 November 2024
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NASORLO Executive Director Brian Stith, BPL staffers Abby Andreasen, Emily Brown, Mat Henion, Doug Beck holding the Service to NASORLO Award, Catherine Dufault, Andy Cutko, and NASORLO President Eric Feldbaum. Photo by Fletcher Jacobs.
When many of us think of Maine’s conservation lands, we envision some of those scenic and iconic spots—Acadia National Park, Popham Beach, or Baxter State Park. Nonetheless, the pandemic taught us the importance of local ‘everyday’ parks -- those open spaces and gathering places where we picnic, launch a canoe, or play with our kids on a swing set. More than 600 local parks in Maine were purchased or maintained by the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), administered by the National Park Service. My kids enjoyed many recess hours on the LWCF-funded Bowdoinham Community School playground, and you can explore your favorite local parks through this nifty map.
These everyday parks, which so many of us enjoy, are part of a larger conservation landscape that extends across the country. Just this week, I had the pleasure of joining Maine’s conservation leaders and national partners in Bar Harbor for the National Association of Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers (NASORLO) conference, where we focused on strengthening these local connections. The conference was attended by more than 100 representatives from state agencies across the nation. These dedicated civil servants administer LWCF grants and ensure that these local parks are conserved in perpetuity. Our partners from the National Park Service were also there, helping to ensure that state and federal agencies work hand in hand to run the program efficiently. In addition to Doug, I extend special thanks to BPL staffers Abby Andreasen, Emily Brown, Catherine Dufault, and Mat Henion for helping organize and run the conference, and to several State Park and National Park staff for assisting with field trips. We were very proud to show off Maine!
~ Andy Cutko, Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands is pleased to welcome Matthew Foster as the new Supervisor of Off-Road Recreational Vehicles ATV Program. Originally from Solon, Matthew has a rich history of outdoor recreation spent exploring the woods and waters of Maine, a love passed on to him by four generations of Maine/Quebec outdoorsman/guides. This passion of the outdoors led him to pursue a B.S. with a double major in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism as well as Environmental Management and Policy from the University of Maine with a concentration in Adventure Recreation Business Management and subsequently earned an M.B.A. degree from Thomas College.
Most recently he has spent the past 9 years as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Farmington and is also serving his sixth year on the board of directors for Maine’s oldest non-profit organization, the Bonney Woods Corporation, a 188 acre multi-use, recreational trail network located within walking distance to downtown Farmington.
During his tenure in Farmington, he developed and managed operating budgets for the Parks and Recreation Department and created a $3.2 million capital improvement plan for the Parks. He was awarded the Safety and Health Award for Public Employers (SHAPE) distinguishing the Farmington Parks and Recreation Department as a model for workplace health and safety, has managed multiple FEMA projects, and has been instrumental in the use of Farmington’s ARPA funds, as well as overseen park redesign and development projects, a dam removal, and other large facility improvements throughout the town’s parks and community center.
The majority of Matthew’s time outside of work is spent pursuing a myriad of recreational activities with his family and friends. Activities near and dear to his heart are hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, surfing, rock climbing, camping, hunting, fishing, canoeing, and whitewater rafting.
Matthew is excited to help support Maine’s outdoor recreation economy in this new position by working to provide exceptional services and resources to both residents and tourists alike.
Welcome to the BPL Team Matt!
~ Ron Hunt, Director of Operations
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The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's (DACF) Maine ATV Trail Inspection Program, established in response to recommendations from Governor Janet Mills' 2019 ATV Task Force, is proving to be a valuable resource for ensuring that Maine's extensive trail system remains safe, sustainable, and well-maintained. The program addresses social, economic, legal, and environmental challenges associated with ATV use while supporting vital partnerships with landowners, as over 80% of Maine's ATV trails cross private land. The program safeguards recreational and environmental interests across the state through systematic inspections and support for trail improvements. Continue reading. |
Nate Allard drawing a sprice tree. All photos in this article are used by permission and courtesy of the artist.
