Tobey & Maya Woodward

Caring for the Land, Caring for the Community

Every building begins with a foundation.

Long before the first footing was poured or the first wall was framed, the expansion of the Friend Memorial Public Library began with something much simpler—preparing the land. When the time came to clear the site for the library's expansion, there was little question who should do the work. Around Brooklin, Tobey and Maya Woodward have earned a reputation for treating every property as if it were their own. Whether clearing a woodlot, shaping a landscape, or removing a dangerous tree, they bring years of experience, careful judgment, and an unmistakable pride in their work.

For the library, their task was straightforward: remove the trees that stood in the way of the new addition while protecting the natural character of the property that generations of Brooklin residents have enjoyed. Like so much of their work, they accomplished it quietly, efficiently, and with plenty of laughter along the way.

Tobey's path into forestry was almost inevitable—although perhaps not in the way his father expected. "My dad was a contractor," Tobey laughed. "That's exactly why I went into the woods." He enjoyed carpentry, but spending months on a single construction project wasn't for him. Every day in the woods brought a new challenge, a different landscape, and another opportunity to improve someone's property. Over time, he discovered something important. "I love it now," he said. "It's more like forest-scaping. You're paid to make it look nice." That philosophy has become the hallmark of Woodward Forestry.

Tobey doesn't simply remove trees. He studies each property with an artist's eye, imagining what it can become. Whether opening a view, improving the health of a woodlot, or carefully shaping the landscape around a home, he sees possibilities others often miss.

A Partnership Forged in the Woods

Their partnership has an origin story that could only happen in rural Maine. Years ago, Tobey was working alone in the woods, operating both a harvester and a grapple skidder. A forest ranger stopped by one day and mentioned he knew someone looking for work. That someone was Maya. She had never driven a grapple skidder before. "I needed a job," she laughed. "And Tobey was handsome..." Tobey couldn't help but smile. "She was trying to impress me." She certainly did. Unfortunately, she also impressed him with a $10,000 repair bill after accidentally overheating the skidder on one of her first days in the woods. The story still makes them both laugh.

Tobey & Maya

"Hopefully, hard work pays off. We work really hard, and we love what we do. It's pretty special to be able to work together every day."

But Tobey quickly discovered something far more important. "She can cut as good as any man I've ever had work for me," he said without hesitation. Today they work side by side every day, each bringing different strengths to the job. Maya is an accomplished sawyer, confidently dropping trees with the precision that comes from years of experience. As she works through the timber, Tobey is already hauling away the brush and logs, keeping the work moving while envisioning what the finished landscape will become.

Watching them together, it becomes clear that this isn't simply a business. It's a partnership built on trust, hard work, and genuine admiration for one another. Preparing the library site required more precision than many people realize. Each tree had to be carefully considered. Brush was chipped almost as quickly as it reached the ground. Even an overhanging limb above the new foundation required an early morning visit with a bucket truck before traffic filled Bay Road. "It was about five-thirty in the morning," Tobey remembered. "I looked over and there were already ten people standing at the store watching."

For a project in the heart of Brooklin, there was no shortage of spectators. Fortunately, Tobey and Maya have spent decades working under watchful eyes. Nearly everyone in town has either hired them, recommended them, or watched them transform another piece of property.

More Than Trees

Although Tobey jokes that everyone knows him because they've hired him to remove a tree, both he and Maya understand that their work is really about stewardship. Every property tells a story. Every decision shapes how that story continues. Whether opening a view, improving forest health, or restoring balance to an overgrown landscape, their goal is always the same—to leave the land better than they found it. That same philosophy made working on the library especially meaningful. Rather than simply preparing another building site, they were helping create a place where future generations will gather, learn, and build community.

Libraries have held an important place in both of their lives. Growing up in Southwest Harbor, Maya remembers walking to the public library, checking out stacks of books, and discovering a lifelong love of reading. Tobey spent countless hours in the Blue Hill Public Library while visiting his grandmother, who lived just across the street. Today, despite a world increasingly dominated by phones and screens, they still believe books matter.

"There's nothing like holding an actual book," Tobey reflected. "It's something real that you can hold in your hands." It seems fitting that two people who have spent their lives caring for the land helped prepare the ground for a place dedicated to learning, history, and community.

From the Job Site

One of the enjoyable aspects of this series is that it not only introduces the remarkable craftsmen behind the project, but also captures the story of the library as it rises from the ground. The pace of construction over the past week has been remarkable. The roof trusses have been set, the roof has been completely sheathed, and the trim and fascia are now in place. What only weeks ago looked like a construction site has quickly become a recognizable landmark in the center of Brooklin.

Each day, more people stop along Bay Road to watch the progress. The conversation usually begins with the same observation: "I can't believe how quickly it's coming together." It has been exciting to watch that transformation unfold. When I asked Tobey and Maya what they hoped future generations might remember about them, neither spoke about business success, equipment, or the thousands of trees they have harvested over the years. Instead, they talked about hard work, family, and the privilege of spending their lives working side by side.

Maya smiled. "Hopefully, hard work pays off. We work really hard, and we love what we do. It's pretty special to be able to work together every day."

-Robert Baird, Campaign Chair