Another Maine National Park?

[TheRaven]

As a maine resident as well I support creating a national park, or at least a national forestland in all of northern maine from Moosehead north. The logging companies are not managing the land well....just research Plum Creek for a good example. I say make it wild and prevent motorized access with the exception of a few access routes.

[weary]

As a maine resident as well I support creating a national park, or at least a national forestland in all of northern maine from Moosehead north. The logging companies are not managing the land well....just research Plum Creek for a good example. I say make it wild and prevent motorized access with the exception of a few access routes.

Such a forestland would be unequaled anywhere in north america, perhaps in the world. As would a typical National Park for that matter.

[bobqzzi]

As a maine resident as well I support creating a national park, or at least a national forestland in all of northern maine from Moosehead north. The logging companies are not managing the land well....just research Plum Creek for a good example. I say make it wild and prevent motorized access with the exception of a few access routes.

Never going to happen. Aside from the logging there is quite a bit of recreation that requires motorized access. Of course, if logging ended, the roads would quickly fall into disrepair.

[Bucherm]

Sorry, as a maine resident i would hate to see a national park created in the north maine woods.

We already have plenty of other parks you can visit without creating more pressure on wildlife in already accessible areas.


Maine Parks, historic site and public reserved lands

I would support it going to public reserved lands though.

NO NEW NATIONAL PARKS HERE !

I would wager that the amount of area that is easily accesible by the public to any new national park in the North Maine Woods would be not that big compared to the rest of the park. By making it a National Park it makes it a federal crime to poach in it or use ORVs. If, say, it becomes a giant conservation easement then you have to post bills and knock on wood that idiots won't ignore them.

[TheRaven]

Never going to happen. Aside from the logging there is quite a bit of recreation that requires motorized access. Of course, if logging ended, the roads would quickly fall into disrepair.

I fought for years for motorized access with my motorcycle, then after taking up hiking again I enjoy NOT hearing engines. Funny how views can change.

Heck I hate ORV/ATVs but the fat hillbillies who use them actually see and enjoy the wilderness, albeight a different way. They may destroy areas of it, but they can appreciate it. When the decisions need to be made on the voting, those hillbillies are likely to vote for protection from development.

It's a battle with no clear winner.

[woodsy]

If Acadia Nat Park is any example, then putting 2 million tourists in the Baxter Park area over a 2-3 mo. period would certainly ruin the experience for me . I'm surprised hikers of all people would want such a catastrophe.
Solitude be gone !

[Chomp09]

I don't think you can begin to put Acadia and the North Woods of Maine in the same category of National Park. To my knowledge there is no trail in Acadia longer than just a few miles at the most and you can see the ocean from your car.

My sense is that making the north woods into a park of some sort would do wonders for maintaining the land in it's current state as well as bring some much needed revenue (through tourism $) to the communities of northern Maine. It might also pay for the upkeep of existing roads once the logging companies leave for good. But let's not kid ourselves here, the majority of people who visit our national parks are not willing to walk more than a few hundred yards for the road. I welcome their interest (and financial support) and appreciate at the same time that they leave the backcountry to rest of us. I have little concern that it would greatly change the experience of exploring the area away from roads.

[woodsy]

New Hampshire could use a National Park, they don't have one yet. Mt Washington Auto Road could be their "Skyline Drive". Plus its closer to major metropolitan areas for maximum tourist profit.

[weary]

If Acadia Nat Park is any example, then putting 2 million tourists in the Baxter Park area over a 2-3 mo. period would certainly ruin the experience for me . I'm surprised hikers of all people would want such a catastrophe.
Solitude be gone !

Most park visitors never walk more than 200 yards to an overlook, or other attraction. On my visits to the various National Parks -- over the years, I never saw a crowded trail -- not even Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, or Yellowstone. Even the trails at Acadia are rarely crowded.

The alternatives are not a National Park, or the status quo. It's a National Park or continued commercial and residential development. If you prefer passing condo colonies on your walks, and giant windmills on every high ridgeline, over an occasional park hiker than you are right to oppose a Maine woods National Park.

[hikerboy57]

New Hampshire could use a National Park, they don't have one yet. Mt Washington Auto Road could be their "Skyline Drive". Plus its closer to major metropolitan areas for maximum tourist profit.

I think the next national park should be in delaware.
Itr would be hard to fit a national park in NH betwen all the national forests and wilderness areas.and Mt washington could absolutely use more tourists,they should build a second cog railway, too, to accomodate the crowds.

[mudhead]

IBy making it a National Park it makes it a federal crime to poach in it

Doesn't slow down some fools around here. State has plenty of stiff laws including taking your vehicle.

[QUOTE]

To my knowledge there is no trail in Acadia longer than just a few miles at the most and you can see the ocean from your car.

Blackwoods to Cadillac @ 5 miles. Then you could add x amount by going back in a large array of loops. Nothing backcountry here, despite what the kiosks might tell you.

It might also pay for the upkeep of existing roads once the logging companies leave for good.

That I doubt.

Even the trails at Acadia are rarely crowded.

When was the last time you hoofed it around here? Or maybe you only do before 8AM. Friggin' zoo.

The alternatives are not a National Park, or the status quo. It's a National Park or continued commercial and residential development. If you prefer passing condo colonies on your walks, and giant windmills on every high ridgeline, over an occasional park hiker than you are right to oppose a Maine woods National Park.