I spent my time in the Allagash walking and paddling around Chamberlain and Eagle Lake with my sketchbook and watercolors in hand. I sketched and took notes on composition, lighting, and the wildlife. During the heat of the day, I spend most of my time drawing and painting in the woods, in the cool evenings, along the shoreline. At the cabin, I was kept company by a young bear that would climb the apple tree next to the cabin to eat the ripest apples at the very top of the tree.
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The isolation at the cabin afforded me a lot of time for contemplation. One evening, while looking at the stars, I was struck by the number of satellites in the sky that were accompanied by the low rumble and flashing lights of jets. I gave thought to Henry David Thoreau and Joe Polis' Allagash trip over 150 years prior. When they camped under these same skies, it would be years before the Wright Brothers would make their first flight. They would have had a window into the cosmos unobstructed by the inventions of man. Sitting alone on the shore of Chamberlain Lake 150 years after Thoreau, I spend the evening contemplating what the skies might look like years after I am gone as hundreds of people passed overhead in thunderous metal birds. The Allagash Residency provided me a chance to get away from distractions, focus on my work, and gain some perspective on life. Special thanks to the AWW Superintendent Mark Deroche and the Rangers Liam, Keith, and Jay.
My recommendations to future artists are to bring books to read in the evening, plenty of tea, and to really enjoy the time alone in nature.
~ Nathan Allard, Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visiting Artist 2024
Editor's Notes:
Sunrise on Umsaskis Lake on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
Paddling the Allagash. Photo courtesy of Chili Robinson.
Adventure can quickly become a misadventure in the backcountry, and in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW), a misadventure can quickly become life-threatening. Allagash Rangers are trained to look out for unsafe conditions and respond to paddlers in need. Ranger Keith Turdo responded to such a situation last summer on August 13 as described in this excerpt of a letter of thanks by Chili Robinson.
The wind was against me, so I decided to put up a sail for my return trip, back to the Outlet. The wind suddenly changed, and I was fighting strong headwinds. Gradually, water filled my craft. It was less than two gallons, but due to my back injury, I could not leave my seat to cut and release the mast. I was trying to make a bailer when the boat came into the wind, took on water, and capsized. Once free of the canoe and its lines, I calmly turned it over to gather up all the onboard flotation devices. This gave me a higher profile than the canoe and, thus, more visibility. Since I appeared to be alone on the lake, I abandoned the canoe and headed for shore. Ranger Keith Turdo found me about twenty minutes later about an hour before sunset. He hauled me into his boat and transported me back to the Outlet, where my daughter and son-in-law filled me with hot soup and put me to bed. The next day Ranger Keith was back to search for the capsized canoe and transport the group to Round Pond Campsite. This was the second half of saving my butt. Ranger Keith was very professional, empathetic, and knowledgeable. He was a whiz at planning and evacuation. Thank you for picking and training Keith. In all sincerity, he saved my life!
Ranger Keith Turdo is a rescue expert and helps teach AWW Rangers during hands-on training on the Allagash. In the photo below, Keith is explaining the steps of victim extraction from a remote waterway location.
Keith Turdo, Allagash Wilderness Waterway Ranger (at left), explaining the steps of victim extraction from a remote waterway location.
Thank you to all the AWW Rangers! And thank you to Chili Robinson for keeping his head in an emergency and writing in to thank Ranger Keith Turdo.
~ Mark Deroche, Superintendent of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway
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The Buzz on Native Plants explores the relationship between native plants and pollinators and how they can benefit local ecosystems in our ever-changing climate. It will premiere on Maine Public on November 14 at 9:00 PM and be repeated on November 15 at 1:00 AM and November 16 at 2:00 PM. This 52-minute film by Tara Roberts Zabriskie, in partnership with the Maine Natural Areas Program and the Bureau of Parks and Lands, was made possible through a grant by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund. The film will repeat on Maine Public over the coming months and years and also be available to stream on their website.
