A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding ...4 Summer/Fall 2008 A Magazine about Acadia...

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Summer/Fall 2008 Volume 13 No. 2 A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding Communities

Transcript of A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding ...4 Summer/Fall 2008 A Magazine about Acadia...

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Summer/Fall 2008Volume 13 No. 2

A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding CommunitiesA Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding Communities

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Purchase Your Park Pass!Whether walking, bicycling, driving, or riding the fare-free Island Explorer through thepark, all must pay the entrance fee.

The Acadia National Park $20 weekly pass ($10 in the shoulder seasons) and $40 annual pass are available at the following locations in Maine:

Open Year-Round

• ACADIA NATIONAL PARK HEADQUARTERS

(on the Eagle Lake Road/Rte. 233 in Bar Harbor)

Open May – November

• HULLS COVE VISITOR CENTER

• THOMPSON ISLAND INFORMATION STATION

• SAND BEACH ENTRANCE STATION

• BLACKWOODS CAMPGROUND

• SEAWALL CAMPGROUND

• JORDAN POND AND CADILLAC MTN. GIFT SHOPS

• MOUNT DESERT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

• VILLAGE GREEN BUS CENTER

Your park pass purchase makes possible vital maintenance projects in Acadia.

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3Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

This issue of the Friends of AcadiaJournal highlights several mile-stones—the Civilian Conservation

Corps celebrates its 75th anniversary (page12), the First Lady visits Acadia (page 17),and protection of Acadia Mountain is com-pleted in less than a year (page 17).

Looking forward, a once-in-a-lifetime mile-stone is approaching.

In 2016, Acadia will celebrate its 100th

anniversary, an anniversary shared with theNational Park Service. Nationwide, plans arebeing made to prepare our parks for their cen-tennial. Here at home, Friends and the parkare busy planning partnership efforts tostrengthen and protect Acadia’s resources.

In preparation, Friends recently complet-ed its third strategic plan. Our vision for thecentennial both honors and extends that ofGeorge B. Dorr, an Acadia founder and thepark’s first superintendent. Dorr wrote, “It isan opportunity of singular interest, so todevelop and preserve the wild charm andbeauty of this unique spot on our Atlanticcoast that future generations may rejoice init yet more than we….” That opportunityremains of tremendous interest today.

Friends has identified five goals setting uson a course that builds on the work done overthe past 20 years and that guides us throughthe next eight years to Acadia’s centennial.The five objectives address stewardship andresource protection, public engagement, envi-ronmental leadership, advocacy, and organi-zational effectiveness and financial capacity.

Preserving Acadia’s Unique ResourcesAs we have been for many years, Friends

is committed to protecting Acadia NationalPark’s most important and most threatenednatural and cultural resources. With our part-ners, we will protect available lands with andadjacent to Acadia’s boundaries, respond tothreats that would result in the degradationof the park’s resources, and manage and makestrategic, leveraged grants toward natural andcultural resource protection projects in thepark and communities.

An Acadia for EveryoneAcadia is, of course, for everyone right now,

but as the saying goes, “you can’t love whatyou don’t know.” So, we need to make surethat Acadia is relevant to a broad-spectrumof ages and heritage nationwide. We aredeveloping multiple opportunities for vol-unteerism and engagement and promotingmeaningful connections to the park. ForAcadia to thrive, we must ensure that the nextgeneration of advocates and stewards will bein place to protect these magnificent lands.

Sustainability in ActionAcadia, and Friends as a park partner, will

strive to be national leaders and learners ininnovative environmental sustainability. Ourgoal is to educate visitors and residents abouttheir impact on the park and how they canimprove sustainability; to integrate fossil fuelcarbon reduction choices in operations, trans-portation, and other programs; and to estab-lish Acadia as a “Climate Friendly Park” incollaboration with the National Park Service.

Advocating for AcadiaAdvocacy may be one of our most diffi-

cult jobs—but it is also one of our mostimportant roles. Friends works to advanceAcadia’s interests, maximize public funding,and ensure effective, beneficial policies andlegislation by leading advocacy efforts at thefederal, state, and local levels. It is essentialto educate policy makers and the public, andto create a strong public awareness andunderstanding of the issues of greatest impor-tance to the park’s future.

Building a Stronger Friends of AcadiaEvaluating challenges on the horizon,

Friends will work to expand financial capac-ity with a particular focus on unrestrictedfunds and diverse revenue sources. To main-tain a strong organization, we will providethe staff, resources, and tools necessary topromote efficiency, productivity, and satis-faction of staff.

George Hartzog, a legendary National ParkService Director in the 1960s, once wrote,“The national park idea has been nurtured byeach succeeding generation of Americans.Today, across our land, the National ParkSystem represents America at its best. Eachpark contributes to a deeper understandingof the history of the United States and our wayof life; of the natural processes which havegiven form to our land, and to the enrichmentof the environment in which we live.”

Those of us who share the land which isAcadia, who enjoy its carriage roads, trails,coastline, and mountain summits, understandthe enrichment it brings to our lives. I hopeyou will join us in nurturing this magnificentpark, which is truly America at its best.

—Marla S. O’Byrne

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

President’s Column

Nor

een

Hog

an

“I hope you will join us innurturing this magnificentpark, which is truly Americaat its best.”

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4 Summer/Fall 2008

A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding Communities

FEATURE ARTICLES

10 The Value of Schoodic Erin H. FoggThe conservation values of the Schoodic Peninsula are threatened by development.

12 The CCC in Acadia Jack RussellA celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

15 Out Working in the Field Ginny ReamsResearch fellows provide valuable data for Acadia.

ACTIVITIES/HIGHLIGHTS

7 Memorial – Clare French Shepley

8 Poetry Prizes

17 Updates

21 Advocacy Corner

22 Book Reviews

DEPARTMENTS

1 President’s Column Looking to the Future Marla S. O’Byrne

3 Superintendent’s View A Fundamental Shift Away From Nature Sheridan Steele

5 Special Person Merle Cousins Erin H. Fogg

9 Poem In the Backyard Beverly Voigt

23 Schoodic Committee Skepticism at Schoodic Garry Levin

24 Chairman’s Letter Giving as a Way of Life Lili Pew

Summer/Fall 2008Volume 13 No. 2

BOARD OF DIRECTORSLili Pew, Chair

Joseph Murphy, Vice ChairEdward L. Samek, Treasurer

Michael Siklosi, Secretary

Emily BeckGail Cook

Andrew DavisDianna Emory

John FassakDebby LashLinda Lewis

Ed LipkinStan MacDonald

Liz MartinezBarbara McLeod

Julia MerckJoe Minutolo

Marla S. O’ByrneJeannine Ross

Howard SolomonSherry StreeterNonie Sullivan

Bill WhitmanDick Wolf

Bill Zoellick

HONORARY TRUSTEESEleanor Ames

Robert and Anne BassEdward McCormick BlairCurtis and Patricia BlakeRobert and Sylvia Blake

Frederic A. Bourke Jr.Tristram and Ruth Colket

Shelby and Gale DavisNathaniel R. Fenton

Frances FitzgeraldSheldon Goldthwait

Neva GoodwinPaul and Eileen Growald

John and Polly GuthPaul Haertel

Lee JuddGerrish and Phoebe Milliken

George J. and Heather MitchellJanneke Neilson

Nancy NimickJack PerkinsNancy Pyne

Louis RabineauNathaniel P. Reed

Ann R. RobertsDavid Rockefeller

Patricia ScullErwin Soule

Diana Davis SpencerBeth Straus

EMERITUS TRUSTEESW. Kent Olson

Charles Tyson Jr.

FRIENDS OF ACADIA STAFFMike Alley, Senior Field Crew Leader

Theresa Begley, Projects & Events CoordinatorSharon Broom, Development Officer

Sheree Castonguay, Accounting & Administrative AssociateStephanie Clement, Conservation Director

Lisa Horsch Clark, Director of DevelopmentDiana R. McDowell, Director of Finance & Administration

Marla S. O’Byrne, PresidentCliff Olson, Field Crew Leader

Mike Staggs, Projects & Systems Coordinator

Friends of Acadia Journal

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5Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

When I worked at Rocky Mountain NationalPark, I heard a story about a family. Theypulled up to a scenic overlook and the fathergot out with his video camera. As he was film-ing the mountain grandeur, the kids jumpedout of the van, and the father yelled, “Get backin the car—you can see this when you gethome!” I really hope this is not a true story,but there is no doubt that today’s technolo-gy-crazy society is more willing than ever towatch something on the screen rather thanexperience it in person.

