PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 26, 2021
In 2018, an international team of scientists published research in the prestigious scientific journal Nature mapping the world’s few remaining wildernesses, defined as contiguous areas of over 10,000 square kilometers. What caught my eye was a small patch signifying Maine’s North Woods, which were distinguished as among the last remaining intact wildernesses in the world. The relatively low impact on an area this large is unique to the entire continental United States. Infrastructure including high-impact power lines can undermine that large-scale connectivity. Power corridors can also act as “keystone decisions” that catalyze additional development in the surrounding area. The potential long-term impacts from enabling the CMP corridor and accelerating development in future years could further undermine the North Woods’ status as the last great wilderness in the eastern United States. ~ John J. Bohorquez, senior postdoctoral associate and technical specialist, Conservation Finance Alliance