If you look at a map of the National Park System, you'll find a glaring omission in the northeastern United States. There is no large expanse of wilderness protected by a national park. Proponents of a "Maine North Woods National Park and Preserve" want to change that.
In a mission that's been ongoing for a handful of years, proponents behind the movement would like to see such a national park created in time for the National Park Service's centennial in 2016. The proposal calls for a park of 3.2 million acres, larger than Yellowstone National Park, in northern Maine. Along with protecting the landscape and the wildlife that resides there, those backing the park say it would stimulate and nurture the local economy.
The following video takes a look at both the landscape and the threats to it if the park proposal fails.
Comments
Hi Joan-If you followed Ken Burns on his television series on National Parks and how they came about--it is not too late to stop what LURC has allowed to happen with Plum Creek and its destruction of Lilly Bay and the rest of the lower end of Moosehead Lake---RESTORE and The Forest Ecology Network are pursuing a plan for a Maine North Woods National Park--I think that it should have its nexus Moosehead as well-I am not giving up and we are trying to awake others to help in the cause--I liked your note and as a former park ranger I know the care we need to take of them-Thanks John Oser
I think that the time for a great National Park in the North East is long overdue. The "paradise at our doorstep", for millions in the area is something future generations will be forever grateful. Every state that has ever tried to stop a national park from being created, now would never dream of being that state without it. It is an essential element of what is means to be American--that is, to have wonderful open space availble for us and the enjoyment for all peoples forever. Please count me in as one who beleives in the future of Maine and our country.
Would designating the 3.2 million acres a Wilderness Area significantly limit the number of roads into the park (following the models of North Cascades and Kings Canyon National Parks)?
I think "wilderness" is thrown around rather loosely for public consumption. I suppose most people aren't familiar with the terminology of Congressionally designated wilderness. I doubt that the proposal calls for all of this area to be designated wilderness that is off-limits to roads.
As for Kings Canyon - I'm not sure there's any practical means to build more roads. Of course what's there now is considered designated wilderness so a road simply couldn't be built anyways. I'm not sure North Cascades is the best model. I thought that they didn't have a single paved road. The road leading into Kings Canyon is a pretty well-built paved road and the area has power and running water. I thought North Cascades isn't anywhere near that level of development.
North Cascades is unique as the National Park covers only the lands above the road corridors. That is because the valleys with the roads are designated as National Recreation Areas (Ross Lake NRA and Lake Chelan NRA). So it is true, that the National Park has not a single road, because all the roads and trailheads are within the NRAs.
The first step in creating a Maine Woods National Park & Preserve is for the U.S. Congress to authorize a feasibility study by the National Park Service. Please join the more than 100,000 people who have signed our petition, requesting that congress authorize this study. You can sign the petition on Facebook at the link below. Please encourage all of your Facebook friends to sign the petition by forwarding it to them. For more information about the proposed Maine Woods National Park & Preserve, please visit RESTORE: The North Woods' Facebook page or go to www.restore.org
Time is running out to save Maine's North Woods--the largest undeveloped region east of the Mississippi River. Please take action today. With your support and help, there WILL be a new national park in Maine for all Americans to enjoy.
Sign the petition here:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/125
Thank you!
My understanding is that North Cascades has a few unpaved roads.
If there are existing roads in this proposed national park area, I doubt that they get removed. Wilderness designations often go around existing roads (I've even seen some road corridors right through wilderness areas) and there's no indication that this is going to completely be designated wilderness. If it were, there couldn't even be a visitor center or running water.
The North woods will not make a good national park. There is nothing special in the north woods that is not already in conservation. When you talk about Greenville they need the development. It will be good for them to have a few resorts and maybe an expanded ski area. This would bring more people to the area. If you turn Greenville into a kind of North Conway you will see the area benefit. If you try to do a land grab and just hope that people who fish, hike, and sightsee will keep places like Greenville and Milinocket going it will fail. Those people already go there. To get people to travel a day to see that area you need something special. There is nothing up there that is that amazing. The white mountain national forest has Mt. Washington that you can drive up and even stay right there at Mt. washington hotel. You can ski on both sides of the mt. washington valley and golf in the area. In northen maine Katahdin is really not visitor friendly and is already open to the public and it has never helped millinocket. Imagine if you went to acadia on the maine coast and got to the entrance, they then tell you that you need reservations to go in the park and cannot drive to the main atrractions. The visitors would dwindle down to nothing. You need easy access to the best areas. The state and enviromentalist have tryed to make so the best areas are hard to get to and enjoy which causes less visitors. I live in southern maine and I will go to mt. washington and hike it one day, play a great game of golf the next and have some great choices of food. The wife can shop at all kinds of stores and enjoy easy access to some spectacular waterfalls and vistas. All that is hard to find in the maine north woods. This is what will destroy the chances for the north woods. If Greenville was like north conway you may see the area boom and then see the places north of it get even more conservation chances.