner.
    Jackson and Lundeen are no longer eligible for re-election to the Maine House because of term limits, and both are campaigning for the Maine Senate.
    “I wish Rep. Jackson and Rep. Lundeen success in their bids for the Maine Senate,” Martin said. “I will look forward to working with them again in their new roles during the next legislative session.”
    The Commissioner’s Print is a watercolor work of artist Thomas K. Merriam. The print features three brook trout in fall colors along a gravel streambed. The inspiration for the print came from brook trout spawning in Maine’s Rapid River. Merriam’s miniature watercolor works are becoming increasing well known and can be found in coastal galleries in Maine and New Hampshire. Merriam is a Maine native whose work mirrors images of Coastal Maine and New Hampshire, as well as the interior landscapes of New England. Merriam also designed the new Maine Sportsman license plate.