The 21st Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races begins this weekend in Fort Kent, Maine.  Mushers from throughout North America and around the world will be competing on March 2-5 in three races: the 30-mile, the 60-mile, and the 250-mile.

Irving Woodlands, LLC is proud to sponsor the well-known 250-mile race.  It is the longest and highest caliber race in the eastern United States.
 
"On behalf of the Irving Woodlands and Sawmill teams in Maine, I congratulate the tremendous team of dedicated local citizens who have worked very hard to plan a world-class event," said Jim Irving, Co-Chief Executive Officer of J.D. Irving, Limited.  "I'm very proud of the commitment and energy of our employees in Northern Maine who dedicate their time and energy to volunteer at the event.”
 
The Can-Am Crown is a very special annual tradition in Fort Kent and a highlight of Maine’s winter sporting season.  Each year hundreds of spectators line the main street of the community, bringing significant tourism dollars into the region.  The company hosts a large refreshment tent on the main street - complete with hot chocolate and BBQ – that is free to all attending the race.

J.D. Irving, Limited has been creating jobs in the State since 1946.  Today the company sustains over 2000 direct and indirect jobs in forestry, lumber, agriculture, and railway operations in the State.  The company’s forests in Maine are audited and certified annually under two internationally recognized environmental programs – Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C041515) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).  Irving Woodlands has been nationally and internationally honoured for its research and conservation efforts in the Maine Woods and is a two-time recipient of awards from the science based Gulf of Maine Council of the Environment.

"Maine is a great place to live, work, raise a family, and enjoy the great outdoors.  Events like the 250-mile sled journey we are sponsoring through the woods remind us of what a diverse and vital role Maine’s forests play in the economic, social, and environmental health of the state," Mr. Irving said.