 April 2021
Andy and Haven on the summit of Bald Mt. with view of Little Concord Pond and Maine's western mountains.
When most people think of Maine State Parks, they likely envision the summer sands of Popham Beach, the family hike at Camden Hills State Park, or perhaps the sought-after campsite at Lily Bay State Park with the stunning sunset. Some may even know that Mt. Kineo, that majestic monolith in Moosehead Lake, is a State Park, or that the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site is under the Bureau of Parks and Lands’ jurisdiction. There are, however, a few State Park properties that are truly ‘under the radar’ and are worth the extra effort, particularly during this era of high outdoor activity. On a sunny Saturday this winter I set out with my son and a friend to explore one of those hidden gems -- Little Concord Pond in Woodstock. The 600-acre parcel includes a scenic 26-acre pond and a moderate 1.2-mile hike to Bald Mountain, where hikers are rewarded with a splendid view of the western Maine foothills. Energetic hikers can continue another mile to the open summit of Speckled Mountain, also on State Park property. On my winter hike, we saw two other families. Other less-known State Park properties include Moxie Falls in West Forks and Pleasant River Lake in Beddington. You won’t find bathrooms or ranger stations but these gems are worth exploring.
~ Andy Cutko, Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
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Matt LaRoche, Superintendent of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
After 44 years of truly exemplary service to the state in various capacities, Allagash Wilderness Waterway Superintendent Matt LaRoche retired at the end of March. For twelve years Matt has been a strong and steady hand at the helm of the AWW, and he has led the Waterway with integrity, dedication, and a commitment to maintaining this recreational resource as a one-of-a-kind Maine experience. Matt’s leadership has been praised by his staff and visitors alike, and I know I speak for Bureau staff, the AWW Advisory Council, the AWW Foundation, and the thousands of Allagash Wilderness Waterway users when I say thank you, Matt, for all you’ve done for AWW and for the people of Maine!
~ Andy Cutko, Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
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Matt LaRoche over his 44 year career.
We are pleased to announce the selection of Marty Kotter of Columbus, Ohio as the 2021 Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visiting Artist. Marty works primarily in fiber arts - incorporating techniques of silk painting, sewing, beading and quilting into her pieces. Most of her work is representational and inspired by nature which compel viewers to take a closer look and ask questions about the natural world.
Marty will spend two weeks immersed in the beauty of the Allagash at the Waterway's Lock Dam Cabin and make treks on and along the river so that she may interpret and share her experience through her art. As she does so, she will follow in the footsteps and paddle strokes of native Americans, rusticators, and artisans who for centuries have been inspired by the Waterway and have attempted to capture the Allagash headwater lakes and lower river's beauty and solitude through stories, drawings, photography, and music.
Explore Marty's beautiful artwork online at www.martykotterart.com.
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Quilt by Marty Kotter.
The Bureau of Parks and Lands is seeking applications for the first round of the new Logging and Forestry Education Grant Program. Grant applications may be up to $50,000 and eligible applicants are limited to Maine public secondary or public postsecondary institutions or career and technical education centers that are related to logging or forestry. Given the importance of a skilled logging workforce to the sustainable harvest of timber from Maine’s Public Reserved Lands, the purpose of this logging and forestry education grant program is to assist in the development of logging professionals.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Application, Guidance Document and Criteria for Eligibility are available here.
~ Bill Patterson, Deputy Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
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The Bureau of Parks and Lands is currently accepting applications to the Maine Forest Legacy Program.
The Forest Legacy Program is a conservation program administered by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with state agencies to encourage the protection of privately owned forest lands through conservation easements or land purchases. It operates on a competitive basis nationwide and aims to protect an array of traditional uses, forest economies and public values by preventing the conversion of Maine’s forest to non-forest uses.
Since 1994, Maine’s Forest Legacy Program has received more than $76 million through the program, and has permanently protected over 755,000 acres, with iconic landscapes that include Tumbledown Mountain, Nicatous Lake, and Pierce Pond, to name just a few.
For more information about Maine’s program and the grant application materials read the Letter to Landowners (PDF 69KB) and Application Instructions (PDF 244KB). Proposals submitted by June 1 will be eligible to compete for FY 2023 funding. For additional information click here.
~ Liz Petruska, Director of Planning and Acquisitions
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Scenes like this, clean water, a strong economy and vibrant communities are made possible by healthy forests. Your choice to use local or heat-treated firewood helps support healthy forests. (Image: Maine Forest Service)
Tree-killing pests move to new areas in and on firewood.
People who care for forests have had a laser focus on firewood movement as a major threat to forest health and productivity for almost 20 years. The rapid spread of emerald ash borer in the US and Canada is what brought firewood so sharply into focus.
Years ago, it became clear that the transport of firewood speeds up the spread of emerald ash borer; about three-quarters of the early infestations in Michigan were tied to this pathway. Asian longhorned beetle spread has also been linked to the movement of infested firewood. What else can you carry with you when you move firewood, instead of leaving it at home and buying or gathering local wood? Consider this list:
- Oak wilt fungus that threatens our oaks;
- The colorful planthopper and expert hitchhiker, the spotted lanternfly, that threatens not only trees, but also important crops and certain adult beverages;
- The human and tree health threating browntail moth. These invasive pests are just the beginning of the long list of threats to forest health.