According to Oliver Pergams at theUniversity of Illinois, “All major lines of evi-dence point to an ongoing and fundamentalshift away from nature-based recreation.”Steady declines are reported in per capitanature recreation since 1991—including fish-ing, hunting, camping, horseback riding, sail-ing, golf, and more. These trends are mostpronounced in youth. A recent Roper Centerpoll shows a significant downturn in partici-pation in outdoor recreation activities over thelast few years for the first time since its pollingbegan. Though Roper doesn’t survey anyoneunder 18, its polls indicate the strongest trendsmay be forming in younger age groups. Ropersays that 90 percent of the people who engagein physical outdoor activities began that par-ticipation between the ages of 5 and 18.

Many factors contribute to the declininginterest in the outdoors. Here are just a few:

• More urbanization (80% nationwide)and less of a land ethic

• Less open space and more restrictionson common space (e.g., “no tree forts”)

• Expectations for controlled environ-ments like indoor malls and stadiums,recreation centers, and air conditioning

• Changing demographics

• Cable television 24/7

• Youth “obsession” with electronics

• Prevalence of video screens in cars, cellphones, and MP3 players

• Fear of the unknown, including per-

sonal security, diseases, and even the sunand ticks—media hype can often con-tribute to these fears

• Less trust of other adults or society ingeneral

• We can do most everything fromhome—work, shop, bank, access enter-tainment, and socialize

• A shifted focus on pop culture insteadof natural wonders

While all these factors play a role in deter-mining our interest in the outdoors, some-times it just boils down to a lack of free time.Families today have little time for recreation,

travel, or trying new experiences. Kids todayare involved in so many activities that demandtheir time that it is difficult to go on familyadventures. Three-fourths of all householdstoday have only one parent or have both par-ents working. With single parents in particu-lar, it is understandable that with being boththe wage earner and the person responsiblefor all the cooking, cleaning, and parenting,it would be easy to encourage your child towatch television or play on the computerrather than worry about them being some-where out of sight.

With everyone so busy, it is no wonder theextended family vacation is less popular today.People are taking shorter trips and stayingcloser to home. This trend has been exacer-bated by the rapidly increasing cost of gaso-line and other travel expenses.

The staff here at Acadia is working hard tomake sure the dire predictions of unhealthykids growing into adults who can’t relate tonature don’t come true. This summer the parkhas expanded offerings for children and fam-ilies as part of the new Engage Youth project.Park visitors will find new family programs,ranger-guided activities, and special events.Students and teachers will benefit throughtransportation assistance and scholarships forthe park’s residential education program, aswell as the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program,which brings teachers into the park and putsthe park in the classroom. Technology-savvykids will be able to learn about the parkthrough MP3 tours, enhanced web pages, dis-tance learning broadcasts, and even cell phonetours. High school and college students canexperience the park through summer intern-ships and park ranger and volunteer positions.

Through the Engage Youth project, AcadiaNational Park staff is expressing its commit-ment to reaching out to younger genera-tions. After all, the future of Acadia—and allnational parks—rests in the hands of today’schildren. Let’s get our kids outside!

—Sheridan Steele

A Fundamental Shift Away From Nature

Pete

r Tr

aver

s

Superintendent’s View

“Steady declines are report-ed in per capita nature recre-ation since 1991—includingfishing, hunting, camping,horseback riding, sailing, golf,and more. These trends aremost pronounced in youth.”

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6 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

Acadia Quest SuccessEditor’s note: In April, Friends of Acadia andAcadia National Park partnered to launchAcadia Quest. The program challenges youngpeople and their families to spend more timeoutdoors in Acadia. Teams compete in activi-ties in three categories: explore, learn, andprotect. The teams that complete all programrequirements have a chance to win one of threegrand prizes in November. As the notes belowindicate, the families are connecting with theprogram and the park. You can find moreinformation about Acadia Quest on page 18or by visiting www.friendsofacadia.org.

My son Josh and I attended NationalJunior Ranger Day [as part of our AcadiaQuest activities]. We had such a great time!My son was so involved at all the stationsthat we didn’t have time to make it to thelast three. I am so excited that I am goingto make the Family Fun Day in July ascouting event for Pack 44 in Orrington.And, my son also got extra credit in hisSocial Studies class for visiting a nationalpark—he brought his journal and buttonto school to show his teacher what he didover vacation.

—Stacey MorneaultOrrington, Maine

I read that it would be a good idea to makereservations for Family Fun Day, so ourAcadia Quest team would like to sign up.

Gabby is excited to use this as a “learn”activity on the Quest. Thank you, we loveall this information of things to do with thefamily.

—Maria JordanMaine

Engaged in AcadiaWe had a lovely thing happen yesterday atthe membership table at Jordan Pond.John Craig and Cheryl Zamvlinsky ofApopka, Florida, joined Friends at ourmembership table on June 11. John hadjust proposed to Cheryl on top ofPenobscot Mountain. Their first act as anewly-engaged couple was to becomemembers of Friends of Acadia!

—Georgia Munsell, volunteerLamoine, Maine

A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding Communities

Friends of Acadia is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving

and protecting the outstanding naturalbeauty, ecological vitality, and cultural distinctiveness of Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities, and

thereby ensuring a high quality experiencefor visitors and residents.

The Journal is published three times a year.Submissions are welcome.

Opinions expressed are the authors’.

You may write us at43 Cottage Street / PO Box 45

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609or contact us at207-288-3340800-625-0321

www.friendsofacadia.orgemail: [email protected]

EDITORErin Hitchcock Fogg

POETRY EDITORPhilip Dane Levin

DESIGNPackard Judd Kaye

PRINTINGPenmor Lithographers

PUBLISHERMarla S. O’Byrne

This Journal is printed on chlorine-process free, recycled, and recyclable stock using soy-based ink.

Summer/Fall 2008Volume 13 No. 2

Notes from Friends

Sunrise over Schoodic Peninsula and FrenchmanBay as seen from Schooner Head

Cover photographs by Tom Blagden

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Annual Report Corrections: Friends of Acadia failed

to acknowledge the generosity of Diana Rigg in our list-

ing of George B. Dorr Society in the annual report

recently mailed to donors. We appreciate the foresight

and generosity of Diana and all Dorr Society members.

The following members were erroneously listed in the

wrong giving societies:

Robin and Paul Vermylen should have appeared in

listing for the Acadia Society.

The Garden Club of Mount Desert should have

appeared in the listing for the Acadia Society.

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7Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

The person most often associated withthe 45 miles of beautiful carriageroads that wind through Acadia

National Park is John D. Rockefeller Jr., whocarefully designed and built each road,bridge, and vista of the carriage road systemthat he generously gifted to Acadia NationalPark. But among members of Friends ofAcadia, Merle Cousins is a modern-day heroof the carriage roads. Merle, a recently-retiredNational Park Service employee, dedicatedmuch of his career to keeping the carriageroads in a condition that would make Mr.Rockefeller proud.

Merle spent most of his childhood inFranklin, moving to Mount Desert Island in1960 where he attended high school. He laterattended Maine Maritime Academy andserved a stint as a merchant marine. Merle’slong and storied career with the National ParkService began in 1972 when he returnedhome to MDI for the summer. He was offereda so-called summer job at Acadia—a job thatended 36 years later.

Merle started in the maintenance division,first at Sewall and later at park headquarterswhen the east and west maintenance districtswere combined. In the late 1980s, Friends ofAcadia was formed, forever changing thedirection of his career.

In its first major accomplishment, Friendscrafted an agreement with the park andCongress to fund the rehabilitation of the car-riage road system. Merle recalls that with fewhands to do the maintenance work requiredof such an extensive carriage road system, theroads had fallen into disrepair. A combina-tion of public funding and private donationsthrough Friends of Acadia funded the reha-bilitation, which started in 1991. Merle wasappointed as a work leader of the carriageroad rebuilding process and a year later hewas promoted to supervisor.

Merle helped lead the crew of park work-ers in an historic effort to re-build the roadsthat Mr. Rockefeller gifted to Acadia. Thecrew removed vegetation from roads, shoul-ders, and ditches, and reestablished drainage

systems to prevent erosion. Layers of the roadswere restored, and new surface materials wereapplied to replace those that had washed awayover the years. Coping stones were reset orreplaced, and some of the historic vistas thatonce greeted horseback riders, carriage driv-ers, and walkers were reopened.

“What amazes me,” says Merle, “is thatprior to 1991 the roads were in absolutelyhorrible condition. It wasn’t the park’s fault—we just didn’t have the people and resourcesfor maintenance.”

After serving as a supervisor, Merle was pro-moted to the position of carriage road fore-man. And, in 2006, Merle became the roadsforeman, in charge of all park roads and car-riage roads, as well as the maintenance shop.

Merle describes the most special part of hiscareer as helping make possible the drasticdifference in the quality of the carriage roadsfrom pre-1991 compared to today. He notedrehabilitating and maintaining the carriageroads has led to increased use, especially bybikers, allowing Mr. Rockefeller’s generosity

and talent to be appreciated and experiencedby many.

