Maine Woods National Monument

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peakbagger

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I say turn it over to Maine's Native American population as partial reparation for everything stolen from them.
 
Good news. I'm planning a bike through the KWW early September. I love it up there.
 
I have always supported her right to evict lease holders and change access to her land. My concern with the original proposal was that it advocated a National Park with boundaries outside her plot of land.
 
When Elliotsville Plantation made the strategic shift from a National Park to National Monument it did get rid of some but not all of the short term major objections, unfortunately most parties agree that this is backdoor method of getting a National Park designation, therefore opposing groups feel they need to keep the NP issues on the forefront. I personally feel that its her land and she can do what she wants with it within the bounds of state law which are pretty minimal for an unorganized territory. Unlike a NP, the federal government only gains control over the donated land and only have the rights that EP had. There could be issues of existing legal rights of inholders and other neighboring land owners who have established rights to access their land over the proposed NM roads. I expect that part of the NM effort up front would be to either establish those rights formally or negotiate them away. In this case, there is always the opportunity for donors to buy more land and add it to the NM but the tactic of "starving out" inholders by denying either direct or economic access to their land is far less likely.

A proposed NP designation is different, it established a declaration boundary that covered significant private lands in the region. Inside the declaration boundary, the NPS becomes a major participant in what goes on even on private lands. The best nearby example is private land inside the ADKs where the park commission has significant input over activities on private lands. In many cases, NPS has expanded its reach outside park boundaries under the guise that changes to private land outside the park has an impact inside the park. From a national perspective that sounds reasonable but on a regional perspective where private landowners and residents are impacted its lot harder to justify.
 
IT'S OFFICIAL NOW

BSP is happy too. They posted a statement on their page. I did not know that but Percival Baxter wanted the area east of BSP protected but did not have enough money to buy that land. Now it is protected.
 
Thanks gents for news and the links. I just came across this new web information site in National Parks web site. It has much information including a detailed map.
The map shows the IAT coming out the east border of Baxter. I thought it was technically an out-and-back to Katahdin from where the AT entered the park, then skirted around the south edge of Baxter. Did this get resolved?
 
The map shows the IAT coming out the east border of Baxter. I thought it was technically an out-and-back to Katahdin from where the AT entered the park, then skirted around the south edge of Baxter. Did this get resolved?
Last I understood it, the IAT does not officially begin at Katahdin because the traffic generated by the AT is difficult to manage and another mass of hikers would strain the natural resources and purpose of the Park. As a practical matter, there are trails that can connect from Katahdin to the official IAT start. A route from Abol around the south side of the Park would be physically feasible but I doubt it would be very popular. If that defines the trail, however, purists would need to do it. Then others could say, this looks like an interesting loop ...

As for the National Monument, it has been anticipated for some time now though federlization scares many people. I hope they're right about the jobs ... a main draw for the area, Baxter Park, only employs about 100. What will draw people is a sensible mixed use, including motorized activities (they spend a lot more locally than hikers). Lots of snow in winter will help, too!

The Friends of Baxter Park came out in support of a National Monument but many members are at odds with the trustees who endorsed it on their behalf. One could hope that Baxter Park might administer this monument.

I oppose it but I do think it will ultimately lead to a National Park which will encompass not only the Quimby land but other parcels currently owned by such organizations as The Nature Conservancy and AMC. Lots of changes coming to the area ... Abol Campground recently changed hands, bought by someone from away. I met a camper last week at Baxter Park who complained that a campsite that used to cost him $18/night now costs $54 so those kinds of changes won't help the locals.
 
The Maine IAT map is pretty clear, the southern terminus is the east boundary of BSP http://www.internationalatmaine.org/#!guides-maps/uw3wa

If you look at the map, the IAT map conveniently shows trails and shelters inside the park. Officially there is a gap between end of the AT and IAT and its up to the individual to connect the fairly obvious dots. The originally proposed IAT route ran down the Northern Peaks trail to the Russell Pond area and then east via a dead end trail to Norway falls and then out via the former Wassataquoik tote road (running roughly along the Wassataquoik stream through the new NM). This was the route that was publicized without BSP approval which led to the closure of the Northern Peaks trail and the IAT officially being banned from the park.