The kicker is that the list of what we know moves with firewood is long, but new threats continue to come in from other places and infest the forests around ports and other settled areas. Over the last century, an average of 2.5 new insect species arrived on our continent every year. And high impact forest pests, like emerald ash borer, sudden oak death, and Asian longhorned beetle, were found at a rate of about 1 every 2.5 years¹.
So, what’s in your firewood? Maybe the next threat to Maine’s pristine lakeshores and great trout habitat, to Maine’s tourism, recreation and forest economies, to Maine’s scenic mountains and shores, to Maine’s way of life and the way life should be—to the reasons you traveled in the first place.
There is a cost to buying firewood at your destination or bringing certified heat-treated firewood, but the costs of moving firewood can be far greater and irreversible.
Maine has a ban on untreated firewood from out-of-state, but it is important to use local or heat treated firewood even within Maine. If you have questions, check out the Don’t Move Firewood FAQ’s.
Please, enjoy what Maine’s outdoors has to offer, and use local or heat-treated firewood. Leave your firewood at home.
- If you’ve already moved firewood, don’t leave it or bring it home – burn it!
- If you can't burn it all within 24 hours, bring it to the nearest drop-off site.
¹https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/60/11/886/328949
~ Patty Cormier & Allison Kanoti
State Forester & State Entomologist, Maine Forest Service
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When a neighbor called to notify the Bureau of Parks and Lands of an overtopping of part of the historic Mayall Mills dam from upstream beaver activity Pineland Farms came to the rescue. Acting as a good neighbor, Pineland Farms has adopted the care and upkeep of the historic site in Gray at no cost to the Bureau. With permission from Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the crew from Pineland donated their time to remove the debris and save the remaining integrity of the historic, dry laid granite block dam before the spring freshet and in doing so enabled continued fish passage at the popular fishing spot. Special thanks to Matt Sabasteanski and his crew!
~ Stephen Richardson, Senior Forest Engineer
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Osprey in flight by Jeff Bouton digiscoping with a Kowa scope.
Feathers Over Freeport is revving up for a great combination of virtual and self-guided events this year. The weekend-long festivities open on Friday, April 23 at 7:00 pm with a special online presentation by the Chewonki Foundation: Calling All Birds! Both online and onsite self-guided activities are scheduled for Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25. Please note that: on-site self-guided activities are held on Saturday only at Bradbury Mt. State Park and on Sunday only at Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park. The Hawk Watch runs daily at the summit of Bradbury Mt. through May 15, courtesy of Freeport Wild Bird Supply.
Online Broadcast Schedule:
- April 23 at 7:00 p.m. - Online presentation by the Chewonki Foundation: Calling All Birds!
- April 24 at 10 a.m. - LIVE with Birds from the Center for Wildlife
- April 24 at 4 p.m. - Keynote Presentation - Digiscoping Made Easy with Jeff Bouton of Kowa Sporting Optics
- April 25 at 10 a.m. - Owls of Maine by the Chewonki Foundation
Pre-registration for the online broadcasts and all event details are available at www.maine.gov/feathersoverfreeport. Check out the online web cams and activity pages too! On-site self guided activities include Take & Make bags, goodies and projects to take and make at home, are sponsored by the Maine Coastal Program.
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Mud Season on Maine ATV trails. Please honor Mud Season closures. All ATV trails are closed.
Maine has an amazing diversity of weather conditions any time of year but Mud Season ramps it up a notch. Mainers get out their shovels and gravel at the first hint of spring thaw... its time to stomp down the frost heaves, fill in the sink holes, and hope that the car does not sink to its axels in the mud in the meantime. Spring can mean mud, floods and ice out in southern Maine while northern Maine is still gripped by heavy snowpack and thick lake ice. Winter road closures can last well into May some years. Weather can change at a moments notice. Snow can fall any time of year on Katahdin and other places in Maine too. So keep your winter survival gear in the car, refresh the first aid kit, and be sure to get the local weather and conditions from the area you intend to visit before you head out to hike or ride a trail.
Remember that many of the access roads are dirt and may be heavily impacted by spring rains and runoff. If you are leaving tracks, you should not go! Traffic during mud season can cause expensive damage to roads and heighten the risk of erosion.
Please respect Mud Season closures - they help reduce trail erosion while protecting water quality and your safety.
- All ATV trails are currently closed for Mud Season.
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Text DACF ATV to 468311 for ATV Trail Alerts
- Join your local ATV Club to get a map and support ATV trails.
As you gear up for the boating and fishing season keep track of Maine Lake Ice Outs. Text DACF ICE-OUT to 468311 for daily ice out reports during the season.
View all Alert Listings and Text to Subscribe options.
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Work in beautiful surroundings this summer with excellent staff who care about providing the best outdoor experiences for park visitors. Seasonal openings include:
- Park Rangers and Assistant Park Rangers APPLY
- Customer Assistants/Park Booth Attendants APPLY
- Maintenance Laborers APPLY
- Navigation Aides Assistants APPLY
Seasonal Jobs Brochure.
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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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