And Merle’s dedication to caring for theroads has not gone unnoticed by theRockefeller family. He recalls a Friends ofAcadia annual meeting about 10 years agowhen he was recognized with a public serv-ice award. After accepting the award, DavidRockefeller, JDR Jr.’s son, approached Merleand congratulated him with great thanks for“taking care of Daddy’s roads.”

Merle’s extensive knowledge of the carriageroads and their maintenance routine is evi-dent to anyone who spends time with him.For the past several years, members ofFriends’ George B. Dorr Society have enjoyeda carriage road tour, complete with Merle’snarration of historical anecdotes and detailsabout the carriage road system. It is inevitablethat at least one member on the tour is soimpressed with Merle that they ask if theycan bring their friends and family back foranother tour.

Perhaps Merle’s knowledge is most appre-ciated by the volunteers who spend morn-ings working in the park. Under the guid-ance of Merle and two other seasonal fieldcrew leaders funded by Friends, volunteershelp with raking and the general upkeep ofthe carriage roads.

After 36 years of work with the NationalPark Service, Merle retired in May. Thoughhe’s not on the trails every day, he and hiswife, Allie, regularly use the carriage roadsand hiking trails, especially on the west sideof Mount Desert Island. They recently pur-chased their lifetime park passes and Merleadmits he’s been back in the maintenanceshop a few times since May.

Though Merle will be dearly missed byfriends and co-workers, his dedication to thepark will always be remembered and willinspire future caretakers of Mr. Rockefeller’sroads. Friends of Acadia salutes Merle forhis years of service to Acadia National Parkand its carriage roads. ❧

—Erin Hitchcock Fogg

MERLE COUSINS—ROADS FOREMAN EMERITUS

Merle Cousins retired from the National Park Servicein May after 36 years. He was an integral part of thehistoric carriage road rehabilitation during the 1990s.

Special Person

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8 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

ACADIA FOREVEREstate Planning—Supporting the Mission

of Friends of Acadia

Preserving and protecting the outstanding natural beauty,

ecological vitality, and cultural distinctiveness of

Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities

is a wise investment.

And, it’s simple. Add only one of the following sentences

to your will, or a codicil:

I hereby give ______% of my residuary estate to Friends of Acadia, Inc., a Maine charitable corporation,

PO Box 45, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, for its charitable purposes.

I hereby bequeath $______ to Friends of Acadia, Inc., a Maine charitable corporation, PO Box 45,

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, for its charitable purposes.

I hereby devise the following property to Friends of Acadia, Inc., a Maine charitable corporation,

PO Box 45, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, for its charitable purposes: [legal description of the property].

For more information, call the office at 207-288-3340 or 800-625-0321,

email the director of development at [email protected],

or visit our website at www.friendsofacadia.org.

Looking for the perfect gift idea fora birthday or anniversary?

Introduce someone you care about toAcadia with a gift membership in

Friends of Acadia.

Please send a special $40 gift package* to:

___________________________Name

______________________________________________________Address

_________________________________________________________________________________City, State, Zip Code, & Telephone Number

Message you would like on the card:_________________________________________________________________________________* Gift package includes:

• The Rusticator’s Journal, a delightful bookof essays and photographs of MountDesert Island and Acadia National Park

• A one-year subscription to the Friends ofAcadia Journal, published three timesannually

• A Friends of Acadia window decal

• The satisfaction of knowing that membership in Friends of Acadia helpsto preserve the remarkable beauty ofAcadia National Park

To give a gift membership, simply mail theabove form, along with a check made payable toFriends of Acadia, in the envelope provided or

visit www.friendsofacadia.org.

All contributions to Friends of Acadia are used to preserveand protect the outstanding natural beauty, ecologicalvitality, and cultural distinctiveness of Acadia NationalPark and the surrounding communities. All gifts are taxdeductible.

Friends of AcadiaP.O. Box 45 • Bar Harbor, ME 04609

www.friendsofacadia.org207-288-3340 • 800-625-0321

Give the Gift of Acadia

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9Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

Clare French Shepley1941 - 2007

Clare Shepley, of West Tremont, Maine, died of ovar-ian cancer on December 9, 2007. She left three chil-

dren and their spouses, eight grand children and a legionof friends and acquaintances whose lives were enrichedby her wit, grace and generosity, and by her personalexample: She lived life with a broad margin, cherishingher days even in the bleakest moments of the two-yearsiege preceding her death.

Early in life, Clare visited Maine with her father, stay-ing at the Claremont. She later made Mount Desert Island

her home. Any activity that had an outdoor component interested her, especiallyif it required physical movement in great quantity. Clare hiked in Acadia NationalPark in all seasons. She sailed boats among the islands in summer, and kayakedand canoed in salt and fresh water. She captained a Bulls Eye named Sweet Pea,an O’Day called Amiga, and her motorboat Loon. Family and friends cameaboard for a great adventure with a very skilled helmsman who had extremelygood judgment.

Clare was a licensed Maine lobsterman (there is no such thing as a Maine lob-sterwoman). She placed her few traps offshore near her house at Goose Cove.She hauled them by hand from a skiff she rowed herself—after kayaking to it.Given the price of the license, traps, buoys, lines, skiff and bait, the first season’slobsters cost about $400 a pound. But her grandchildren were pretty impressedby Nanny’s hauling, and that was reward beyond counting. (They were more awedwatching her hang six spoons from her face.)

Clare's inborn leadership ability found outlets in Maine. She was elected thethird female president of the Causeway Club and was respected for her work indeveloping the professional staff and for the creative improvement of facilities.Because she listened to all viewpoints, people praised her inclusiveness. Shecould push the bulls back with authority, humor, and offense to none. She madeefficient business decisions but never imposed her way. Clare unfailingly creditedothers for their contributions to the work product. Even as the club's championwoman golfer (three times), she celebrated the accomplishments of others fore-most. She was a combination of sensitive leader, sharp-minded chairwoman,focused problem-solver, and natural friend to all.

She served on the boards of the Wendell Gilley Museum, Acadia Senior College,and the Southwest Harbor Library. As a trustee of Island Connections, she advisedon serving the area’s infirm and elderly. She donated to Friends of Acadia. Buther charitable activities went beyond organizational affiliation. Clare drove peo-ple to hospitals, the food market, banks—whatever the real needs. If shethought you should have a dog, she got you one. If your horse needed to visitthe vet while you were away, she hitched up her trailer and did the job. As always,she preferred no attention to herself.

Three months before she died, she climbed the Precipice with her son, JohnConzelman. Clare led. Her only complaint, he said, was that the people ahead ofthem were too slow. Clare Shepley was a life force. ❧

—Adapted from Bar Harbor Times, “A Woman of Substance,” with Nan Lincoln, and information fromthe family and Ken Olson.

MemorialIN MEMORIAM

We gratefully acknowledge giftsreceived in memory of:

Harvey AigesCurtis Barnett

Mary-Frances BelowJoyce M. Bishop

BrandyDave Brown

Virginia BunkerGeorge H. Buck

ChakraRobert Clark

Michael CurlutuFrank Elliott

Russell C. ElliottFudge

Charles M. GrafChris Herlihy

Lorraine HorschLinda M. Irving

Ilmars KnetsLanman Family

Mary LucasChristopher Maier

Ben MatulaitisCrosby G. Mills

Elinor Fraver MooreElizabeth R. Pfeiffer

Allen PresbySue Presby

Doug L. RabascaStanley Rich

James A. SaltsmanWarner F. Sheldon

Clare French ShepleyCarroll and Eva Louise Smith

Chuck SperrickEllen M. Tateo-Beebe

Marie WalchMary C. Wider

Theresa F. Yerkes

IN NOMINEWe gratefully acknowledge gifts

received in honor of:Bob Clark

Susan FrostHelen S. Longton

Lili PewAlisha RechholtzDavid Rockefeller

Helen Schoene

March 1, 2008 – May 31, 2008

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Poetry Prize

FRIENDS OF ACADIA POETRY PRIZE

2008 AWARDS

Established in 1998, the Friends of Acadia Poetry Prize is presented biannually to promote and recognize distinctive nature poetry.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 Friends of Acadia Poetry Prize:

FIRST PRIZEBeverly Voigt

Torrance, California“In the Backyard”

SECOND PRIZECharlotte Muse

Menlo Park, California“Bat Rhapsody”

THIRD PRIZEBrooke Pacy

Waldoboro, Maine“Encounter”

Wesley McNair, an extraordinarily gifted poet from Maine, judged the competition. McNair has held grants from the Fulbright and Guggenheim foundations, two Rockefeller fellowships, and twofellowships from the NEA. Last year he received a $50,000 United States Artists award as one ofAmerica’s “finest living artists.” He has served three times on the nominating jury for the PulitzerPrize for poetry and published more than a dozen books, including poetry, essays, and anthologies.McNair lives in Mercer, Maine.

