[at-l] Maine Woods National Park & Preserve: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

[WHHAWKINS@aol.com]

Maine Woods National Park & Preserve: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

A century and a half ago, Henry David Thoreau envisioned the creation of a 
"national preserve" in the heart of the Maine Woods. Today, Thoreau's dream 
could become reality. As we enter the new millennium, we have an 
extraordinary opportunity to save, for all time, the largest remaining 
wilderness east of the Rockies.

We all know it is too late for many areas. Open space is being devoured at a 
breathless pace. Yet there are a few special places in America where it is 
still possible to create magnificent national parks; parks which can join 
Yellowstone, Denali, and Grand Canyon as world- class 
protected landscapes. The Maine Woods is such a place.

The Maine Woods is a land of superlatives. It is the largest surviving part 
of the great North Woods that once stretched unbroken from Maine to 
Minnesota. It is a land with unsurpassed natural values-deep forests, rugged 
mountains, clear waters, and abundant wildlife. It is a land with 
rich cultural values -- spectacular scenery, challenging recreation, colorful 
history, and time-honored traditions. Most of all, the Maine Woods is a BIG 
land, encompassing jaw-dropping, horizon-to- horizon, seemingly endless 
expanses of rolling forest that are more like Alaska than the rest of the 
lower 48 states.

The need to protect this national treasure grows more urgent with each 
day. These wildlands are in jeopardy and can vanish if we do not muster the 
will and the funds to save them. Quite simply it is up to the people of Maine 
and America to seize this opportunity, for it will not come again. Our 
children and their children and their children will thank us for having the 
wisdom and resolve to restore the heart of the legendary 
Maine Woods to the public domain as America's next great national park. May 
they never look back and marvel that we did not.

Choosing Our Future

For many generations, the Maine Woods was owned by those who knew and cared 
about Maine. This is why much of the region's wild grandeur survives today. 
But change is inevitable. As the global economy has expanded, most of the 
forest has been sold to timber and paper corporations. Today those companies 
are driven more by short- term profit than by local concerns or long- term 
forest health.

Indeed, clearcutting and other unsustainable logging practices have 
diminished vast acreages in the Maine Woods. In one short generation, an area 
larger than the state of Delaware has been clearcut, tens of thousands of 
miles of logging roads have been built, and millions of acres have been 
sprayed with toxic pesticides. Key tracts have been 
subdivided and thousands of houses have been built or expanded, especially 
along remote, unspoiled lakeshores. Pressures continue to mount for new 
powerlines, pipelines, dams, energy plants, waste dumps, mines, and more. At 
the same time, more than half of the lands in the Maine Woods have changed 
ownership in the last two decades, exacerbating 
the instability of the region. In less than a month in the autumn of 1998, 
more than 2.5 million acres of forestland have been sold. South African Pulp 
& Paper (Sappi) has sold 905,000 acres to Plum Creek Timber Company of 
Seattle. Bowater has sold a million acres to J.D. Irving Ltd. 
of New Brunswick and 656,000 acres to McDonald Investment Company of Alabama.

The crisis in the Maine Woods also offers an historic opportunity. For a 
price of $250 an acre or less, some of these industrial forest lands could be 
purchased and preserved as a new Maine Woods National Park and 
Preserve -- returning this irreplaceable part of our heritage to the people 
of this and future generations. Such a national treasure may never be as 
affordable again.

We can no longer depend on the ways of the past to preserve the forest for 
the future. As millions of acres of forestland are put up for sale, we are 
presented with a clear choice -- try to patch together a failing status quo 
or purchase some of the most important lands and restore them as a great 
Maine Woods National Park.

