BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 3, 2020
A study recently completed by the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine shows just how much the area has been affected since the mill closures — and what the future of the towns’ economies might look like. The region experienced a major population decline from 2000 to 2017, dropping 12.2 percent. Leaders of the Katahdin areas have used the results of the socioeconomic data, as well as surveys conducted by UMaine, as part of the study, to help identify what towns can do to create new economic opportunities in the region. One such opportunity being discussed is expanding on outdoor recreation, taking advantage of the area’s scenic nature and proximity to protected areas such as Baxter State Park and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument to help drive the economy.