Christina LovinLancaster, Kentucky“The Stone Canoe”

Gerry StorkLyndonville, Vermont“My Monet”

Trina GaynonWoodland Hills, California“On the Ridge”

Meredith Nash FosselAlna, Maine“Bird Tree”

Cynthia SpearanceWashington, Maine“Ancient Grace”

Linda Neal ReisingPoseyville, Indiana“Clock and Compass”

Lari SmithLexington, Massachusetts“Landscape by Starlight”

Artis BernardSouth Portland, Maine“The Train from Budapest to Krakow”

Friends of Acadia Journal

HONORABLE MENTION

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Poem

FRIENDS OF ACADIA POETRY AWARD

1st Prize

We tell our stories wide-eyedas though we don’t believethem ourselves—how the blue jay

sat among the beans three daysstraight and the Vidalia onionsbloomed on strong green stems,

their gauzy bridal caps foldingback, presenting their white bouquets.How she had died on the last day

of spring and what that meant.How on the evening of the funeral,as twilight and the lightning bugs

arrived, and as our grief was justbeginning, two deer—a buck and a doe—stepped slow and high-footed into the yard,

glowing tawny against the greensilhouette of apple trees. How the buckmoved into the next yard but the doe

lingered, how she looked up at usgathered behind the porch railing, thenlowered her head again to the grass.

How she wasn’t afraid. How the rosesbloomed so heavy the brancheslay in the dirt.

—Beverly Voigt

BEVERLY VOIGT is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, andcurrently lives in Torrance, California. She works as an editor.

In The Backyard

“Acadia is in our blood”PO Box 52

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

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12 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

Acadia National Park is most com-monly known and visited for itshistoric carriage roads and hiking

trails, pristine forests and lakes, and inspir-ing coastal views from Mount Desert Island.More recently, though, the Schoodic Districtof Acadia National Park, a quieter, less-trav-eled portion of the park that lies on 2,300acres at the tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, hasbeen receiving local, national, and interna-tional attention. This increased attention isthe result of a proposal to build a resort com-munity development on 3,200 acres bor-dering the park.

Early this spring, consultants represent-ing the landowners of the parcel adjacent to

the park contacted the Schoodic communi-ties, Friends of Acadia, Acadia National Park,local land trusts, and other stakeholders totalk about their proposal to build a large-scale“eco-resort.” The concept plan includes a golfcourse, two hotels, a beaver ecology center,a captive bird breeding center, a marine edu-cation center on Sargent Island, a native plantnursery, areas set aside for resort housing, anda green corridor that includes trails and roadsfor bicycles and electric trams. Friends mettwice with the consultants, but was dissatis-fied with the level of information regardingthe amount and type of housing proposedand the lack of secure plans for long-termpreservation of the proposed “green corri-dor.”

Additionally, Friends sought to share withthe consultants the irreplaceable conserva-tion values associated with the 3,200 acres

adjacent to the park. The lands are a criticalhabitat link between the North Woods andAcadia National Park, which stands at risk ofgenetic isolation at the tip of the SchoodicPeninsula. Together with the park, the pri-vate lands are part of a 9,000-acre undevel-oped habitat block—one of the largest unde-veloped habitat blocks on the Maine coast—intersected only by Rte. 186. Portions of thepark and the adjacent private lands have beendesignated by the Maine Natural AreasProgram as a Focus Area of StatewideEcological Significance because of rare jackpine woodlands, waterfowl and wading birdhabitats, shorebird feeding and roosting areas,and rare plant community types.

Additionally, the undeveloped land hasincredible values for the visitor experience atSchoodic. Numerous viewpoints along theSchoodic National Scenic Byway and fromvantage points in the park would be nega-tively affected by construction associated withthe “eco-resort.” Visitors who arrive at theSchoodic District of Acadia travel through alovely, forested corridor along Moore Roadthat appears to be part of the park, but wouldmost likely be developed with housing anda lodge. Similarly, the park’s exit road is buta thin strip of conserved land through whichhousing could be seen. The view from FrazerPoint would forever be changed by a lodgesitting above Frazer Creek and the aquacen-ter proposed for Sargents Island. And, theview from Schoodic Head, which presents adramatic panorama eastward to Petit Manan,northward to Schoodic Mountain, and west-

ward to Cadillac, would be marred by newhousing and “eco-resort” facilities.

Other detriments to the park visitor expe-rience could also be anticipated—everythingfrom increased traffic and visitation at keypark destinations like Schoodic Point to dete-rioration of natural soundscapes with theaddition of lawn mowing, leaf blowing, carhorns, and other activities at the “eco-resort.”

In early spring, Friends contracted theIsland Astronomy Institute to measure thequality of the night sky at Schoodic Head.Using National Park Service equipment andmethods, the Institute found some existinglight pollution from the villages of WinterHarbor and Birch Harbor, but characterized

the starlit skies directly overhead as some ofthe most pristine found in Acadia NationalPark. Friends is concerned that developmentadjacent to the park could degrade this valu-able resource that has all but disappeared onthe East Coast.

Because of these concerns and the lack ofanswers related to housing, long-term eco-logical protection, and other aspects of the“eco-resort,” Friends began publicly raisingquestions about the proposed development.The questions include: Will a habitat corri-dor that is interspersed with trails and elec-tric trams transporting visitors promote ordeter wildlife movement? How will the habi-tat corridor be protected from developmentover the long-term? With possible develop-ment of as many as a thousand housing units,will this parcel of land meet land trust crite-ria for long-term conservation of the “eco”

Stewardship

THE VALUE OF SCHOODICErin Hitchcock Fogg

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A panoramic view from Schoodic Head reveals the currently undeveloped landscape that provides habitat for many species and provides visitors with the opportunityfor quiet discovery.

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13Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

portion of the plan? What is the logic behinddestroying natural habitats for the purposeof building ecological centers to interpretwhat naturally existed in the first place?

Through opinion editorial pieces in localand regional newspapers, public listening ses-sions, and kitchen meetings, Friends beganthe process of engaging community membersin discussions about the proposal and theirdesires for the future of their peninsula com-munities. On May 14, the landowners’ con-sultants held a public meeting on theSchoodic Peninsula to present the “eco-resort” concept to residents and to solicit feed-back. Friends encouraged Gouldsboro andWinter Harbor residents to attend the meet-ing, ask questions, and decide for themselveswhether this large-scale development fit thevalues of their communities and was appro-priate for the boundaries of a nationalresource like Acadia National Park.

The May 14 public meeting was attendedby approximately 250 people. The consult-ants discussed the elements of the proposeddevelopment that they viewed to be environ-mentally-friendly but did not address specif-ic details about when the development wouldbe built, how much and what type of hous-ing would be provided, nor the market theylooked to for such an ambitious development.

Some residents expressed interest in theshort-term economic benefits presented byconstruction of the resort, but a large num-ber of attendees that spoke expressed skep-ticism and concern about the feasibility andecological-soundness of the plan. Many res-idents commented that the educational pur-poses of the environmental centers includedin the plan seem to duplicate the efforts ofthe existing Schoodic Education and ResearchCenter at Acadia.

Acadia National Park and Friends of Acadiahave identified this proposal as the singlebiggest threat to the park. The consultantspresented the public feedback on the pro-posed “eco-resort” to the landowners in lateMay. Friends secured two promises from thedevelopers’ consultants prior to this meet-

ing—that they would present as an optionthe possibility of a purchase of the propertyby conservation buyers, and that they woulddeliver Friends’ request to meet directly withthe landowners. Friends believes that the con-sultants followed through with both prom-ises, but to date has not been able to meetwith the landowners and does not know ifthe “eco-resort” plan will be pursued, aban-doned, or revised.

Friends continues to reach out to com-munity members in partnership with con-servation colleagues to understand commu-nity ideas for economic development, to lis-ten to their concerns or support for the “eco-resort,” and to share the important conser-vation and park values associated with the3,200 acres adjacent to the park. Friendsmaintains an open and respectful relation-ship with the project consultants and con-tinues to hope for a direct meeting with thelandowners.

Friends recognizes that the large-scaledevelopment being explored at Schoodic hasnational implications because of its locationon the boundary of one of America’s mostpopular national parks. This proposal mer-its regional and national scrutiny, so Friendsis partnering with state and national organi-zations, such as the National ParksConservation Association, the Sierra Club,Downeast Audubon, and the NaturalResources Council of Maine, to raise the pro-file of this proposal and to engage a largeraudience in the analysis of the proposal.

