MAINE PUBLIC • March 19, 2021
While it was a big year for takeout and life behind the screen, for the first time in a while, it was also a victory for the Great Outdoors. “The inside was closed,” says Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands Director, Andy Cutko with a laugh. “Restaurants were closed, movie theaters were closed, and so when the inside is closed, and the outdoors is open — people just came out in droves.” For the first time, yearly visits to Maine’s state parks topped 3 million, and both day-use sites and campsites saw record high usage. In fact, so much picnicking and paddling went on that some parks had to close down due to overcrowding. And Cutko says it seems that people are ready for more.