What a National Park might do
8 Responses to What a National Park might do
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Dedicated to the Preservation of Traditional Use in the North Maine Woods.
As a business owner in Millinocket for the past 32 years i have witnessed the demise of the Millinocket region. Its extremely sad. Paper is virtually a commodity of the past, and the paper companies and the investment community recognize this as a fact. What are people going to do, snowmobile and not have a job. Try making a living in this region, it is next to impossible. We have a golden opportunity to get some long term employment and development into this region. Let us not blow it, Please give us a chance.
Hi Lawrence – we encourage you to read the posts on this blog that offer the alternatives we are endorsing, as well as why a National Park for the region is a bad idea – for example; In Westbrook, we are producing World Cup soccer shoes and Gucci jackets out of Maine paper. In Old Town, our pulp mill is producing jet fuel. Composite wood, liquid fuels and sugar from trees are being researched at the University of Maine, while Europeans are eyeing torrefied wood, so-called wood coal that they can burn in the existing fluidized bed coal power plants. Sawmills are toughing out a housing recession, yet the projected 60 percent increase in annual allowable cut in spruce/fir over the next 20 years, not to mention the rising volumes of white pine, all bode well. On the news just this morning there was a story about exporting cedar log cabin kits to China.
There are many alternatives that will provide jobs, and preserve traditional access for everyone – please have a look around and read them for yourself.
Eco-tourism and traditional use can exist together to help boost the economy of the region.
Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately for the people in the Katahdin Region there has been continual high unemployment. This is a dead region with most young people forced to move to other locations. All the possibilities that you have mention can in fact co exist with a national park. Remember that the land Roxanne already owns has been restricted for her use. She has the financial capability of severely limiting snowmobiling and tourism in this region, putting aside the land she already owns.
If you really want to preserve access to Maine land, my best advise to your organization is to negotiate with her. It appears to me that you are closing the barn door after the horse got out. She bought the land and is very capable of purchasing more land. We now have two choices, do you want to deal with an ultra rich person that wants to provide a legacy for her life, or do you want to deal with federal government which the people will have direct access to, through our political process? I prefer the later.
Hi George – the possibilities mentioned cannot coexist with a NP – don’t forget that RQ does not speak for the NPS, who can and do change the rules at any time. For example, Acadia NP was reclassified this year as a Class I under the Clean Air Act. What would happen to the Millinocket region were it to be “reclassified” as well? Look at the NPS website regarding rules and restrictions –
The biggest employer of the region also realizes what a Park would do to them; http://bangordailynews.com/2011/12/15/news/piscataquis/katahdin-mills-ceo-we-dont-support-quimbys-national-park-park-plan/
You can read about the economic impact to the region here: http://preservemainetraditions.com/a-maine-park-and-economics-101/
RQ is well within her rights as the property owner to do as she will. However, when she wants to make it a NP, it becomes all of our business. If it’s an all or nothing deal with the NP I would prefer that she keep it and pay the appropriate taxes to Maine.
I prefer not to be bullied and have one persons will pushed upon me.
Millinocket has never had the need to market themselves, and there is a plan in place that you can read about here; http://bangordailynews.com/2011/12/17/opinion/letters/monday-dec-19-2011-occupy-movement-waterfront-concerts-and-national-park-proposal/?ref=related
Millinocket can thrive if given the chance.
All NP’s grow in size after inception, which you can read about here; http://preservemainetraditions.com/a-maine-parkreal-facts-real-fears/ Proponents are misleading to say otherwise, and let’s not forget the goal here is 3.2 million.
As far as jobs are concerned proponents themselves claim 25…..how many locals does BSP hire? In Acadia most of the people hired are as seasonal as the jobs that they fill.
RQ could learn a lot from Maine’s biggest landowner, John Malone ; http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/us/29land.html?_r=2
And finally, one of the great ways to solve this that can make everyone happy can be seen here;
https://www.downeastlakes.org/
Bucksport Maine is a perfect example. It is only 32 miles from Acadia National park. It has co existed for many, many, decades. They have managed to improve the air quality as required by law, and I for one think that is fantastic. If her land becomes a national part we will have the opportunity, via the political process, to stop any future acquisition if that is the will of the people. Right now we have no say whatsoever. I doubt that the park will be any larger than the land she already owns. As I said Bucksport Maine is a perfect example that there will be absolutely no threat to the existing landowners, paper companies or loggers. Its a win win for everyone in that region.
Do you have source you can cite or is this your opinion? – The air quality in Acadia is of concern to a lot of people on a yearly basis – do some google searches on the subject of clean air in Acadia – there is a petition here http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/maine_regional_haze/?rc=tw1 of folks urging even more to be done. As far as Parks growing I challenge you to find a National Park that has not grown in size since inception – Acadia itself had its own land grab controversy which you can read about here -http://preservemainetraditions.com/maine-and-eminent-domain/ You do have a say now – if the land becomes owned by the Government you will no longer have a say. National Parks will ALWAYS get bigger. The land in question has been continuously described in the media as a “seed”. One that will grow into the planned 3.2 million acre Park. There are alternatives that can make everybody happy, but the time to speak is now. The NPS will not start the process of a Park will vocal local opposition.
Nothing wrong with clean air. I believe clean air is important to all people and wildlife. Verso and all the other companies that have owned the Bucksport mill have done just fine abiding by the Clean Air Act. No threat there. Presently the people of Maine have no say regarding her land, and how she may restrict its usage to the general public. If owned by the federal government, the north woods will be owned by all the people, not just one, and you can voice your opinion via the political process.
You may be correct that all national parks have grown in size. However a political process takes place during an acquisition, and the people have the right to express their views.
I believe a national park is a win win for all the people, employers, loggers, wildlife preservationist, paper companies, and businesses in that region. It protects wildlife, timber resources, and provides excellent, clean, economic development for everyone.
There are alternatives to National Parks that do all the things that you just listed without limiting the users of the property or the restrictions and need to grow that come with Federal ownership. Alternatives that allow you to have a say – The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, and the Downeast Lakes Land Trust https://www.downeastlakes.org/ are two shining examples of ways that can make everyone happy. Park proponents owe it to the people of the State of Maine to explore these options before handing over the land that we, as Mainers, have been such good stewards of. Which is the reason that it is there for people to want to protect in the first place. These options allow everyone access, not just a select few. Thanks for visiting our page, I hope that you look around and read some of our posts, and really think about your opinion. Millinocket can do better, and we need to give them a chance to do so.