If and when the consultants submit appli-cations, or pre-applications, for review beforethe planning boards in Winter Harbor andGouldsboro and before Maine’s Departmentof Environmental Protection, Friends ofAcadia will review the plans and take fur-ther appropriate action in an effort to pre-serve the precious conservation values ofthe Schoodic Peninsula. ❧

ERIN HITCHCOCK FOGG is the formercommunications coordinator and editor atFriends of Acadia.

RESOURCE VALUES OF THE

SCHOODIC PENINSULA

Adapted from information provided bythe National Park Service

The following resource values havebeen identified on the SchoodicPeninsula:

• Habitat connection between the park and interior lands, which helps prevent the isolation of vegetative communities and wildlife populations

• Approximately 1.1 mile of shoreline is state-mapped wildlife habitat of significance for waterfowl and wading birds

• Bald eagle nesting territory

• Possible archeological sites, as well as other cultural resources

• Undeveloped entire islands: Sargents (15 acres) and Thrumbcap (2 acres)

• Undeveloped gateway corridor along Moore Road from the villageof Winter Harbor to the park

• Undeveloped landscape that dominates the middle ground viewshed from points on the peninsula and Mount Desert Island

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14 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

History

THE CCC IN ACADIA

All friends of Acadia National Parkrevere Charles W. Eliot, George B.Dorr, and John D. Rockefeller Jr.,

the visionary founders of the heritage weserve today. In 2008, all who love Acadiaalso honor thousands of young men mus-tered from across Maine to work in the parkand the surrounding communities as theCivilian Conservation Corps, whose 75th

anniversary is observed this year. The parkstill benefits from the good works of thosewho came here in hard times to serve fam-ily, community, and nation.

When Franklin Roosevelt became presi-dent in March of 1933, America had endurednearly four years of the Great Depression.Thirteen million were unemployed, a quar-ter of the national workforce. ThroughoutMaine, families suffered as towns struggledto provide relief. In mills from Biddeford toMillinocket, at the Bath ship yard, and in can-neries along the coast, workers lost jobs ortook deep pay cuts.The County sufferedmost: St. John Valley potatoes sold for halftheir pre-WWI price if they sold at all; payand jobs in the woods fell. Towns took farmproduce and firewood as payment for taxesand gave them to their destitute.

Hard times had also come to our ownisland. By 1933, more than 700 unemployedmen from Bar Harbor alone had registeredtheir need for work.

FDR acted swiftly on many fronts to pro-vide relief and inspire hope. Of all the NewDeal proposals passed by Congress duringthe Hundred Days, none helped families asquickly nor changed the American landscapeas deeply as the Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC), enacted on March 31, 1933.

The “CCs,” as it was fondly called byenrollees, gave jobless young men new skills,basic education, and healthy bodies throughemployment in conservation work. Men 18-25 years old from families in need couldenroll for periods of six months. They wentto CCC camps run by the army to perform

projects overseen primarily by the U.S. ForestService and National Park Service (NPS).Enrollees earned $30 a month of which $25was sent home to their families. The letter ofone Maine mother speaks for most parentswith a boy in the CCs: “If you didn’t sendhome $25 a month, we couldn’t get by.”

Superintendent George B. Dorr, ever polit-ically-agile, quickly brought the CCC toAcadia. By Memorial Day, when Mr. Dorrhosted Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickesand National Park Service Director HoraceAlbright at Old Farm, two CCC camps wereunder construction on Mount Desert Island.The first was on MacFarland Mountain at thecurrent site of park headquarters on EagleLake Road. The second occupied privately-

owned property just south of Long Pond. (Athird camp was established near Ellsworthin June.)

During the next nine years, thousands ofyoung men came to these camps for sixmonths or more to work, learn, and grow.Most were sons of Maine farmers, woodsmen,mill workers, and quarrymen. Some werehigh school graduates, more were not. Somehad labored in fields and woods but few camewith employable skills, so they were eagerto learn. As the superintendent of theMacFarland camp said, “They eat, sleep,work, and think as any other healthy Maine-raised boys do and they are just as interest-ed in their homes and families as you wouldexpect any Maine man to be.” Dorr would

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“Early Mess,” an oil painting by Hugh Hegh, depicts a typical Civilian Conservation Corps breakfast at theMcFarland Mountain camp.

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15Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

write that they “furnished the park with allthe labor it has had, road construction apart… and have enabled it to carry on, uninter-rupted, important work.”

The important work of the CCC enrolleesendures throughout Acadia. In 1933, oncethey built their year-round camps, theycleared brush and deadfall for fire control. Butfrom 1934 on, the CCC men maintainedand improved the established trails within thepark and built new ones. Their labor builtmost of the trails in the rapidly expanding“park extension” on the western side of MDI.CCCers made many short connector paths tothe Park LoopRoad and the growing systemof carriage roads steadily advanced by

Rockefeller crews. Some 14 truck trails for fireand recreational access were built by the boys.They constructed campgrounds and picnicareas, built 27 foot bridges, and planted thou-sands of trees and shrubs to help reclaim areastemporarily disturbed by road and trail devel-opment. All of their projects met established

NPS design standards and, from 1935 on,were conducted under the careful supervisionof park landscape architects.

The surrounding communities welcomedthe CCC boys. They donated furniture andbooks for the camps. (Atwater Kent provid-ed a top-of-the-line radio.) Towns hosted

baseball, hockey, basketball, boxing, plays,and, most important of all, dances. A fewCCCers married island women and stayed.When other New Deal programs employedisland men with quarry and road-buildingskills, they occasionally taught CCC boys,as did the local hands of the Rockefeller roadcrews, when their work converged with CCCprojects, as they did on the Ocean Drive dur-ing 1933-1937.

The CCC work still serves. A family visit-ing Acadia today might camp at Blackwoods,greet the sun with a walk along the OceanDrive, and enjoy the mid-morning viewsfrom Beech Cliff. After a swim at Echo Lakethey could take the Lurvey Spring fire roadover to Long Pond for a walk up the west-ern side and a picnic on the rocks, followedby a hike up the Perpendicular Trail toadmire the beautiful stone step work. Theirgood day might end at sunset beneath thecentury old evergreens of Pretty Marsh.Every step of their passage through Acadiawould have been opened for them a longlifetime ago by the CCs.

The CCC ended in 1942 with nationalmobilization for World War II. Three millionyoung men had enrolled in the CCC. Morethan 90 percent of them served in the war,fully a sixth of all those in uniform. After thewar, these men and the families and com-munities they had served were championsfor conservation. Fifty years after he workedin Acadia, Charles Arnold of York could say,“It was the best thing that ever happened tome!” In 2008, we can say that the CivilianConservation Corps was one of the bestthings that ever happened to Acadia. ❧

JACK RUSSELL and his wife, Sandy Wilcox,live at the north end of Echo Lake. When notvolunteering on Acadia’s trails, he flies awayto advise regional economic developmentorganizations on strategic planning and polit-ical communication.

“A family visiting Acadia todaymight camp at Blackwoods,greet the sun with a walk alongthe Ocean Drive, and enjoy themid-morning views fromBeech Cliff…every step oftheir passage through Acadiawould have been opened forthem a long lifetime ago by theCCs.”

Members of the Civilian Conservation Corps at workand at play during their time in Acadia. Photoscourtesy National Park Service.

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16 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

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March 1 – May 31, 2008

New Members

We are pleased to welcome our newest friends:

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17Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

Each summer, a whole new cropdescends upon Acadia National Park,spreading out over every inch of the

park. It’s not the black flies, seasonal employ-ees, or the more than 1.5 million people whovisit the park from June to October each year.Instead, it is researchers—scientists whocome to the park to study its animals, plants,history, and more. This year is no different;seven researchers, recipients of the park’sresearch fellowships, will be out in the fieldsearching, counting, studying, and learning.Everything these researchers discover will addto our understanding about the park and helppark management make informed decisions.

Several of these researchers will be study-ing wildlife. Chris DeSorbo and ChristianNiven of the BioDiversity Research Instituteand Charles Todd of Maine Department of

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will begin aninventory of woodland raptors (birds of preylike Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinnedhawks). They will collect information aboutterritories, nest sites, and preferred habitats,and will use the results to make recommen-dations for protecting and monitoring nest-ing raptors.

Shifting the scale from big animals to small,Bryan Windmiller of Hyla Ecological Services,Inc., and Glen Mittelhauser of the MaineNatural History Observatory will look atinsects found in the park’s freshwater sources.They will compare the results of their searchfor predaceous diving beetles, whirligig bee-tles, and backswimmers (those active insectsyou see along the shores of lakes and ponds)with a 1928–1944 field collection of inver-tebrates to determine the changes that havetaken place over the last 60+ years.

