Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 24 : Spring 2015 | Page 56

There’s tremendous recreational
opportunities available right now,
including new hiking, biking and crosscountry ski trails, mixed-use trails for
horses, campsites and picnic sites and a
loop road that offers spectacular views of
Mount Katahdin.
There’s also the rough and pristine East
Branch of the Penobscot River that has
paddles perfect for any experience level,
from smooth flood plains to white water.
The land is open for visitation, weather
permitting, for a sneak peek of what a
national park and recreation are could be.
Maine is home to one of the most
popular national parks in the country
with Acadia. Combined it with a second,
interior park and all of Maine stands
to benefit from increased visitation and
economic activity.
That means new jobs and opportunity for
young people to stay in northern Maine
or come home to pursue careers.
There’s still a lot of work to do to build a
plan for the national park and recreation
area, and we’re committed to listening
to stakeholders and making sure their
questions are answered.
As more and more people join the
conversation, support continues to grow.
We’d love to hear from you and add your
voice to the chorus working to make the
idea of a national park and recreation area
stronger.
Lucas St. Clair is the president of the board
for Elliotsville Plantation Inc., a private
foundation that has proposed creating a new
national park and recreation area in Maine
and supporting it with a $40 million
endowment.
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SPRING 2015