Could this change? possibly. Given the current debate about the AT issues in the park I do not see BSP changing their policy, although there is some hope based on a long range plan in the park to improve loop type backpack trips in the park. Unfortunately managing the access to BSP is something the park takes seriously and I dont see them assigning resources to a new wilderness gate. The current IAT terminus maximizes the length of the IAT through the NM so I do not see why the original alignment proposed through the park would be an improvement.

I do expect that individuals are going to be pushing the rules and expect that trail links to BSP is going to be an ongoing issue between the NM and BSP
 
That is exciting news!

can someone post the 'must see' places- I am planning a trip in the fall to either Acadia NP or Baxter SP but instead want to visit here.
 
That is exciting news!

can someone post the 'must see' places- I am planning a trip in the fall to either Acadia NP or Baxter SP but instead want to visit here.
Bob, if you're referrimg to the must see places on the IAT I suggest Carlton Provincial Park in New Brunswick, Mon Albert and Jacques Cartier (by guide to find the Caribou herd) in the midst of the Gaspe, and lands end at Forrillon CNP. Take a kayak with you as all three have paddle opportunities: lakes in Carlton PP, Lac Cascapedia in the Gaspe not far from Mon Albert, and among the seals at Forrilon. The French word for seal, by the way, is "phoque" so have some fun with that.

If you're referring to the must see places in the National Monument, I'd see more of Baxter Park first because when that gets going there'll be so many people there that, as Yogi Berra said, nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.
 
IT'S OFFICIAL NOW

BSP is happy too. They posted a statement on their page. I did not know that but Percival Baxter wanted the area east of BSP protected but did not have enough money to buy that land. Now it is protected.

Family & I were recently at Baxter, so upon return I was skimming "Legacy of a Lifetime: The Story of Baxter State Park" by Dr. John W. Hakola (if you don't have this, it's a must have for Baxter fans). Was curious about other things but intrigued by a chapter on 'The National Park Controversy'. Being very aware of the recent efforts I had to read.

The first discussions from conservationists towards such was based on perceived degradation of resources based on increasing use, but no (yet) existing authority or funding to manage use. Many felt they needed the Fed to resolve- as the CCC was busy all over developing parks and facilities throughout US. Percival said he had no problem with a national park in the Katahdin Region- just not "my park". His great political skill headed off federal acquisition, and also laid the foundation and funding for the Baxter State Park Authority, to also address the management concerns.

I'm thrilled by the news as I was just appreciating this landscape.
 
I went by the monument while driving up to the north gate this past weekend, no real signs of any changes. There are the discreet Katahdin Woods and Waters signs in few spots like at the RT 11 turn off in Medway and I think we saw the same signs in the Sherman and Patten area but I think they were in place previously. We also noticed the IAT signs along RT 159. The state is repaving the highway in the Sherman area. Lot of no and yes signs for the park designation still up. Since the last time I was up in Sherman there is new Irving Blue Canoe gas station at the Sherman Exit so there is some signs of economic prosperity in the area.

I found the attached map to the BSP letter interesting as the designated trail less areas are contrary to a prior BSP proposal that would have built a trail from the end of the Twin Ponds Spur west between the Turners to a tie into the trail network and a new trail between Fort and Mullen from the Wassataquoik lake area to the NW basin trail. The new Turner Traveler Mtn trailess area pretty well shuts down any future connection between the new Lookout View sput in KWW just north of Wassataquoik stream and the spur to Grand Falls from the Russell Pond area.
 
First major economic activity related to the monument http://bangordailynews.com/2017/01/...n-facility-near-baxter-and-national-monument/

The CEO of LL Bean and Lucas St Clair have been ramping up visibility of late with respect to the monument. There is threatened congressional action to attempt to remove the monument status but most opinions I have seen is that the biggest impact will be for future designations. Given the current political climate, I don't see a National Park designation happening soon.