While the next study also focuses on small-er animals, the implications of the study arehuge. Colleen Teerling of the Maine ForestService will evaluate the risk of emerald ashborer beetle infestations in the park. Thisnon-native insect attacks and completely killsall types of ash trees. While not yet found inMaine, emerald ash borers have spread rap-idly since their 2002 discovery in Michigan,largely through the transportation of infect-ed firewood. The researchers will assess thepotential for introduction by contactingcampers in park and private campgrounds tofind out if they brought their own firewood.With Acadia being a primary destination forcampers from many states, it’s essential that

the park knows more about this issue. Other researchers will study the park’s

plant life. Jeffrey Johansen of John CarrollUniversity (Ohio) will look for algae speciesin streams, wetlands, and lakes. Because thepresence—or absence—of certain speciesindicates water quality, the results of thisstudy will help park management deter-mine how best to manage its freshwaterresources.

Wendy Norden and Doug McNaught ofthe University of Maine at Machias will turntheir attention to saltwater in a study of eel-grass habitat, and the fish and invertebratesthat live in those areas, at the SchoodicPeninsula. Increasing our understanding ofthese habitats can help Acadia make deci-sions about habitat protection.

Physical science, rather than biological, isthe focus of Sarah Nelson of the SenatorGeorge J. Mitchell Center for Environmentaland Watershed Research at the University ofMaine. She will measure the mercury con-centration in Schoodic Peninsula soilsthroughout the year to determine why win-ter soils have greater concentrations than soilscollected in the summer. This study will addto the substantial body of work surroundingmercury in the park environment.

Cultural resources will also be studied thissummer, as Franklin Price and students fromEast Carolina University (North Carolina) willtake a look at ships wrecked near or in thepark. They will create a map of possible loca-tions of submerged shipwrecks after inter-viewing fisherman and divers and studyinghistoric records.

These seven researchers are working in thepark because of two research fellowship pro-grams. The L.L.Bean Acadia ResearchFellowship, created through a grant fromL.L.Bean to Friends of Acadia, provided$25,000 in 2008 to support research thepark. The Schoodic Research Fellowship wascreated by Acadia Partners for Science andLearning to augment the L.L.Bean grant andprovided $10,000 in 2008 for research in theSchoodic section of the park. Thanks to thesegenerous donations and the hard work ofthese researchers (and many others), we’relearning more about the park every day.And everything we learn will help managersmake decisions that keep Acadia NationalPark the special place we know today. ❧

GINNY REAMS is writer-editor at AcadiaNational Park.

Research in Acadia

OUT WORKING IN THE FIELDGinny Reams

“Everything these researchersdiscover will add to ourunderstanding about the parkand help park managementmake informed decisions.”

Of the seven research projects funded for 2008, onewill begin an inventory of woodland raptors, birds ofprey like the Cooper’s hawk pictured here.

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18 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

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“One of the greatest satisfactions in doing any

sound work for an institution, a town, or a city, or for the nation,

is that good work done for the public lasts, endures through

the generations; and the little bit of work that any individual of

the passing generation is enabled to do gains the association

with such collective activities an immortality of its own.”

—Charles W. Eliot, Sieur de Monts Celebration, 1916

Please consider these options for providing essential financial support to Friends of Acadia:

Gift of Cash or Marketable Securities. Mail a check, payable to Friends of Acadia, to PO Box 45,

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, or visit www.friendsofacadia.org/annualfund to make a secure gift using your credit card. Call or visit the website

for instructions on giving appreciated securities, which can offer income tax benefits as well as savings on capital gains.

Gift of Retirement AssetsDesignate Friends of Acadia as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k),

or other retirement asset, and pass funds to Friends of Acadia free of taxes.

Gift of Real PropertyGive real estate, boats, artwork, or other real property to

Friends of Acadia and you may avoid capital gains in addition to providing much needed funds for the park.

Gift Through a Bequest in Your WillAdd Friends of Acadia as a beneficiary in your will.

For more information, contact Lisa Horsch Clark at 207-288-3340 or 800-625-0321,

email [email protected], or visit our website at www.friendsofacadia.org/join.

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19Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

Updates

455 HARLOW STREET BANGOR, MAINE 04401 207 990 1117

www. deighan.com

Deighan is different.

Acadia Mountain Conservation is CompleteA long-term plan for the conservation andprotection of 25 acres on Acadia Mountainabutting Acadia National Park is now com-plete. Friends of Acadia purchased the parcellast fall and this spring offered the propertyto Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT), a landtrust partner with land management expert-ise and resources. MCHT took ownership ofthe property in early June.

Friends purchased the 25 acres on the northslope of Acadia Mountain last September,immediately protecting it from a proposeddevelopment that would have degraded waterquality and permanently changed the scenicviews from Somes Sound, Sargent Drive, andmany of Acadia National Park’s trails andmountain summits.

Friends donated the land to MCHT becauseof its outstanding and well-established recordfor stewarding conserved lands. Because theoriginal property owner had left unfinisheddrives and septic systems eroding on the prop-erty, part of MCHT’s stewardship challengewill be to stabilize and restore these habitats.

Friends of Acadia is grateful for MCHT’spartnership and for the exceptional generos-

ity of the individual donors who made thepurchase possible. With a long-term conser-vation solution in place, a significant stephas been taken to ensure that a beloved land-mark on the border of Acadia National Parkis protected and that the unique character ofSomes Sound and the surrounding commu-nities will remain intact.

Acadia Gateway Center UpdatePlanning and design for the Acadia GatewayCenter is underway. Maine Department ofTransportation (MDOT) contractors have pre-pared a draft preliminary design for theDowneast Transportation maintenance facil-ities and offices at the site. This will be vettedby partners such as the National Park Serviceand Friends of Acadia and will be consideredby the public at an open meeting in Trentonin August. Barring significant changes sug-gested by the public, MDOT anticipates thatconstruction of the maintenance facilities willbegin in the spring of 2009. The transit andwelcome center at the Acadia Gateway Centerwill be planned, designed, and constructedthereafter, with completion anticipated by2012.

Every year, Mrs. Laura Bush and her friends visit a national park to go hiking. This year in late June, they cameto Acadia. Mrs. Bush and her friends joined Acadia and Friends staff for a quiet evening after a day in the park.Pictured above with Mrs. Bush is Friends Chairman Lili Pew (right), President Marla O’Byrne, and AcadiaSuperintendent Sheridan Steele.

The First Visit

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Acadia Quest Starts StrongAcadia National Park and Friends of Acadialaunched Acadia Quest in April, in responseto growing concerns that school-aged chil-dren are spending less time engaging in out-door activities. Acadia Quest encouragesMaine’s young people and their families to getoutdoors and into the park.

So far, 45 teams consisting of 167 individ-uals are competing in the Quest. They areparticipating in a series of activities thatencourage young people to explore, learnabout and protect Acadia and other con-served lands. The program runs from April

to November. Teams that fulfill all programrequirements will be eligible for the grandprize drawings on November 1 at the annu-al Take Pride in Acadia Day. The three grandprizes will include hiking, boating, and camp-ing packages.

In addition to families from Maine, groupsare signed up from Massachusetts, New Jersey,Minnesota, Illinois, and Florida.

For more information about Acadia Questor to register, contact Terry Begley [email protected] or 207-288-3340.

Friends Welcomes Ridge Runnersand InternsFriends of Acadia’s ridge runners and recre-ation intern have been hired and are sched-uled to work in the field through late August.These seasonal employees will inform visitorsabout Leave No Trace principles, distributepark surveys, construct cairns and remove

misleading ones, and hand out water andmaps to unprepared visitors.

Ridge runners returning for a second yearof service are Elaine Lariat and Vassar Pierce.Elaine is a senior at Wesleyan Universitymajoring in Latin American studies with aconcentration in history. She grew up onMount Desert Island where she attended highschool. Vassar was a ridge runner in 2006 andserved as Friends of Acadia’s No Child LeftInside intern last summer. He completed adegree in business administration at BucknellUniversity in 2006 and has worked as a cor-porate trainer and sales representative for abusiness solutions company.

First-time ridge runners include NoreenHogan and Mary Raikes. Noreen graduatedfrom College of the Atlantic in 1991 with adegree in human ecology. An outdoor enthu-siast, Noreen has hiked the Appalachian Trailand Vermont’s Long Trail and cycled acrossNorth America twice. She is a resident of BarHarbor and enjoys teaching children pho-tography and organizing group bicycle trips.Mary received her degree in human ecologyfrom College of the Atlantic in 2002. Her sen-ior project was a collection of nature poemsbased on her time spent hiking in Acadia. Shehas worked as a forestry technician, wild landfirefighter, and ski shop manager, as well asa sea kayak guide on MDI.

