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TJ aka Teej
11-27-2003, 23:16
From a news story from the Portland Maine Press Herald titled
"[Maine Governor]Baldacci sets course for state's wilderness"
comes this tidbit:
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The Maine Sierra Club applauded Baldacci's Woods Legacy plan, particularly a portion to explore new business and other opportunities along the "100 Mile Wilderness" portion of the Appalachian Trail, from Monson to Baxter State Park.
"The governor's vision will help bring economic stability to the region while protecting Maine's traditional remote wilderness recreation for future generations," said the club, which has 4,500 Maine members.
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http://www.pressherald.com/news/state/031127forests.shtml

ganj
11-28-2003, 01:24
I find this confusing. This is not the normal stance that the Sierra Club takes on these issues. We definitely need paper, just find it strange that they feel the need to target the 100 mile wilderness area. How close to the trail are they talking about? I saw a ton of logging trucks in the area during my hike and imagine it is their biggest industry.

Bankrobber
11-28-2003, 02:26
The journalist must have mistaken the Sierra Club's stance on the issue. I remember seeing quite a bit of logging in area between Monson and the Chairback Range.

Mr. Clean
11-28-2003, 09:02
I read that article also and was disturbed by that part, about business around the 100 mile wilderness. Not sure what was meant by that. The article was good up to that point. Does this have anything to do with Quimby buying those thousands of acres East of Katahdin? For anyone who doesn't know, she is buying land in northern Maine to create a National Park.

alpine
11-28-2003, 09:15
with drawn

Peaks
11-28-2003, 09:38
I read that article also and was disturbed by that part, about business around the 100 mile wilderness. Not sure what was meant by that. The article was good up to that point. Does this have anything to do with Quimby buying those thousands of acres East of Katahdin? For anyone who doesn't know, she is buying land in northern Maine to create a National Park.

There has been some talk about a Great Woods National Park. However, Maine natives have a long tradition of not trusting government control. So, I seriously doubt that the idea of a national park is going anywhere. Especially with the advocacy group's address being in Massachusetts.

Now, with the decline of the pulp industry in Maine, maybe the time has come for a National Forest.

Incidentally, anyone who has hiked the 100 miles should realize that it's far from a true wilderness. Especially in the Gulf Hagas area where hundreds of people visit on weekends. (And AMC now has a nearby facility).

Blue Jay
12-01-2003, 09:47
The journalist must have mistaken the Sierra Club's stance on the issue.

The Sierra Club is now a multinational corporation. It believes in "managed wilderness". Remember humans are like mold on an orange, it may be a good idea. I'm not complaining, it's just one way to face reality. All wilderness will eventually be covered with the sea of humanity. Hike it NOW.

steve hiker
12-01-2003, 19:04
Remember humans are like mold on an orange ... All wilderness will eventually be covered with the sea of humanity.
I've heard humans described as fleas on a dog, or flies on a horse. It may be time for the earth to swing its tail and "swat some flies."

walkin' wally
02-25-2004, 13:17
I think peaks has it right. I mean about not trusting gov't control. I also think that the AMC, because of their vision of "recreational development". is going to "inject" a lot more people in a remote area and the wear and tear on the existing trails will increase. I don't mean to infer that they own the A.T. they don't As far as a national park goes it seems that the national park service cannot take care of what it has now. I mean with the problems with budgets, maintenance, and staffing at places like Yosemite.
Not long ago Ms. Quimby was at a meeting about forest products interests and her vision of a national park, when questioned about a national forest she honestly admitted she had no idea what that was.
Some of the woods industry jobs may not pay that much but I'll wager that they are better than selling trinkets to tourists.

Walkin Wally