 February 2022
Blueberry fields on Vienna Mountain.
The importance of outdoor spaces has never been greater, and with a recent infusion of $40 million, the Land for Maine’s Future Program is answering the call to protect several treasured places in Maine. In its January 25 meeting, the LMF Board approved funding for five exciting new projects, including two acquisitions by the Bureau of Parks and Lands. The 813-acre Kennebec Highlands project, developed in close partnership with the 7 Lakes Alliance, fills a key gap in the Kennebec Highlands Public Reserved Land just a half-hour west of Augusta. The land features a spectacular 360-degree hilltop view, extensive blueberry fields, and essential connections for recreational trails.
Sunrise over East Grand Lake.
The 4,327-acre East Grand/Weston project, a working forest easement facilitated by The Conservation Fund and supported by the federal Forest Legacy Program, conserves more than 21 miles of shoreline on East Grand and surrounding lakes, recreation sites on the St. Croix International Waterway, and the dominant view of the Million Dollar View National Scenic Byway. This project complements earlier conservation work and will ultimately conserve nearly 12,000 acres and 30 miles of undeveloped shoreline. One LMF Board member summed up his impression of this project with one word: “Wow!” There are still a few more steps to bring both projects to completion, but the strong support from LMF is a big leap forward for both projects!
~ Andy Cutko, Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
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Book your summer solace! Reservations begin in February.
Book your summer solace! Reservations begin in February.
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Please Note the two reservation start dates: 2/1 and 2/4.
On Tuesday, February 1:
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Campground Reservations Opens for:
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Group Camping & Shelter Reservations for ALL Parks also begin on Tuesday, February 1 - Call the Park Directly.
On Friday, February 4:
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All Maine State Park Campgrounds - Friday, February 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EST.* for all 12 of the State Park Family Camping Sites. Make your reservation online at www.CampWithME.com *Storm date if Maine State Government is closed - Monday, February 7, 2022.
Resources:
Attention Campers:
Beginning this year the Reservation Call Center will no longer be mailing paper permits to campers who make their camping reservations over the phone. Every phone reservation will receive an emailed confirmation and permit to download and present at the entrance booth when checking in. The occupant name on the permit must still match the valid ID credential presented at the time of check-in.
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Winter camping at a Maine State Park makes for a great several day getaway and gives you and your family more time to immerse yourself in the joy of winter activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, or ice fishing. It is also a great way to test your winter and self-sufficiency skills - as there are no amenities, cleared locations, or water at these sites.
Winter Camping is Available at these Select Locations:
On-site self-registration required and is available at the entry booth. Fees and complete information.
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Megunticook Cabin at Camden Hills State Park may be reserved. Click on photo to view brochure.
Maine State Parks closed out 2021 with a record breaking 3.3 million visitors, up 8% in final attendance compared to the previous all-time attendance record in 2020. In addition, three of the last four years have reported record-breaking visitation across Maine's 12 State Park campgrounds and 48 State Parks and Historic Sites collectively.
By November 2021, Maine State Parks had already surpassed the 2020 record. The busy park season started in January 2021, with a tremendous turnout for annual First Day Hikes and regular visitation for winter park use, including hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing. Record-breaking camping and day-use visitation continued straight through summer and fall.
"It is great to see more people than ever enjoying our trails, campgrounds, beaches, and ponds. Our beautiful State Parks are go-to destinations for Maine residents and visitors as they look to find accessible and welcoming outdoor recreation opportunities," said Commissioner Beal, who greatly enjoys hiking in Maine's State Parks, having first summited Bradbury Mountain at age 5. "On pace with increased park visitation are the number of compliments for our State Park staff, which is well-deserved as they have worked diligently over the course of this busy year to ensure an enjoyable experience for visitors!"
"Many of us have realized that the safest, healthiest, and most enjoyable place to be in the pandemic is outside," said BPL Director Andy Cutko. "In 2021 we welcomed back many out-of-staters who didn't visit Maine in 2020, and we saw continued strong visitation from Mainers of all ages. I'm proud to say my family contributed to the camping numbers for multiple State Parks, and I'm thankful to our staff and volunteer campground hosts for running our operations so smoothly."
In 2021, best practices and key learning from 2020 ensured BPL staff were prepared to protect the health of coworkers and park visitors. Covid-19 sparked park amenity curtailments and temporary closures during the 2020 season. BPL continues to adapt its plans as new health advisories are issued.
~ Source: DACF/BPL Press Release
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Instructor Robert Greenier (left) and second year student Garrett Estabrook discuss logging techniques next to a Ponsee Fox processor used by students for felling trees. Robert Greenier is from the Sherman area and has worked with chainsaws and skidders since high school and is a retired recruiter for the Army. Garrett is from Amity Maine, his father works in the woods as a crane/slasher operator.
The Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) provides grant opportunities to eligible educational programs in order to develop loggers capable of working on Maine’s public reserved lands. This year, a total of eight proposals were received for the $150,000 in available funds. After much consideration, the Bureau’s review committee awarded the top three proposals $50,000 each. The three programs selected were: Foster Career Technical Education Center – Mount Blue Region 9 in Farmington, Oxford Hills Technical School – Region 11 in South Paris, and the School of Applied Technology – Region 2 in Houlton, all of which are planning to use the grant on much needed forestry equipment.
“We’re planning to upgrade our CAT 305 e2 mini excavator to a 306 with a hydraulic Feller Buncher head. It will be limited to 10” trees but that’s fine with me. This is a good start for teenaged operators” stated Al Schaeffer, Logging Instructor for Region 11.
