Events & News
Some summer days in Maine are almost too perfect to believe. Commissioner Amanda Beal and I were gifted with a couple of those days in late August, when we toured the Allagash Wilderness Waterway with Superintendent Matt LaRoche and his staff. With a warm sun overhead, lake waters like glass, and the biting bugs in full remission, we covered a surprising amount of the 92-mile waterway in three days. We met with experienced and energetic Waterway rangers, visited campsites and the historic Tramway, had lunch at an iconic sporting camp, and even survived some whitewater. Over the last 25 years I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Maine’s North Woods, but it’s clear that the Allagash truly is a world apart. A day’s drive from Southern Maine gets you a century back in time, where the sounds of paddles in the water, osprey overhead, and a crackling campfire supplant the omnipresent annoyances of our electronic world. There are more than 80 well-kept waterfront campsites on the Allagash, so there are almost limitless opportunities to find your own beach, swimming spot, or fishing hole.
The Allagash is overseen by a dedicated Advisory Council, and additional funding and support is provided by the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation. I’m barely four months into my position as Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands, and I can easily say the most rewarding part of my job is meeting with our remarkable staff in the field and seeing the amazing places they manage. I’d put the Allagash right at the top of that list.
(Photos, top to bottom: Commissioner Amanda Beal and Director Andy Cutko at the Waterway, Waterway Superintendent Matt LaRoche calling for moose at sunset, Commissioner Beal and Superintendent LaRoche at the historic Tramway.)
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Salmon Patties with Lemon Aioli
Lemon Aioli
- ½ cup Mayo
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 Lemon, zested & juiced
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon of chives
Combine in a bowl until set. I make this ahead of the salmon patties, so it can chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Salmon Patties
- 2 15 ounce cans wild-red or pink salmon
- 2 eggs
- 6 green onions, minced
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs (or get the kids involved and put some crackers in a zip-top baggie and let them smash the crackers)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 lime juiced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Drain salmon and pick out all of the bones and skin. Some people leave them in; they are edible and an excellent source of calcium.
In a medium sized bowl, combine salmon, eggs, green onions, bread crumbs, Parmesan, and lime juice. Use hands to combine and then form into 8 patties that are no more than one inch thick.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot enough to have a water droplet sizzle but not be smoking, add your salmon patties. You want a nice crisp siding but no burning, so watch them. Be sure to leave enough room to have a good inch in between each patty, so you may need to cook them in a couple batches. Cook until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown on other side. Serve warm with a lemon aioli.
(Contributed by Jen Neumeyer, Boating Facilities Secretary, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.)
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 Maine is renowned for its Autumn foliage. Whether you decide to hike, paddle, or ride here are some resources and suggestions to get you to enjoy the annual blaze of color.
Recommended Locations:
Resources:
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Maine Foliage Reports by the Maine Forest Service
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Forest Trees of Maine by the Maine Forest Service
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Natural Heritage Hikes by the Maine Natural Areas Program - a listing of downloadable hike descriptions with the unique ecological, geological, and cultural elements encountered on many of Maine's most popular hiking trails.
(Photo: Grafton Notch from the AT.)
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Public Lands
Scenic campsites in remote settings are offered at Public Lands locations throughout Maine. Visitors should be self-reliant and capable of camping in an area where they may or may not be able to get ranger assistance or cell phone service. Wear blaze orange during hunting seasons, as hunting is allowed on Public Lands. Hunting season information.
Below are two suggestions for fall camping adventures on Public Lands:
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Deboullie offers remote campsites on crystal-clear trout ponds surrounded by low rugged mountains in a sea of forestland in north-central Aroostook County. Over 22 miles of hiking trails await exploration as well as several water-accessed campsites. Guide & Map (24x18-inches PDF 7MB). Call (207) 435-7963, the Northern Public Lands Office, to have a copy of the Guide & Map mailed to you.
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Nahmakanta offers an extensive network of hiking trails that lead visitors along lake shores, up to open ledges, and through deep forests in this 43,000-acre public land. The Appalachian Trail courses through Nahmakanta and interconnects with miles of hiking trails maintained by Maine Parks and Public Lands. Six pristine water-accessible campsites on Nahmakanta Lake as well as several hike-to campsites are available to paddlers and hikers. Guide & Map (24x18-inches PDF 3MB). Call (207) 941-4412, the Eastern Public Lands Office, to have a copy of the Guide & Map mailed to you.
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Dodge Point Public Land
Look around you now. How much of what you see is dependent upon trees? From baseball bats to lumber for home building, to the nuts & syrups that enrich our diets, and the less obvious uses in Parmesan cheese, perfume and cosmetics, plus the oxygen we breathe and the shade we enjoy, trees contribute so much to our lives. They are necessary to our survival and quality of life. They are also important to other animals and plants.
A tree can serve directly or indirectly as a food source. Examples:
- ruffed grouse eat the winter buds of Maine’s aspens: big-toothed (Populus grandidentata) and quaking (Populus tremuloides);
- bears eat the nuts of American beech (Fagus grandifolia);
- red squirrels feed on the seeds from a variety of conifers found in Maine’s forests;
- pileated woodpeckers feed on carpenter ants; and
- bay-breasted warblers feed on insects, spiders, and spruce budworm larvae found in and on trees.
