A C T I O N   A L E R T

HELP SAVE THE ALLAGASH

In the middle of the night, as indeed each time that we lay on the shore of a lake, we heard the voice of the loon, loud and distinct, from far over the lake. It is a very wild sound, quite in keeping with the place… When camping in such a wilderness as this, you are prepared to hear sounds from some of its inhabitants which will give voice to its wildness.

~ From Henry D. Thoreau, “The Allegash and East Branch,” 1864

WHAT’S HAPPENING

• For more than a century and a half the river and lakes of the Allagash watershed in northern Maine have attracted adventurers from across America and beyond. To protect the wilderness experience there, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW) was created as a partnership between our national government and the State of Maine.

• Lands along the Allagash were purchased with federal and state funds in the 1960s.

• In 1970, the AWW was incorporated into the national Wild & Scenic River System. It is a national treasure. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is not just another state park. It is unique in Maine and in the United States. It deserves special attention to preserve its special wilderness qualities.

• By law, the Restricted Zone along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway is to be managed for “maximum wilderness character.”

• Despite this history, the State is now planning to use $1.2 million in federal funds to erect six storage buildings (40’ x 60’) and office buildings (20’ x 20’) at three locations within the AWW Restricted Zone, the most protected area of the waterway.

• Locating the new buildings in the AWW Restricted Zone is not consistent with the State’s Allagash Wilderness Management, which says the primary goal of the AWW is to “Enhance the wilderness character of the restricted zone.” 

• It is not clear this development is truly needed, but if is, it could be sited outside the Restricted Zone in the AWW.

• The Bureau of Parks & Lands also plans to launch a 22’ aluminum landing craft with 250hp outboard motor in the AWW. The boat is inconsistent with the principles of wilderness management, is out of character for the AWW, and will only add to the storage, docking and operational expenses.

• Several former Superintendents of the AWW and Maine Guides oppose the proposed development.

• Everyone has a stake in protecting the wilderness in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

HOW TO HELP

Send written comments to the Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands at the address below. You can use information in the key points listed above, but it is best to put comments into your own words.

Andy Cutko, Director, Bureau of Parks and Lands, Andy.Cutko@maine.gov, 22 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0022

David Spahr is a naturalist, photographer, and forest farmer who has collected, photographed, and eaten wild mushrooms for 50 years.  He is a member of the Maine Mycological Association and maintains a website devoted to the subject, mushroom-collecting.com. At Curtis Library, Brunswick, May 10, 6 pm.

Maine hiker Carey Kish vividly recounts his 2,189-mile journey on the AT. Learn about the trail's rich history, the camaraderie of fellow hikers, scary wildlife encounters, and more. At L.L.Bean Discovery Park, Freeport, August 10, 7 pm, free.

This list features farms who are planning to be open to the public for Maine’s Open Farm Day, July 24, 2022. Check local listings.

The 2022 Summer Institute: Our One and Only Ocean, held in collaboration with The National Geographic Society, explores the beauty, promise, and perils of our greatest commons—the ocean. 20 prominent speakers in 10 sessions. At College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, July 25-29, free and open to the public, but registration is required.

America’s national parks are entrance fee-free on November 11, Veterans Day. National parks have something for everyone. Free admission days are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks.

America’s national parks are entrance fee-free on August 4, National Public Lands Day. National parks have something for everyone. Free admission days are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks.

America’s national parks are entrance fee-free on August 4, the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act. National parks have something for everyone. Free admission days are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks.

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Doug Lindner, Advocacy Director for Judiciary and Democracy, and Anthony Moffa, Associate Professor of Law at the UMaine School of Law, discuss what the coming years could look like if the conservative majority on the Supreme Court handcuffs climate action by the EPA. April 22, preregister. Sponsored by Maine Conservation Voters.

Mushroom walks, children’s activities, herbal foot soaks, discussions on herbalism, beekeeping, permaculture practices. At Maine Outdoor Wellness Center, 69 River Road, Turner. At Nezinscot Farm and AVSWCD, April 22.

The 2022 Maine Food Waste Solutions Summit will be held virtually from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, April 15. This year’s theme is “Improving Maine’s Food System.” The summit is free and open to the public.

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Thomas Bennett offers an examination and discussion of the shell middens of Casco Bay. Zoom, April 7, 6:30 pm, preregister. Hosted by Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland.

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University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a free webinar about gardening with pollinators in mind on Wednesday, April 13, 6–7:30 p.m. “Planting for Pollinators” offers practical tips for gardeners on ways to provide food, habitat and water resources for pollinators to help address the decline in insect, native bee and bird species. UMaine Extension horticulture professional Kate Garland will focus on native plants and best landscape management practices. Free; preregistration required.

Eric Doucette, Assistant Professor of Biology, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, talks about the correct identification of medicinal plants, non-toxic or non-medicinal  look-alikes, and conserving rare species while collecting medicinals. At Winthrop Performing Arts Center, March 17, 7 pm, must show full proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID test completed within 48 hours of the lecture. Hosted by Kennebec Land Trust.

Botanist Don Cameron talks Maine’s rarest plants and the Maine Natural Areas Program’s role in protecting them. Online, March 8, 12 pm, preregister. Hosted by Merryspring Nature Center.

Susie Arnold, Ph.D, Marine Scientist at the Island Institute, speaks about sea level rise and its current and projected impacts on the Maine coast. Online, March 3, 6 pm, preregister. Hosted by Kennebec Estuary Land Trust.

Thomas Bennett offers an examination of shell middens, what they tell us about the Native lifestyle, and how private citizens can become involved in protecting this important cultural resource. Online, March 3, 6:30 pm, preregister. Hosted by Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland.

Panel discussion with Hillary Lister, Bill Lippincott, and Dawn Neptune Adams of Don’t Waste ME; Sarah Nichols, NRCM Sustainable Maine Program Director; facilitated by Dana Colihan, Maine State Director, Community Action Works. Online, February 25, 12 pm, preregister. Hosted by Maine Conservation Voters.

“Homestead Maple Sugaring,” presented by Jason Lilley, UMaine Extension Professional, will cover everything you need to know about making your own maple syrup. February 24, 6 pm, $5 or $10 fee optional, preregister. Hosted by UMaine Cooperative Extension and the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District .

Shawn Laatsch, Director of the Astronomy Center at the University of Maine, leads a virtual dive into the beauty of the night sky, dirigo-style. February 24, 2022, 4 pm, free, preregister. Hosted by AARP.

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