Curriculum units covering Public Lands forestry practices were developed in partnership with each school. The curriculum outlined the Bureau’s Integrated Resource Policy as a means to supplement existing curriculums that provide students the basic knowledge of Forestry principles, law and regulations needed for the trade.
Above and beyond the grant process, BPL’s Northern region staff have partnered with faculty and students of Foster Technical Center in Houlton to conduct a timber harvest on BPL land in Moro Plantation, roughly 15 miles West of Houlton. During the Winter of 2022, 20 acres and 200 cords of wood will be harvested in an improvement cut for BPL. Revenue will be generated for both the Bureau and the school as a result of the harvest, and students will gain hands on experience working on BPL land.
Learn more about the Logging and Forestry Education Grant Program
~ Abigail Andreasen, Secretary Associate
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Marty Kotter, 2021 AWW Visiting Artist, drawing an Allagash inspired piece, and the final quilted artwork.
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visiting Artist Program encourages artists to develop their art through an immersive in-residence experience within the wilderness of the state's most remote park. Applications may be submitted beginning on Friday, January 28; deadline is February 28. Apply Now.
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW) has fueled the imagination of native Americans, rusticators, artisans and the general public for centuries. When Henry David Thoreau made his journey to Pillsbury Island on Eagle Lake in the mid-1800s, he was inspired to write about his adventure in The Maine Woods. Since then, many visitors have attempted to capture the Allagash headwater lakes and lower river's beauty and solitude through stories, drawings, photography, and music.
To honor this history, the AWW is continuing its Visiting Artist Program. The Program goal is to immerse an artist in the exceptional AWW wilderness to interpret and share their experience through their art.
The selected artist will receive:
- Rustic cabin lodging* on the Waterway for two weeks during the month of August
- An orientation to the Waterway by AWW rangers
- Opportunity to invite one guest to join them free of charge
Please note that no stipend is provided.
* The one-room cabin provided is located at Lock Dam on the northern end of Chamberlain Lake. It is approximately 10 miles from the boat launch at the southern end of Chamberlain Lake and 60 miles from the nearest town, Millinocket. It does not have electricity. It has hand-pumped running water, a woodstove, gas appliances (cookstove, and refrigerator) and solar-powered lights.
Learn more about this program by:
Apply Now
Applications may be submitted beginning on Friday, January 28; deadline is February 28.
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Do you own more than 10 acres of forest in Maine? If so, we want to hear from you!
Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands is inviting you on Dr. John Daigle’s behalf to participate in a research study entitled Maine’s Native Ash Trees and the Emerald Ash Borer - Landowner Survey. This anonymous survey is being conducted by Dr. John Daigle and graduate students Tyler Everett and Emily Francis in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine. The purpose of this study is to understand landowners’ perceptions of emerald ash borer and the management approaches that can be used to address this forest health issue. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate in the survey.
We hope you will take the time to share your thoughts and experiences with us. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Thank you in advance for your time, John Daigle, Tyler Everett, and Emily Francis
If you have any questions, please contact jdaigle@maine.edu or emily.t.francis@maine.edu.
Take the Survey
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Follow the Four Rs to Knock Out Browntail in Our Communities and Reduce the Itch!
Encounters with hairs from browntail moth caterpillars can cause mild to severe rashes and respiratory issues. Browntail moth caterpillars overwinter in webs that may have from a couple dozen to several hundred caterpillars each. Winter is the best time to spot an infestation and take steps towards controlling the caterpillars and reducing the itch. Learn how with these Four Rs: Recognize, Remove, Recruit and Reach Out.
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Gear up with Maine State Parks apparel and consider gifting it to your loved ones this February to show your love for the iconic parks for which Maine is renowned. Hoodies, t-shirts and caps in a variety of colors are available at our online store.
I had the chance to visit several surrounding parks and trails during my stay at Cobscook Bay State Park this past fall. One such area was Klondike Mountain Preserve in North Lubec. I was caught by surprise to learn that the peak was so named as a result of an elaborate scheme by two men, one an ordained Baptist minister, to profit off investors by claiming they could extract gold from seawater in neighboring Mill Creek. In October of 1897, Reverend Prescott Ford Jernegan and Charles Fisher leased a tidal grist mill and founded the Electrolytic Marine Salts Company. They converted the mill and sunk hundreds of “accumulators” into the bay. Investors lined up and at one point the company began construction of a second site employing over 700 men. By July 1898, rumors started spreading about the company and both men fled the area never to be prosecuted. Editor and writer Ron Pesha compiled Carrie Bangs’ articles from the 1940s and 50s for the Lubec Herald with additions from other sources to revisit an incredible time in Lubec and Maine history in The Great Gold Swindle.
~ Joseph Anderson, Stewardship Specialist
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Sailing the world as a teenager while working on-board, Matthew Henson developed the essential skills of an explorer, including craftsmanship and the ability learn languages, that led to his selection to accompany Robert Peary on multiple expeditions - including the 1909 expedition to the North Pole.
This armchair adventure is a terrific winter read. And, it just might inspire you to make a summertime visit to Eagle Island State Historic Site, the summer home of Admiral Robert E. Peary.
~ Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist
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Charley roams the streets of 1910 Boston after his mother dies and father leaves to find work. His older brother finds work on the wharf and sends Charley and his younger sister and brother to an orphanage where Charley and his siblings become separated through adoption. Alone at the orphanage, Charley's singing is noticed and he becomes a singer in the the orphanage's traveling choir, making his way from Boston to a farm in Maine, where his greatest challenge begins. Tenderly written and a compelling read.
Based on a true story. Written by Donna Marie Seim; illustrated by Susan Spellman.
~Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist
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Send article suggestions or newsletter comments to Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist, webmaster, and newsletter editor for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.
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