Maine Woods Park Proposal at-a-Glance
Create, over time, a 3.2 million-acre national park and preserve
in the Moosehead-Katahdin region of northern Maine
Maine Woods Park Proposal at-a-Glance
Create, over time, a 3.2 million-acre national park and preserve
in the Moosehead-Katahdin region of northern Maine
RESTORE AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
• Prevent development and fragmentation of land ownership and wildlife habitat
• Protect water quality and restore fish habitat
• End the spraying of toxic pesticides
• Restore natural habitat for native plants and wildlife
• Establish the premier wilderness area of the eastern U.S.
ENSURE PERMANENT PUBLIC ACCESS FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION
• Restore quality fishing throughout the area
• Significantly increase the miles of hiking trails and number of family campsites
• Continue hunting and snowmobiling in a National Preserve
• Continue the tradition of private sporting camps serving the public
• Continue leases for existing private camps so that people are not displaced
• Provide educational programs about the natural and human history of the Maine Woods
• Ensure public access; reduce or eliminate road/gate/access fees
SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY
• Create new jobs through direct employment and the attraction of new businesses
• Stimulate the economy by drawing more visitors to the area
• Help stem the out-migration of hard-working Maine residents and young people
• Ensure that communities and people are not displaced by excluding developed areas
• Provide technical and funding support to help communities manage economic growth
• Make payments in lieu of taxes that would offset property tax losses on public lands
• Support the forest products industry by:
• buying land only from willing sellers - landowners can continue to manage for forest products as long as it is economically viable, and they will have a willing buyer for their land when it is not.
• establishing the park/preserve gradually to avoid sudden changes in the economy
• leaving more than 14 million acres of Maine forest outside the park area
PUBLIC INPUT AND FUNDING
• Conduct a congressionally authorized, public feasibility study to verify that the area is of national significance and to analyze and compare conservation alternatives
• Assure public input by establishing a citizens board to help oversee the park/preserve
• Fund with new appropriations from the Land & Water Conservation Fund.
For more information, contact:
This article was originally published in the Fall 2006 edition of The Maine Woods, a publication of the Forest Ecology Network.
SAVE MOOSEHEAD P.O. Box 2118, Augusta, Maine 04338 phone: 207-628-6404 fax - 207-628-5741 email: info@savemoosehead.org