Protecting Our Natural Treasures

The proposed Maine Woods National Park and Preserve would protect one of the 
most important concen-trations of ecological, recreational, and cultural 
features in the United States. This majestic park would encompass:


3.2 million acres of wildlands, an area larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite 
combined, making it the second biggest national park in the contiguous U.S.; 
thousands of miles of clear-running rivers and streams, including the 
headwaters of five of America's legendary rivers -- Allagash, Aroostook, 
Kennebec, Penobscot, and St. John; a wide variety of natural wonders, 
including some of New England's last 
old-growth forests; scenic landscapes of lush green forests punctuated by 
steep mountains; powerful waterfalls and rapids; scores of remote lakes and 
ponds; and deep canyons and gorges; critical habitat for endangered and 
sensitive wildlife, and the rare opportunity to restore a healthy ecosystem 
that includes the full range of native species;
wilderness recreation on an Alaskan scale, featuring more than 1,250 miles of 
hiking trails, including the famed Hundred Mile Wilderness section of the 
Appalachian Trail; the lake portion of the legendary Allagash Wilderness 
Waterway; hundreds of miles of wild streams; and world-class angling and 
hunting opportunities; a hundred centuries of human history, including Native 
American sites, places explored by Henry David Thoreau and other adventurers, 
and important early logging-era artifacts.

Providing a Sanctuary for Wildlife

Not so long ago the Maine Woods was covered with old-growth forests of 
spruce, fir, pine, maple, oak, birch and other northern hardwoods and 
evergreens. These, along with innumerable rivers, lakes, wetlands, mountains, 
and meadows, provided habitats for a rich diversity of wildlife.

Most native wildlife species still live here. The black bear, moose, beaver, 
loon, broad- winged hawk, and blue-spotted salamander are common. But 
overhunting, overfishing, and industrial logging have diminished the numbers 
of many species. The spruce grouse, Canada lynx, American marten, and wild 
Atlantic salmon are rare or threatened. The wolf, cougar, wolverine, and 
caribou have been driven out altogether.

Maine Woods National Park would be a vast sanctuary for wildlife, safe from 
logging and industrial development. This new park would provide critical 
habitat for all the native creatures which today call this region home. It 
would allow for the eventual recovery of species that are now endangered or 
missing from the Maine Woods. Finally, the park 
could be the foundation of an even larger system of interconnected public 
parks and reserves stretching across the North Woods from Maine to the 
Adirondacks, and across the border to the wildlands of Canada.

Preserving World-Class Recreation

The possibilities for recreation in the proposed Maine Woods National Park 
are enough to lift the spirits of any hiker, angler, backpacker, camper, 
hunter, canoeist, snowshoer, snowmobiler, cross-country skier, naturalist, 
kayaker, rafter, birder, photographer, ambler, peruser, and 
anticipator of the infinite, the unexpected, the rare, the beautiful, the 
wild. In fact, the recreational opportunities are so rich and numerous that a 
lifetime of exploration may not exhaust them.

Those who suggest that such recreational opportunities already exist in 
Maine, are not looking far enough ahead. Without public protection, over time 
these resources inevitably will be degraded, diminished, and lost 
to public access. Already, over 2 million acres of private lands in Maine are 
posted against trespassing. As additional lands are developed and posted the 
public can expect to lose access to more areas. The Maine Woods National Park 
could preserve public access to more than three 
million acres to ensure people's right to enjoy them forevermore.

Fueling a Healthy Economy

The economy of northern Maine is in serious trouble. The forest products 
industry, traditionally the economic backbone of the state, is declining. 
Thousands of jobs have been cut due to mechanization, phasing out of 
inefficient mills, and overcutting of the forest. In the past two decades, 
more than 40 percent of logging jobs and 20 percent of mill jobs have been 
lost. Unemployment in Maine's northern counties typically runs several times 
higher than the national average.

National parks offer economic opportunity to local communities. Each year 
Acadia National Park helps to bring over $100 million to the economy of 
coastal Maine. One study found that a Maine Woods National Park could 
generate several times that amount in annual retail sales, and support up to 
20,000 new jobs. Clean service industries are drawn to 
national parks because of the high quality of life they offer to employees. 
New jobs could include education, trade, information, finance, business, 
health care, legal services, transportation, and other well-paying 
professions. Meanwhile, 80 percent of the commercial forestland in Maine 
would remain available to support timber jobs.

A new Maine Woods National Park would add enormously to the economic 
potential of tourism, also. Indeed, tourism already employs more people in 
Maine than any other business, including forestry. Most tourists want to 
visit big, beautiful, natural places, not industrial landscapes. 
Protecting the wilderness character of the heart of the Maine Woods would be 
one of the most rewarding investments that the people of Maine and America 
could make.

