| | Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Summer 2008 edition of the Appalachian Mountain Club's Maine Woods Initiative News, a newsletter designed to keep you up to date on the Appalachian Mountain Club's Maine Woods Initiative, a plan for land conservation that incorporates outdoor recreation, natural resource protection, nature-based tourism, sustainable forestry, and community partnerships in Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness region.
There have been many wildlife sightings this summer. On my last trip to the Maine Woods, I watched an eagle soaring overhead at Medawisla Wilderness Camps and saw a coyote dart in front of me at Gorman/Chairback Camps.
Our guest books reveal that our visitors are coming from all over the country, all actively participating in helping to protect this very special place. If you haven't been up recently, do plan a trip. We continue to make many improvements to our camps. We are in the midst of creating a spectacular new hiking trail to the Barren/Chairback Ridge and have "discovered" a wonderful swimming hole at Little Lyford that provides a great way to cool off after a long day's hike. There is much to celebrate in our Maine Woods Initiative -- and so much of it is because of your kind and generous support.
Read on for more news on the AMC's Maine Woods Initiative and the exciting things in store in the weeks and months to come --including a new incentive for leaf-peepers heading to our camps this fall.
Walter Graff
AMC Deputy Director
Outdoor Recreation
Staff, conservation partners, and friends of the Appalachian Mountain Club(AMC) gathered at Long Pond July 14 for the dedication of Gorman Camps at Chairback Mountain, named in honor of longtime AMC supporters and outdoor enthusiasts Leon and Lisa Gorman. This special naming recognizes the Gormans for their support of AMC's Maine Woods Initiative, conservation, outdoor recreation, and environmental education. Learn more >>
View photos of the Gorman Camp Dedication>>
Guests at Little Lyford Pond Camps can enjoy the newly renovated Red Quill Cabin, a product of Kevin Sproul's handiwork. It joins White Cap as the second of two ground-up renovations at Lyford respecting the unique and historic architecture of the camps. Other recent improvements include a new metal roof and skylights on the lodge at Medawisla Wilderness Camps and the start of renovations to historic pond-side cabins at Gorman Camps at Chairback Mountain.
Despite wet weather this summer, AMC's trail crew and trail volunteers added new trails to the trail network on the Katahdin Iron Works property and constructed a new shelter at Trout Pond with assistance from AMC's Maine Chapter and Worcester Chapter. See updated trail work accomplishments>>
In addition to building new hiking trails on its Katahdin Iron Works property, AMC offers new mountain biking routes as part of its recreational network. These routes use existing logging roads, and offer several miles of road riding. See a map of hiking trails and mountain biking routes on the KIW property (PDF)>>
AMC Family Adventure Camps at Medawisla have been a big hit this summer, with kids, parents, and grandparents taking part in paddling, flyfishing, and wildlife watching at Second Roach Pond.
Community Partnerships
In June, AMC intensified its commitment to outdoor education with the launch of the Moosehead Schools Program, offering outdoor learning experiences to every elementary school, middle school, and high school student in Piscataquis County, at least three times over the course of his or her school career. Educational partnerships with local schools will continue this fall as classes resume.
Working with Assistant Scout Leader Rich Horan, AMC's Maine Woods Initiative Programs Manager Shannon LeRoy assisted Boy Scouts with a canoe trip on Long Pond earlier this month. Shannon also talked with local residents about the Maine Woods Initiative during Forest Heritage Days in Greenville Aug. 9 and 10. In June, she introduced Brownville Elementary pupils to a program on vernal pools; worked with more than 60 schoolchildren on natural history presentations during a Forest Day Celebration at the elementary school in South China; and hosted the Brownville Boy Scouts at Little Lyford Pond Camps, where they enjoyed a program on frogs and salamanders.
State, regional and local officials placed the first of several new Nature Tourism Itinerary logo signs in the Brownville area in June. Many local landowners are participating in the effort, which represents a great public-private partnership. One such sign was placed on the Katahdin Iron Works property near Gulf Hagas. The signs are part of a nature-based tourism initiative known as the Great Maine Woods and Waters Tour. The sign project is supported by the Piscataquis Tourism Task Force Nature Tourism Itinerary Subcommittee, chaired by AMC Special Projects Manager Gerry Whiting.
AMC submitted comments on Maine Land Use Regulation Commission- recommended amendments to the Plum Creek Concept Plan on July 11. Plum Creek, other intervenors and members of the public also provided comments. LURC is reviewing the input and is expected to issue a public response after two days of deliberative sessions in late September.
The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) this fall is adding to the benefits of carpooling by offering a $25 coupon to guests traveling together. As part of its "Green Promise" environmental commitment, AMC is encouraging energy efficiency while also offering special savings to further ease the rising cost of travel. Guests carpooling to one of AMC's New Hampshire or Maine lodges this fall can apply the discount toward their next stay through May 31, 2009. Learn more >>
Meet stained glass artist and Registered Maine Guide Barbara Plummer>>
The summer's wet weather is proving to be a significant challenge as we work toward fulfilling our sustainable forestry goals on the Katahdin Iron Works property. Difficulty accessing harvest areas due to soft and wet ground conditions is likely to affect harvest volumes this year. Our major forestry focus on the Katahdin Iron Works property this year is the area south of West Chairback Pond and Columbus Mountain south to the Ore Mountain Road. Harvesting continues to be governed by our long-term forest management plan, based on sustainable harvesting methods.
Campaign for the Maine Woods
Right on the heels of the fundraising success with the Kresge Challenge, AMC received another exciting challenge grant. We recently learned that the Richard King Mellon Foundation will award AMC $1.5 million if we raise $3 million in new commitments by the end of 2009. This grant and the challenge to raise an additional $3 million will be a tremendous boost to the campaign and will bring AMC closer to our vision for the Maine Woods. To have another major, national foundation support the Campaign for the Maine Woods at this level demonstrates how vital and groundbreaking our work is. Learn more about the campaign, read about why others have supported this groundbreaking project, and consider making a donation.
Family activities at AMC's Little Lyford Pond Camps were highlighted in The New York Times "Play" electronic newsletter in a piece titled "Backcountry Bonding" by Sarah Tuff.
AMC's cabins and lodges were highlighted in an ABC News travel piece, "Not Too Late to Plan Summer Vacation in Maine".
Maine Public Television viewers had the opportunity to see film taken at AMC's Little Lyford Pond Camps and Medawisla Wilderness Camps -- and had the chance to bid on lodging packages donated by AMC for stays at the camps as part of the 2008 Great TV Auction. Winning bidders for the popular packages hailed from Lewiston, Palermo, Waterford, and Orono, Maine.
Coverage of the July 14 dedication of Gorman Camps at Chairback Mountain, appeared in the July 23 edition of The Piscataquis Observer and in the July 25 edition of the Moosehead Messenger. View photos of the Gorman Camp Dedication>>
View ongoing press coverage of the Maine Woods Initiative and AMC's Maine sporting camps.
View back issues of MWI News.
Media Contact: AMC Public Affairs Director Rob Burbank at rburbank@outdoors.org or (603) 466-2721, ext. 195. Contact Rob if you have ideas for articles to be included in future issues of MWI News. |  |