Or state public land or some other entity. A national park, while well intentioned, is a cash suck.

Ask Malone if he might be interested in opening his land to the public. That would be interesting.

[woodsy]

The national parks that we already have are underfunded , in disrepair, understaffed , polluted by noisy automobiles and gas guzzling motorhomes. We hardly need another one abutting a Pristine Baxter State Park however a grandiose idea it may seem.

The feds can't maintain the parks and historic sites that they already have let alone a new one which seems highly unlikely in todays financial climate. Heck the fed. govt. can't even maintain itself.

[Chomp09]

The national parks that we already have are underfunded , in disrepair, understaffed , polluted by noisy automobiles and gas guzzling motorhomes. We hardly need another one abutting a Pristine Baxter State Park however a grandiose idea it may seem.

The feds can't maintain the parks and historic sites that they already have let alone a new one which seems highly unlikely in todays financial climate. Heck the fed. govt. can't even maintain itself.

You're right Woodsy, we should just let the whole area get developed and sold off as 1/4 acre vacation homes and country clubs over the next 20 years. The wealthiest of us can buy up this property, gate it, and visit twice a year for holidays. That sounds like a MUCH better idea. While I agree that the funding for our parks is less than adequate, I would be curious to see numbers that show that parks could not pay for themselves if the entrance & camping fees weren't getting pulled into numerous other unconneted funds. Additionally, people from all over the world come to visit our national parks and recreation areas because they are unique and not available in many other parts of the world. No offense, but I believe that allowing pristine areas like Northern Maine to get developed is a very short sighted approach to our future.

[double d]

The NPS could be self contained if the Feds didn't take all the money raised by entry fees at NP's like RMNP and put that money into the general fund of the Federal Government. If and only if the Feds allowed for the money raised by NP to stay in NPS could we afford to upkeep them the way we should. Also, lets protect more Maine land by allowing another NP in Maine (of course, my opinion).

[weary]

....Or state public land or some other entity. A national park, while well intentioned, is a cash suck.

Ask Malone if he might be interested in opening his land to the public. That would be interesting.

No one is going to donate all the land needed to be protected. And the only public agency with pockets deep enough to buy the area is the federal government, once the present political confusion is resolved. I could live with a National Forest with significant wilderness areas. But the agency with the most savy is the National Park Service.

Maine is getting out of the land business. Significant Land For Maine Future bond issues haven't even gotten out of the Legislature, right alone to the people for a vote in years. I'm afraid it's federal dollars or no dollars. I applaud Roxanne Quimby for her efforts to stimulate a federal discussion. I hope it succeeds, and that she has the persistence of a Percival Baxter, who was equally ridiculed in his early efforts to protect Katahdin.

[woodsy]

I'm all for preserving Maine lands and in the past have donated to such .
A 10 year study of our National Parks was recently concluded and the findings are alarming.

Looks like we could destroy the area tryring to save it using the National Park approach.

[TheRaven]

National forest then....anything to get the land out of the logging companies hands...tired of seeing the bumper sticker "if you don't like logging, try using plastic toilet paper"

[weary]

I'm all for preserving Maine lands and in the past have donated to such .
A 10 year study of our National Parks was recently concluded and the findings are alarming.

Looks like we could destroy the area tryring to save it using the National Park approach.

Woodsy. The study you reference mostly attributes the damage to a general failure to protect the environment by the federal government. The damage from air and water pollution will occur regardless of the agency that takes over the neglected north Maine woods. Air quality over Acadia National Park in Maine routinely exceeds health standards for both people and vegetation. Maine pioneered water cleanup laws, but is dependent on federal standards for the quality of our air.

Other damage results from the lack of proper financing, which effects National Parks and National Forests. The Maine Appalachian TRail Club has been told to expect declining support from federal dollars. ATC reorganized itself a few years ago in an attempt to work independently of federal assistance.

Nor are state lands any better off. State parks throughout the nation are routinely threatened with closure from a lack of funds.

[mudhead]

You're right Woodsy, we should just let the whole area get developed and sold off as 1/4 acre vacation homes and country clubs over the next 20 years. The wealthiest of us can buy up this property, gate it, and visit twice a year for holidays. That sounds like a MUCH better idea.

Now you know that is the furthest thing on his mind.

The NPS could be self contained if the Feds didn't take all the money raised by entry fees at NP's like RMNP and put that money into the general fund of the Federal Government. If and only if the Feds allowed for the money raised by NP to stay in NPS could we afford to upkeep them the way we should. Also, lets protect more Maine land by allowing another NP in Maine (of course, my opinion).

Acadia is allowed to keep 85% +/- of entry fees. RMNP? Don't know.

No one is going to donate all the land needed to be protected.

This is debatable.

I applaud Roxanne Quimby for her efforts to stimulate a federal discussion. I hope it succeeds, and that she has the persistence of a Percival Baxter, who was equally ridiculed in his early efforts to protect Katahdin.

People thought George Dorr was flake, too. Just remember that Baxter cut a pile of trees before he thought a park might be nice. I am all for land preservation to a degree.

I see what a NP is about, living near one, and really think there has to be a better way.

[mudhead]

Some of those quotes got mis-labeled. Not sure why.