The film and its segments will also be shown during the summer of 2025 at select Maine State Parks.
~ Jocelyn Hubbell, BPL Interpretive Specialist
If you are planning to decorate with wreaths and garlands during the holiday season, please be sure that they do not include invasive plants that harm Maine's natural areas and wildlife.
Bittersweet Multiflora Rose
The two most common invasive plants used in wreaths and garlands are bittersweet, and multiflora rose. Both plants cause severe environmental damage by invading open fields, forests, wetlands, meadows, and backyards and crowding out native plants.
- Bittersweet kills mature trees through strangling.
- Multiflora rose can form impenetrable thickets that outcompete native plant species.
Both species are difficult to control and easily re-sprout after cutting. The placement of invasive plant wreaths and garlands outdoors or disposing of them in compost piles can lead to new infestations. Birds and other animals also eat the fruit and spread viable seeds into vulnerable forest areas.
Report It - Wreaths may not be sold that contain these or any of the 63 plant species banned for importation and sale in Maine. Please report locations where banned plants are sold to the Maine Horticulture Program at [email protected] or by calling 207-287-3891.
Habitat Friendly Alternatives
"Look for decorations with native species in them like winterberry holly, red twig dogwood, or American mountain ash," recommends Maine State Horticulturist Gary Fish.
~ Jocelyn Hubbell, BPL Interpretive Specialist
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The Megunticook Cabin at Camden Hills State Park is available for rent year-round. It is a winter camping tradition for many park visitors who want to avoid tent camping but are looking for a rustic experience during multiple-day cross-country skiing or snowshoeing adventures at the park. Accessible on foot or by snowmobile, the cabin offers visitors camp-style bunks that sleep six, a wood stove for heat, a rustic fieldstone fireplace, and the opportunity to step back in time to a simpler way of life - there is no electricity or running water. All the details and the park phone number for reservations are in the Megunticook Cabin brochure.
~ Charlene "Sunshine" Hood, Camden Hills State Park Manager
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Cobscook Bay State Park was closed on September 16 to ensure that major improvements to the park can proceed safely and be ready for the 2025 camping season. Please visit another state park to hike and camp until the park reopens. We greatly appreciate your understanding and look forward to hosting your camping trip next season with improved facilities! For more information contact Matthew Hamilton, Northern Regional State Park Manager, at 207-941-4014.
~ Matt Hamilton, Northern Regional State Park Manager
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The Maine Geological Survey (MGS) has updated its Maine Beach Mapping (MBMAP) viewer with the latest data collected during the summer of 2024. The MBMAP program, initiated by MGS in 2005, monitors changes in Maine's dunes and beaches over time, with a focus on the seaward edge of dominant dune vegetation. Since 2017, MGS has also mapped the mean high-water contour to track beach erosion and changes in dry beach width. This comprehensive data collection helps assess the health of Maine's coastal ecosystems.
The 2024 updates, largely compiled by MGS coastal geology intern Jeannette Berman (photo included below), who surveyed 42 sandy beaches from Kittery to Bristol, reveal significant shifts in Maine’s coastal landscape. The data includes detailed information on shoreline, dune, and beach changes, now accessible to the public via the MBMAP viewer. Continue reading.
~ Courtesy posting by Jocelyn Hubbell, BPL Interpretive Specialist
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This small book makes a big statement. Award-winning author Barry Lopez asks us to take another look at our founding story, listen to others, and weave a new story that honors all of us and the place we call home.
The Wabanaki that live in Maine today now hold less than 1% of the land that once sustained their vital cultures. Can you imagine what this loss was like? What is it still like? And how much of their history, culture, and presence has been erased? Learn more.
~ Jocelyn Hubbell, BPL Interpretive Specialist
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Send article suggestions or newsletter comments to Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist, webmaster, and newsletter editor for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.
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