Ryan Sharp has been hired as the recre-ation intern. Ryan received a masters degreein education from Georgia College in 2005and is currently a graduate student in theWarnell School of Forestry and NaturalResources at the University of Georgia. Ryanhopes to work full time for the National ParkService eventually, and has experience work-ing with Cumberland Island NationalSeashore, Kennesaw Mountain NationalBattlefield, and the Appalachian NationalScenic Trail.

Acadia Youth ConservationCorps AnnouncedThis spring, 15 Maine teens were hired asthe 2008 Acadia Youth Conservation Corps.For eight weeks this summer, these teenswill pile into park vehicles and travel to var-ious locations in Acadia to work on refur-bishing trails, building fences, cleaning camp-grounds, and maintaining facilities. The AYCCmembers are park employees, but Friendspurchases work boots and tee-shirts and

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Two Acadia Quest teams fulfill one of their “explore”requirements by participating in the hike up BeechMountain on National Trails Day.

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makes a grant to the park to fund student andleader salaries. The park provides leadershipand training for the program.

Member of the 2008 AYCC include: DanielHales, Keegan Howie, Eric McQuinn, andAnthony Picard II of Bar Harbor; GavinWillow of Blue Hill; Timothy Fitzgerald ofBucksport; Luc-Oliver Gagnon-Victor ofEllsworth; Catherine Sharp of Mount Desert;Sam West of Penobscot; Josh Worden ofSouthwest Harbor; Betsy Dyer of Surry; andJames Freedman, Matthew Hallett, BonnieMcCarthy, and Ryann Rourk of Trenton.

AYCC work is integrated with the trailcrew’s summer work plan and greatly increas-es the number of projects that can be com-pleted during the short summer months.AYCC is also an integral part of Friends ofAcadia’s and the park’s efforts to engage futuregenerations with the park and with nature.For more information about AYCC, contact

Mike Staggs at [email protected] or 207-288-3340.

Earth Day Roadside Clean-UpNearly 400 volunteers participated in the 9th

Annual Earth Day Roadside Clean-Up onSaturday, April 26. The sunny spring weath-er provided the perfect backdrop for thisannual event that brings community mem-bers together in the spirit of keeping arearoadsides clean.

Scouring shoulders and ditches, the vol-unteers collected more than 8,500 poundsof trash on approximately 150 miles of road-

side. The amount of trash collected is downby approximately 3,000 pounds, indicatingthat the annual clean-up is making a signifi-cant difference.

Friends thanks the individuals who partic-ipated, the many local businesses who recruit-ed volunteers, and Hannaford Super marketand the Trenton Marketplace for the water and

Acadia Youth Conservation Corps members work hardduring their eight-week session. Among their manytasks, these teens learn how to move hundred-poundrocks with a cable and pulley system between treeswhen building and refurbishing trails.

Volunteers help clear trash from the roadsides of MountDesert Island at the 9th Annual Earth Day RoadsideClean-Up.

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Friends of Acadia Journal

PACKARD JUDD KAYEStrategic Marketing Group

Heart of the Matter

“Who will gainsay that the parks contain the highest potentialities of

national pride, national contentment, and national health? A visit inspires

love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; con-

tains the antidote for national restlessness... He is a better citizen with

a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the

national parks.”

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ConsultingIntegrated marketing communications

Public and media relationsEducational programs

Design and research services

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Summer/Fall 2008

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22 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

snacks that fueled the volunteers. Friends alsothanks the Maine Department of Trans -portation for picking up the bagged trash andBar Harbor Bank & Trust and The KnowlesCompany for their corporate sponsorship.This event is successful because of the ongo-ing support of local businesses and gener-ous community members.

Clyde Butcher Exhibit ofNational Park PhotographsThis summer, Friends sponsored a galleryshowing of the large-format, black and whitephotos of Clyde Butcher. Called “America’sNational Parks: A Monumental Vision,” theshow ran through the month of July, hostedby College of the Atlantic at its Ethel H. BlumGallery. The exhibit commenced with a booksigning and public lecture on July 6.

An artist and an environmentalist, Clydehas been photographing America’s mostbeautiful and complex ecosystems, includingnational parks, for more than 30 years. Hisoutsize enlargements create the sense of walk-ing into the image, becoming part of his dio-rama-like spaces. These images are createdthrough a deliberate, nearly heroic process of

hauling his huge, cumbersome camera, alongwith its associated equipment, into thewilderness to take these large-format photo-graphs.

With the centennial of Acadia and theNational Park Service approaching in 2016,Friends sponsored the event to celebrateClyde’s monumental vision behind the lensand the monumental vision of conservationthat enabled the creation of America’s nation-al parks. Clyde’s photographs capture the veryessence of what conservation protects for allto enjoy. To learn more about Clyde Butcherand his work, visit www.clydebutcher.com.

National Trails DayNational Trails Day kicked off the summervolunteer season Saturday, June 7. Approx -imately 50 community members celebratedNational Trails Day at Schoodic and onMount Desert Island.

Some participants raked a section of car-riage roads or did a shoreline clean-up, andothers helped with trail work on the SchoonerHead Path and the Alder Trail. Additional par-ticipants, including some young people andfamilies participating in Acadia Quest, ven-

tured on a hike with Acadia National Park trailcrew to tour the historic Beech Mountain firetower. The chance to tour the tower provid-ed a rare aerial view of the park.

Friends thanks Acadia National Park trailcrew and rangers, as well as our volunteersand trail crew leaders, for hosting theNational Trails Day volunteers and hikers.This annual celebration of Acadia’s historictrails would not be possible without the sup-port of our generous corporate sponsors, BarHarbor Bank & Trust and The First and TheKnowles Company. ❧

Members of the Schoodic Committee prepare for amorning of work on National Trails Day.

In Gratitude

VOLUNTEER FIELD CREW LEADERS

Len Berkowitz

Bruce Blake

Bucky Brooks

Jenn Donaldson

Rod Fox

Mike Hays

Heidi Hershberger

Jack Hirschenhofer

Cookie Horner

Steve Johnson

Alan King

Don Lenahan

Jim Linnane

Mark and Georgia Munsell

Betsy Roberts

Bob Sanderson

Julia Schloss

Howard Solomon

Al and Marilyn Wiberley

MEMBERSHIPTABLE VOLUNTEERS

Maureen Brooks

David Evans

Jean Evans

Priscilla Hirschenhofer

Marycarol Lenahan

Eileen and Jim Linnane

Georgia Munsell

Beatrice Pisani

Dee and Howard Solomon

OTHER VOLUNTEERS

Judy Corder

Pat Hayes

Carol Lindsey

Jean Smith

Jill York

Bert Zbar

Suzi Zbar

IN-KIND DONATIONS

Acadia Corporation

Bar Harbor Inn

Tom Blagden

Cadillac Mountain Sports

Dobbs Productions

Heathwood Inn

Rich Johnson

Joe Pagan

Harry Madeira

Bryan Stevens

EARTH DAYROADSIDE CLEAN-UPSponsors

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust

The Knowles Company

In-Kind Donors

Hannaford Supermarkets

Trenton IGA

NATIONAL TRAILS DAYSponsors

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust

The Knowles Company

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23Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

Acadia Advocacy Network membershave been wonderfully responsive toopportunities and threats facing

national parks. In early June, Friends of Acadiasent out an alert regarding proposed changesto the firearms regulations in national parks.Presently, the regulations [36 CFR 2.4 (a) (2-3)] allow loaded firearms in designated timesand locations in national parks, such as atfiring ranges, permanent dwellings, and inlocations where hunting is allowed. These reg-ulations also allow possession of firearms gen-erally in national parks, as long as they areunloaded and not easily accessible.

The Department of the Interior has pro-posed deferring to state firearms laws. If a stateallows possession of loaded and concealedfirearms at state parks, then the national park’sregulations would be changed to reflect theserules. Friends is very concerned about theseproposed changes because the firearms regu-lations in Maine differ for Baxter State Parkand the state parks in general, so it is unclearwhich rules would apply to Acadia NationalPark. National parks are tranquil and iconicplaces that deserve special consideration asplaces of solitude. State laws may not respectthese values.

The present firearms regulations adequate-ly protect Acadia’s visitors and wildlife.

Hunting is not allowed in Acadia, but visi-tors and residents may transport their gunsacross park lands if the guns are unloaded andbroken down or not easily accessible. Acadia’srangers are assured relative safety when mak-ing law enforcement stops and visitors gen-erally know what to expect given that NationalPark Service regulations are standard (withonly a few exceptions) across all parks.

Acadia Advocacy Network membersresponded to the call to action by sendingcomments to the Department of the Interiorvia the regulations website. Comments weredue by June 30.

