FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2006
DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine (June 15) -- The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC), and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension today released the new “Southern Piscataquis Regional Recreation Map and Guide,” a navigational tool that focuses on recreational opportunities in Maine’s Piscataquis County.
The map is a useful tool for visitors to the region as well as for local residents. It highlights the unique setting of the southern Piscataquis County region as a recreational destination with a rich cultural heritage and outstanding natural resources, while encouraging responsible recreation and healthy lifestyles.
The map and guide promotes outdoor stewardship, and includes descriptions of natural landscapes and the region’s cultural heritage, along with outdoor safety information and ethical recreation guidelines. Photos and artwork related to local themes enhance the map’s visual appeal.
The yearlong project has been a joint effort between the AMC and the PCEDC’s Cultural Heritage and Eco-Tourism (CHET) Committee, with assistance from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
“Not only does this map provide great recreational information on the region, it also includes heritage information, contact information for land managers, contact information for area chambers of commerce, and information to help make sure that visitors treat the land with respect. We hope everyone in the region benefits from this project,” said Mark Scarano, Executive Director of the PCEDC.
“This region has so much to offer both visitors and residents alike. We hope this map will help everyone get out and experience what the region has to offer,” said Sylvia Black, director of the CHET Committee.
“This was truly a cooperative effort, and could not have been done without many hours of work on the part of very dedicated volunteers from the CHET Committee,” said Bryan Wentzell, Maine Policy Manager for the AMC. “The project partners have captured the region’s history, culture and recreational resources, and produced what we hope will be a very useful guide for visitors and residents alike.”
By combining references to recreational opportunities with educational information about natural landscapes and cultural values, the map and guide is intended to enhance the appeal of the local region to travelers, increase recreational users’ appreciation of the region’s resources, promote ethical behavior, reduce user conflicts, and promote outdoor stewardship.
The map and guide
- Serves as a reference map for recreational opportunities in the region;
- Illustrates the cultural fabric of the region, its landscapes, and natural history;
- Supports local economies by highlighting their unique setting and points of interest; and
- Promotes responsible recreation and stewardship by:
- Informing visitors about the special values of the region;
- Providing safety and low-impact use guidelines
- Offering guidelines for ethical behavior on the land
- Citing state regulations or sources of information on hunting, fishing, camping, and campfires.
- Providing contact information for visitor services and emergency services
- Promotes healthy lifestyles and pride of place by reinforcing the connections of residents to their local surroundings.
Creation of the map was a collaborative project that brought the local knowledge and enthusiasm for sharing the region’s natural and cultural heritage together with the mapping expertise of the Appalachian Mountain Club. A diverse group of state and regional organizations, government agencies, and landowners reviewed and critiqued the map to fine-tune the final product. Cartography was performed by Larry Garland of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
“The map includes information and guidelines on responsible recreation, emphasizing that we all share a responsibility for protecting the special values that make this region an ideal recreation destination,” said Roger Merchant of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Dover-Foxcroft. “Some of the most important information for visitors on this map is about how people can enjoy the great opportunities in the region while respecting the land and landowners,” Merchant said.
“This was an exciting project that allowed us to use our knowledge of the region along with AMC’s map-making expertise to create a map with a lot of great information, and it’s something we hope will be useful for the communities of Piscataquis County. We couldn’t have done this without so many excellent partners from throughout the region,” said Helen Kelly of the CHET Committee.
Because of the generous support of the Maine Community Foundation, and the Piscataquis Public Health Council, Piscataquis County children and other residents will have free access to this map through schools and health care providers. It will also be available for purchase at local retail outlets and the Moosehead Lake Region and Piscataquis Chambers of Commerce.
Creation of the map was made possible in part by generous funding from the Maine Community Foundation’s Piscataquis County Fund and the King and Jean Cummings Fund, and the Piscataquis Public Health Council.
The Piscataquis County Economic Development Council (PCEDC) seeks to leverage local, county, regional, and state resources to promote and encourage private and public investment within Piscataquis County, Maine. The goal is to stimulate long-term sustainable economic development and growth in the region.
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is the nation’s oldest conservation and recreation organization. With 90,000 members, including 3,600 members in Maine, the AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers, and trails of the Appalachian region. As a part of its Maine Woods Initiative in Piscataquis County, the AMC seeks to address the ecological and economic needs of the Maine Woods region by supporting local forest products jobs and traditional recreation, creating new multi-day recreational experiences for visitors, and attracting new nature-based tourism to the region.
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