In addition to food resources, trees serve as cover or shelter to many species of wildlife. Whether it’s a series of stands of conifers providing shelter for white-tailed deer during winter, a black-capped chickadee which lays its eggs and raises young in a cavity inside a tree, or a silver-haired bat finding a daytime roost under the loose bark of a maple (Acer spp.), trees are used by wildlife for a variety of shelter needs. Trees serve as places to find mates, raise young, and provide shelter from weather and predators. In the case of the Edward’s Hairstreak, a small butterfly, the species uses scrub oak as a place to perch and wait for females and the opportunity to reproduce.
Management of forests doesn’t preclude them from being wildlife habitat. It can even help create the conditions needed for specific species to thrive. Foresters, biologists and equipment operators identify trees with important characteristics, such as a cavity with potential to become a site for mammals and birds to raise their young, or an American beech with a full and nut-producing canopy which will serve as a food resource for years to come. Foresters and biologists work together to determine where and when to harvest forests based on the needs of one or more wildlife species. A management goal might be to create a diversity of age and size structure of trees within the home range of the wildlife, and a harvest might be delayed until the adjacent area meets their habitat needs. Whether it’s actively managing for all the habitat needs of a given species of wildlife, or providing a missing component of the habitat, forest management can be used as a tool to accomplish the goal.
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The Bureau of Parks and Lands practices Sustainable Forest Management:
- Scientifically-based timber harvests support land management activities and are planned in coordination with recreation, wildlife, forest health, and scenic considerations.
- Revenues from certified sustainable forestry timber sales help to pay for trails, campsites, roads and other infrastructure and wildlife management projects.
- Harvesting is conducted by private contractors under the supervision of Public Lands Foresters.
- The Bureau’s forest practices are third-party certified to two independent standards: the Forest Stewardship Council® and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®.
Celebrate Maine Forest Products Week by:
(Photos of Public Lands top to bottom: Attean Pond, Tunk Lake, Big Spencer Mt., and Seboeis Logging Operation.)
(Forestry Management content contributed by Sarah Spencer, IF&W Wildlife Biologist & Resource Management Specialist for the Bureau.)
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Grant applications for snowmobile clubs and municipalities were mailed out the beginning of August. They are also available online:
Snowmobile Club activities and upcoming meeting lists are at www.mesnow.com
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23rd Annual Maine Snowmobile Show will be October 18th 19th & 20th 2019 at the Augusta Civic Center with many manufactures of snowmobiles, grooming equipment and apparel.
Great Winter Weather is Predicted - Get Your Sleds Ready Now!
This winter promises abundant reasonably priced fuel matched with a snowy winter, supported by the Farmers Almanac for the snow belt across North America. According to most weather forecasts, we can expect higher than normal snowfalls and “real winter” temperatures.
The winter forecast is welcome news for snowmobilers who are already preparing the trails, riding areas, and their snowmobiles. Work has begun on trails and riding areas across North America – which are always being improved with new signs, new bridges (if needed) and care and maintenance to the overall infrastructure.
Recent Surveys Highlight That:
- Snowmobilers are active outdoor enthusiasts participating in many activities such as fishing, hunting, camping, boating, etc.
- Sales of new snomobiles in 2018-2019:
- United States = 55,025
- Canada = 46,784
- Sales in Europe = 31,000+
- Previously owned snowmobiles are increasing in market value. The supply of used snowmobiles continues to be relatively low but yet available to the many new snowmobilers interested in entering the sport with a proven, well maintained product.
- Based on new economic impact data, snowmobilers generated more than $35 billion dollars in economic activity and supported record collection of tax revenue to local, state, and federal government agencies.
- Club and Association participation is increasing and supporting the snowmobiling infrastructure.
Maine Highlights:
- There are 289 snowmobile clubs in Maine.
- Last year Maine’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reported 88,066 registered snowmobiles in Maine, the highest in 9 years.
- There is a new economic impact study being done in collaboration with the University of Maine in Orono, the Maine Snowmobile Association and the Off-Road Vehicle Office, Snowmobile Program, Bureau of Parks and Lands.
- Past studies show over $350 million dollars in economic impact to the State of Maine.
(Statistics submitted by Joe Higgins, Snowmobile Program Supervisor, Off-road recreational Vehicle Office, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.)
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A Naturalist at Large: The Best Essays of Bern Heinrich
This wonderful collection of essays, in memoir form, for readers who have followed Heinrich's adventures for years or for those who may have missed his books and want to sample a superb lifetime of writing about nature.
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Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People by Jane Yolen
The colors of nature inspire the poems in this visually stunning collection. Readers will find both inspiration and encouragement (intended for middle school and older students) to create their own collection of colorful poems.
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Bradbury Mt. State Park
October 26, 2019:
Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park
- October 5, 2019 : In the Pines
- October 6, 2019 : Wild Relatives
- October 12, 2019 : Ready, Set, Sleep!
- October 13, 2019 : Mammals of Maine
- October 14, 2019 : Fall Foliage Hike
- October 19, 2019 : Casco Bay Walk
- October 20, 2019 : Ready, Set, Sleep!
- October 26, 2019 : Fall in the Forest
- October 27, 2019 : Hike with the Ranger
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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.
www.ParksAndLands.com
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