Moving from Vision to Reality

The Maine Woods National Park and Preserve (MWNP) proposal is the result of 
years of careful planning. The full range of possible options was considered 
before reaching the conclusion that a national park is the best way to 
preserve the region's outstanding features and crucial values.

The creation of the MWNP will take an act of Congress. This will require the 
support of people in Maine and across America.

 

Virtually all of the lands in the proposed MWNP are in "unorganized 
territories" where there are no towns. The small number of people living 
within the proosed park area could retain their homes or camps.

Maine has the largest concentration of industrial ownership and one of the 
lowest proportions of public land (under 6%) of any state. Creation of a 
national park would help restore the balance of public and private ownership. 
Outside of the park, four-fifths of Maine's commercial timberlands would 
remain unaffected. State-owned lands within the MWNP, 
such as Baxter State Park, would stay under state ownership.

The proposed MWNP would be a combination of national park and national 
preserve, guaranteeing public access for the full range of recreational uses. 
Fishing would be allowed throughout. Hunting and snowmobiling would continue 
in the preserve portion. Other traditional recreational 
uses would continue in both the park and preserve.


The MWNP proposal takes into account the needs of local people. It allows 
public access in accordance with longtime Maine Woods tradition; provides for 
assistance to the state and nearby communities to help them manage 
opportunities for tourism and economic development; calls for the 
establishment of a citizen advisory commission to provide public 
oversight of management decisions; and requires federal payments 
in-lieu-of-taxes (which are estimated to be higher than current property 
taxes).

As with many of our greatest public reserves -- such as Great Smoky Mountains 
and Shenandoah National Parks, White Mountain National Forest, Adirondack 
Park, and Maine's Baxter State Park -- much of Maine Woods National Park 
would need to recover from past industrial damage. As lands come under public 
ownership, logging and other resource extraction 
would be phased out. Core areas would be restored to a wild condition. 
Appropriate road access would continue in other areas.


What You Can Do

Maine Woods National Park is not only a bold vision. It is a practical 
solution. Over the last decade, conservationists have tried virtually every 
strategy available to save the forests of Maine -- except the creation of a 
new national park. Unfortunately, none of the other strategies has worked. 
Meanwhile, time continues to run out.

Now, more and more people are coming to believe that our last best chance to 
preserve and restore the glory of the Maine Woods is to return the heart of 
the region to public ownership as a magnificent national park. A small state 
like Maine alone does not have the money to acquire and protect these immense 
forest lands. It will take the support of the 
American people and the resources of our national government to meet this 
challenge.


Please join us in creating America's next great national park!

For more information about the Maine Woods National Park proposal, contact: 

RESTORE: The North Woods
7 North Chestnut St.
Augusta, Maine 04330
Phone: 207-626-5635
http://www.restore.org

Email: mainewoods@restore.org

 

Maine Woods National Park & Preserve: Questions and Answers


In 1994, RESTORE: The North Woods proposed a 3.2 million- acre Maine Woods 
National Park. As a first step, we have called for a feasibility study of the 
park idea. Here are some of the questions we are most commonly asked and our 
answers:

 

What makes this place so special? The proposed Maine Woods National Park 
would lie in the heart of the largest remaining wildland east of the Rockies. 
This new park would encompass (1) the headwaters of major Maine rivers, 
including the Allagash, Penobscot, and St. John; (2) most of 
Moosehead Lake and hundreds of remote ponds; (3) critical habitat for the 
lynx, bald eagle, wood turtle, Atlantic salmon, and other sensitive wildlife; 
(4) 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail and other spectacular recreational 
opportunities; and (5) unique historical sites important to 
Native Americans, loggers, and Henry David Thoreau. This is a place that 
stands alongside Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and other existing national parks 
as one of America's great natural treasures.


Isn't the Maine Woods already being well cared for? Most of the region is now 
owned by a few large corporations based far from Maine. Driven by global 
pressures to maximize short-term profits, they have been clearcutting the 
forest, spraying toxic pesticides, building new logging roads, and 
subdividing pristine shorelands. To cut costs, they have sought tax breaks 
and eliminated thousands of jobs. Without protection 
the Maine Woods -- and a valued way of life for Mainers -- may soon be lost.


