NRCM works to protect Maine’s natural areas and wild, undeveloped character, particularly in the North Woods. We support responsible land development and sustainable forest practices that protect sensitive ecosystems and wildlife. We work for increased public ownership of Maine lands, so future generations will know the Maine we love today.
Protection of Maine’s natural, remote areas was one of the issues for which NRCM was founded in 1959. More than 60 years later, much progress has been made but major threats to Maine’s land and water resources continue.
With our coalition partners, NRCM has won many significant victories over the years, from helping establish the Allagash Wilderness Waterway to passage of legislation limiting irresponsible clear cuts. But the challenges of protecting Maine’s treasured wildlands and the wildlife that depend upon them have never been greater, nor the need more urgent.
We worked to establish a National Monument just east of Baxter State Park and continue our work to push for Land for Maine’s Future funding to acquire public lands, watchdog Maine’s public lands and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, stop the ill-conceived East-West Highway from being built, weigh-in when harmful development is proposed in Maine’s North Woods, and ensure that any timber harvesting laws and policies are as protective as possible.
More than one-third of the state has changed ownership in the past 20 years. Corporations that have no stake in our local communities are buying up hundreds of thousands of acres. Slicing and dicing these natural areas can destroy the character of Maine’s North Woods forever.
This loss would affect not only the people of Maine but also our wildlife. The region is home to moose, bear, deer, and dozens of bird species—Boreal Chickadee, Spruce Grouse, Pine Grosbeak, Cape May Warbler, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher—for which the North Woods are the southernmost limit of their breeding range. Maine’s North Woods also provide many recreational opportunities for Maine people. Unchecked development threatens access to undeveloped, wild forests, lakes, and rivers for hiking, canoeing, camping, hunting and fishing.
While development pressures and the loss of public access continue to intensify, NRCM remains a voice for balancing economic development in Maine’s North Woods with conservation.
We invite you to learn more about our work to protect Maine’s North Woods and other natural areas, and to support our vital work for generations to come.
Katahdin-area National Monument Already Paying Off for Locals
Real estate agents and small-business owners near the new Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument say they’re seeing an uptick in interest and activity. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story It didn’t take long for Alison Perrin to notice a difference at her real estate office after a swath of woods Read More
The Wind is Finally at the Katahdin Region’s Back, and It’s Thanks to the Monument
By Dan Corcoran, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed I’ve been a real estate agent in the Katahdin region for the past 13 years. Before that, I spent 30 years with Great Northern Paper’s Woodlands Division as manager of forest policy and real estate leases throughout northern Maine. Real estate, like anything, has Read More
Son of National Monument Visionary Exploring Next Steps for Katahdin-area Site
It’s still early, but Lucas St. Clair has visited national parks to gain insight and wants a Quimby foundation to help nearby communities thrive. by Deirdre Fleming Portland Press Herald news story Hanging on the wall of his office in Portland’s West End is a photo of a smiling Lucas St. Clair canoeing with U.S. Read More
The Monument Has Incredible Potential. There Should be No Uncertainty about Its Future.
By Michelle Moody, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed The Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument — and the communities surrounding it — is a treasure with incredible potential, if only people are allowed to realize it. This summer, my local hiking group began planning a visit to the proposed national monument. We Read More
It’s Time for Katahdin Region to Decide How to Grow Alongside the Monument
By Lindsay Downing, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed After college and a few years of travel, my husband and I recently decided to return to my home town of Mount Chase to take over the family business — Mt. Chase Lodge. It was a difficult decision. We were coming home to a Read More
Summer Day 2, Part 2: Allagash Falls
The paddle across the lake was easy, but the next rocky section of Allagash Stream was tough. Paint marks on particularly large rocks illustrated that many canoes had scraped along the bottom before us, and we even spotted two lost paddles caught in downed tree limbs and along the shore. We were too heavy, and Read More
Summer Day Two, Part One: Allagash River
Day two dawned wet. We could no longer access the weather report without internet or phone, but there was no mistaking the dense, low-hanging clouds. Though Bob Johnson rarely has canoers, the other couple and us were ready to paddle the Allagash Wilderness Waterway by 8 in the morning. Johnson led all of us down Read More
Experiences on the National Monument Land
Many people have shared their experiences of visiting the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument lands with us. Some visited before the designation of the Monument on August 24, 2016, and many more have been there since. Below are some blog posts, videos, and more from people who have experienced this land first-hand. If you Read More
Economic Studies Related to National Parks
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument was established on August 24, 2016, in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Prior to the designation of Katahdin Woods and Waters, Elliotsville Plantation Inc. (EPI) commissioned studies to determine the likely economic benefits a national park and national recreation area would bring to Maine’s Read More
Banner photo: Moose near Baxter State Park, by Gerard Monteux
