News & Issues piece on the purchase by John Malone of 7,500 acres around Spenc

News & Issues piece on the purchase by John Malone of 7,500 acres around Spencer Lake from Plum Creek Timberlands, a deal signaling the willingness of Plum Creek to sell off land to private individuals. Malone is a part-time Boothbay resident, chairman of Liberty Media Corp., and the country\u27s 73rd wealthiest person. Environmentalists have been concerned that Plum Creek might sell off shorefront to reduce its debt on the $180 million Maine timberlands purchase it made two years ago. General manager for Plum Creek\u27s Northeast region, Jim Lehner, bills the transaction as a conservation sale, although there is no official protection guarantee. Spencer Lake, on which Malone now owns all the shorefront, has outstanding fisheries, scenic, and botanical resources. Malone already owned over 8,000 acres around the lake, which is southwest of Greenville. Malone was instrumental in Boothbay\u27s local land trust being able to buy the Ovens Mouth Preserve in Boothbay and Indiantown Island on the Sheepscot River. Details on other Malone holdings in Maine