Why a national park? The world-class values of the Maine Woods face global 
threats. The State of Maine alone cannot protect such a large area. But a 
Maine Woods National Park would make it possible to safeguard the land for 
the public benefit. It would protect the forests, watersheds, and wildlife 
while restoring past damage; ensure public 
access for backcountry recreation; and bring new economic benefits to the 
region. And the strong public support for existing national parks makes it 
more likely that we can gain support for a new one.

How would the Maine Woods National Park & Preserve affect the economy of 
northern Maine? It would help by revitalizing and stabilizing the troubled 
economy of the region. A recent study showed that over-reliance on the forest 
products industry has seriously weakened the economy of Maine and the number 
of forest industry jobs will continue to decline 
even if logging increases. While forest industry jobs dwindle, service sector 
jobs in Maine are growing, especially where environmental values are 
protected. By contrast, the rapid industrialization of the Maine Woods is 
putting Maine at a comparative economic disadvantage by damaging the wildland 
values that can be the basis of a healthy economy. 
Under existing programs the park could also pay more to state and local 
governments than property taxes now provide. The MWNP would help diversify 
the economy, while leaving four-fifths of Maine's commercial timberland 
unaffected.

What kinds of uses would be allowed in the park? The proposed park would 
actually be a park and preserve, guaranteeing public access for traditonal 
recreation. Hunting, trapping, and snowmobiling would continue in the 
preserve portion. Other traditional recreational uses would continue in both 
the park and preserve portions. The public would decide the size and location 
of park and preserve areas during the study 
process.


How would the Maine Woods National Park & Preserve affect traditional fishing 
and hunting opportunities? It would help by protecting habitat and securing 
public access. Fishing and hunting are not as good as they used to be in 
northern Maine. The Maine Woods National Park & Preserve would improve this 
by providing more diversity. Rather than having virtually all of our 
woodlands managed as an industrial "working 
forest," lands within the park and preserve would be protected from logging, 
herbicide spraying, development and other activities destructive to habitat. 
In both park and preserve areas fishing would continue. In preserve areas 
hunting and trapping would continue without the worry that access might 
suddenly be cut-off by changes in private 
land ownership. In other words, MWNP would expand the area of Maine where 
hunting and trapping are assured. MWNP would also reduce conflicts with 
non-hunters by providing some areas free ofopportuni

 

How would the Maine Woods National Park & Preserve affect existing sporting 
camps and private camps? It would help by providing longer term stability. 
Camps on lease lots could continue within the MWNP, but they would probably 
be eligible for long-term leases, rather than the increasingly expensive 
short-term leases common now. On owned lots, if camp owners wanted to sell, 
there could be a willing buyer. If they just 
wanted to keep their camps and pass them on, they could. Moreover, camp 
owners would not have to worry about the forest around them being ruined by 
industrial forest practices. They would have much more assurance than 
they have now of being in a high quality natural environment.

How would the Maine Woods National Park & Preserve affect snowmobiling? It 
would help by securing access. Today snowmobilers worry about being cut off 
by private land owners. In preserve areas of the MWNP snowmobiling, like 
hunting and trapping, would be a primary use.

 

Would crowds and over-development be a problem? Wildland values would be 
protected on park lands. No new commercial development would be allowed. The 
park would provide vast open space for people to spread out and restored 
wildlands for those seeking solitude. Nearby towns could take 
advantage of new economic opportunities. Working together with park staff, 
the towns could guide growth, prevent unwise development, and protect their 
quality of life. The proposed feasibility study would assess these issues.

 

Who will decide whether or not to create the park? The public will decide. 
The proposed study would assess the feasibility of a park, consider 
alternatives, cooperate with landowners and state officials, and ensure 
public participation. The study would give people the information they need 
and the opportunity to give their viewpoints. If the study showed strong 
public support, this could lead to a new law to 
authorize the park.

Is creating a Maine Woods National Park feasible? Earlier this century, 
efforts to protect the White Mountains and Mount Katahdin were called 
"politically unrealistic." Yet today these areas are magnificent public 
reserves. Similarly, the vision of a new Maine Woods National Park could 
bring together the public support and financial resources needed to make it a 
reality. Vast tracts of land could be acquired from willing sellers. The 
total price tag: less than one B-2 Stealth bomber. Now is the time to act for 
this and future generations.


For more information contact RESTORE: The North Woods at www.restore.org
 
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