[at-l] Logging too close for me. (Photo)

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

The trail in Maine is a hodgpodge of state, National Park Service and private
lands. The latter are protected with easements. The Mahoosucs, Bigelow,
Namakanta and a few smaller areas are state-owned and without a specific
corridor. Maine has no National Forests, except for a tiny corner of the White
Mountain National Forest that spills into the state many miles from the AT.

 Most of the trail in Maine, however, was purchased by the National Park Service
after attempts by the MATC to work out agreements with the private landowners
mostly failed.

NPS ownership is a mile wide in places. Elsewhere it is as small as the minimum
allowed by law (200 yards I think)

 Since the land was purchased without detailed surveys of the trail location,
 the trail wanders through the corridor and is not necessarily in the center. In
 a few places it even runs outside the corridor, or did. This is being corrected
 with relocations and I don't know if these are completed yet.

  From time to time there are violations of the corridor by wood harvesters and
  others, so any apparent incursions should be reported to MATC. The address is
  Maine Appalachian Trail Club, PO Box 283, Augusta, ME 04332. For speedy
  delivery, put attention Roger Merchant on the envelope. He is the corridor
  monitoring chair.

  Roger is attempting to set up a system of corridor monitors in which someone
  annually would walk the corridor boundaries, but there are still many gaps in
  the system.

  Persons living within reasonable distance of the trail in Maine and who wish
  to help with the monitoring effort can volunteer by contacting Roger.

  Weary