Hopefully the monument and the new project will kick in some bucks for the Grand Lake Dam repairs http://www.katahdinoutdoors.com/dam/newsletter.html so that the river flow is still useful for boaters for most of the season. It always surprised me that EPI didn't buy this dam given that much of the monument's selling points were oriented to the river. Without the dam, the river would switch over to typical Northern Maine river where it floods during runoff and then becomes far less navigable during the summer season when folks are most interested in it.

There have been claims by the owner of North Woods Real Estate that real estate activity and prices are picking up in the region from prior lows. I did run into a couple of folks at opening day at BSP headquarters that had picked up a home in Millinocket for use as a camp. Their observations were they really couldn't go wrong buying a place for so little. They are not the only ones according to some locals I talked to last year. When I look at the NWRE website, I see many of the same camps I have seen for years so not sure where the activity is. Brookfield Power was supposed to be selling leased lots back to leaseholders at some high but discounted price at one point but I haven't seen any results of this on what is on the market.
 
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A couple of updates

http://bangordailynews.com/2017/02/...-trump-rescind-north-woods-national-monument/ (must resist political commentary)

Some far nicer news is the potential reopening and upgrade of a nearby biomass power plant that has been mothballed for 10 years. http://www.pressherald.com/2017/02/...uttered-biomass-power-plant-in-northern-maine. There currently is almost no market for low grade wood chips in that region so they have plenty of potential feedstock. It is not a high value added product probably less than a pellet process and definitely far less than pulp and paper. It will be interesting to see how quickly the new EPA head dumps the current requirements that the NPS has to review new source emissions for the modified facility due to the proximity of the new national monument.

http://www.pressherald.com/2017/02/...ttered-biomass-power-plant-in-northern-maine/

There are some really suspicious hints in the press release that the developer is overhyping it hopefully its just clueless PR agent as the area really doesn't need a new con man move in to area make big promises and then disappear. The hints are 1. I expect the 300 jobs number is total direct and indirect as Sherman Station at its peak had less than 50 employees. The activated carbon process is pretty simple so I don't see a lot of additional employees. 2. Sherman is actually a fairly small biomass power plant and there are many other larger privately held power plants all over the region (The plant in Berlin NH is private held and 75 MW) 3. The stated output of the plant only can occur in the winter as it has a significant operating limitation that will require considerable investment to cure which limits its output in warm weather.

I guess the next clue is if the developer asks Maine for some sort of financing incentives.
 
I doubt the national monument designation can or will be reversed.

As for administration, there is certainly precedent for a state agency administering lands in federal ownership. Mass DCR has a central role in adminstering lands owned by the feds, state, local and conservation trusts in the Waquoit Bay estuary on Cape Cod. There would have to be some compelling reasons to do it as momentum already seems to be building in the administration by the Park Service which strikes me, at least superficially, as getting off on the right foot in terms of consideration of local interests.
 
Another more significant announcement for East Millinocket http://bangordailynews.com/2017/03/...millinocket-as-heart-of-240m-biomass-venture/

For those driving up to Baxter and the Golden Road the East Millinocket mill and the surrounding town is a very in your face reminder that the reason for that town appears to have gone away. Most including the locals thought the end was here as the same demolition contractor that took down the Berlin Mill moved in recently to start major demolition of the remains of the former pulp mill. In general the entire timber industry of maine was being written off. The DOE had identified the entire northern tier of the US as a likely source of fossil fuel renewable replacements but fracking and its lesser known cousins directional drilling and enhanced recovery pretty well set those studies aside. This developer seems to have pretty good backing and I hope their plans fall into place. It may be the first air permit that runs into including the new national monument in the process.

I hope it comes through and its not another con as that entire region has been jerked around way too many times. It is unusual timing given the change in DC.
 
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