Advocacy Network members also contact-ed members of the House of Representativesin support of H.R. 3094, the National ParkCentennial Fund Act. This bill authorizes theCentennial Challenge and could result in anadditional $100 million being appropriatedby Congress each year through 2017 to bematched by $100 million in private donations.The bill passed through the House NaturalResources Committee with amendments andis awaiting action on the House floor.Advocacy Network members requested thatrepresentatives encourage the bill to be con-sidered and passed quickly by the House.

And finally, the Advocacy Network scoreda great victory this spring. After a valiantattempt by the Maine delegation in the 109th

Congress and dogged pursuit in the 110th

Congress, the Acadia National ParkImprovement Act finally passed both housesas part of a larger omnibus national parksbill and was signed by President Bush on May8. This bill extended the life of the AcadiaAdvisory Commission through 2026, author-ized (but didn’t appropriate) an additional $10million for land acquisition at the park, andpermitted the park to participate in the plan-ning, construction, operation, and mainte-nance of the Acadia Gateway Center. ❧

—Stephanie Clement

If you are interested in participating as a mem-ber of the Acadia Advocacy Network, contactStephanie Clement at 207-288-3340 [email protected].

Advocacy Corner

Telephone or Fax: 667-621035 Commerce Park, Bar Harbor Road

P.O. Box 552, Ellsworth, ME 04605

TENTS DANCE FLOOR LINENS

CANOPIES BAND STAGES GLASSWARE/DISHWARE

TABLES & CHAIRS GRILLS CATERING EQUIPMENT

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Geoffrey P. Young ~ Emily M. Beck

General practice, concentrating inTrusts and Estates Planning and Administration,

Real Estate, Business and Non-profit Law,Land Use and Conservation

1248 Tremont Road, Seal Cove, Maine 04674Phone: 207.244.7729 ~ Fax: 207.244.7795

Email: [email protected]

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ADVOCACY NETWORK HAS ACTIVE SPRING

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24 Summer/Fall 2008

Wide Wonders

Acadia Panorama: Images of Maine’s National Park

by Alan Nyiri, Down East Books, 2008, 92 pp., $18.95, paperback.

As the sayinggoes, if youdon’t like theweather inMaine, wait aminute and itwill change.Alan Nyiri has captured the rewards of wait-ing for a change of conditions along theMaine coast in his book, Acadia Panorama:Images of Maine’s National Park. According toNyiri, waiting is sometimes what it takes tocapture an unexpected shot of Acadia’sdynamic landscape.

Nyiri shares a story about a time he wasexploring Otter Cliffs. While he was busy look-ing for something interesting in his fore-ground, he was surprised by a sudden show-er that had been approaching in the distance.While other visitors scrambled to their cars,Nyiri waited, covering his camera, and antic-ipated what panoramic shot might presentitself. He goes on to explain that as he waswaiting he discovered that the most interest-ing shot wasn’t in the foreground. Instead itwas the ocean and the surrounding clouds.

Nyiri captures the vast beauty of Acadia inhis stunning panoramic (and non-panoramic)shots. From commonly-visited spots, like SandBeach (there is a 52-inch fold-out spread),Jordan Pond, and Otter Cliffs to areas less trav-eled like the Schoodic Peninsula, Nyiri bringsreaders from grand vistas to close-up views oflush landscape.

A resident of Vermont, Nyiri describesMount Desert Island as one of the most inspir-ing places to photograph. He finds the land-scapes and seascapes especially well-suited forhis wide format interpretation. Anyone wholoves the grandeur and details of Acadia willcertainly find inspiration and joy in the pagesof Nyiri’s work.

—Scott Page

Port In A Storm – SomesvilleMonday-Saturday 9:30-6:00; Sunday 12:00-6:00

Main St. Rt 102 in Somesville, Mt. Desert, ME 04660207 244-4114

Port Side – BernardMonday-Saturday 11:00-6:00; Sunday 12:00-6:00

30 Steamboat Wharf Rd., Bernard, ME 04612207 244-9114

Website: www.portinastormbookstore.com

WINE & CHEESE244-3317

353 Main Street, Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679

Main Street, Northeast Harbor276-4006

Neighborhood Road, Northeast Harbor276-4005

ROSS & KING, LLCAttorneys at Law

953 Bar Harbor RoadTrenton, Maine 04605

Telephone 207-667-1373Fax 207-667-3427

Michael L. Ross, [email protected]

Alison M. King, [email protected]

Book Review A Taste of Maine

Cooking in the Moment

by Kyra Alex, Short Circuit Press, Deer Isle, ME, 2005, 128 pp., $18.95,paperback.

I knew this cookbook was for me when Inoticed that the table of contents listed recipesby season instead ofthe common cate-gories of appetizers,entrees, and desserts.In New England, ahome-cooked mealis, after all, mostinfluenced by themood and available ingredients that aredriven by whatever season you happen to beexperiencing.

A quick glance through the index of recipesand my initial attraction to the book only grewstronger. With heart-warming recipes fordelectable treats like a blueberry layer cakewith cream cheese frosting, end of summersoup, and lobster spring rolls, there was noturning back—this book quickly became astaple of my kitchen.

Author Kyra Alex works and lives on thecoast of Maine. She is the owner of Lily’s Caféin Stonington, where she has served visitorsand residents alike for more than nine years.And, it’s not just the ingredients that feel likeMaine. The anecdotes from Alex’s day-to-dayisland life that introduce each recipe give eachlist of ingredients and instructions meaning,allowing readers to feel the moment.

“Seven different regulars grace my doorstepbetween 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.,” Alex writes, asshe introduces her Quick Dough CinnamonRolls. “We discuss movies, politics, hair styl-ists, the weather, who’s getting some andwho isn’t and whatever else comes to ourminds…These cinnamon rolls are one of theirmost favorite things to find on the counter togo with their coffee.”

What’s more, the recipes are simplyexplained and the ingredients are readilyavailable. It is a perfect cookbook to have onhand to keep all of those summer guestshappy, full, and feeling like they’ve had a tasteof Maine.

—Shelly Connors

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25Friends of Acadia Journal Summer/Fall 2008

Schoodic Committee

SKEPTICISM AT SCHOODIC

This winter, when I wrote the articlethat appeared in the last issue of theFriends of Acadia Journal, I had next

anticipated doing a piece celebrating theamazing rebirth that is spring in the park. Iwas planning to write about walking theSchoodic loop road and being inspired by themany foreshadowings of summer’s arrival inMaine.

I wanted to describe the kaleidoscope ofgreens that is the trees and wildflowers, grass-es and ferns coming back to life—conveyingthe vast spectrum from deep, dark, almostinky olive to pale, fluorescent almost shim-mering lime. I would note the brilliant burstsof colors of spring flora awakening from thewinter, playing hide-and-seek among thegreenery, giving impressionistic hints of whatis to come. I would write about the Jack Pines,tipped with new growth—tiny nuggets ofbrown preparing to release silken scarves ofyellow pollen.

I was going to celebrate the return of theGreat Blue Heron. I thought I would try toportray the bird’s beauty as it strutted in themarshy areas just off the loop road, takingcareful, measured steps. I was hoping todescribe the sea, noting warmer shades ofblue, different angles of refraction and reflec-tion, softer lapping at the shore. I anticipat-ed traces of wildlife young, the scent ofrebirth, the lilt of new life and the sweettaste of spring air serving as muses for mywriting.

And so, on one of those perfect late MayMaine days, Rosemary, Lucky, and I headedto Schoodic. As we made the turn from Rte.

186 and headed up the hill, I realized that Icouldn’t write the column I wanted. Instead,I knew I had to address the most significantissue faced by the Schoodic District, AcadiaNational Park, and the Schoodic Peninsulain recent times—the recently proposal tobuild an eco-resort.

Like so many others, our initial reactionwas that the eco-resort would be a travesty.Also like so many others, Rosemary and Itried to be open-minded. We followed thecoverage in the Ellsworth American and BangorDaily News, attended the public meetings, lis-tened to the proposals that were presented,considered the assurances that were beenoffered, and weighed the diverse opinionsand viewpoints expressed by members of thecommunity.

The proposal is seductively appealing. Theideas appear well-meaning and sophisticat-ed. They are presented in a professional, sci-entifically researched cloak. The green, eco-friendly, environmentally-supportive tech-nologies and language are timely, cutting-edge, and sexy. The possibilities for excitingeducational, artistic, social, and communityopportunities are interesting. And the newtax revenues, jobs, housing, and for localsmall business owners like us, expanded cus-tomer base are a potential economic boon forthe peninsula.

Rosemary and I, however, have a hard timegetting beyond the oxymoron that the pro-posed eco-resort represents. We find the con-cept of ensuring the preservation of habitatthrough development incomprehensive. We

can’t make sense of how building a commu-nity of hotels, lodges, cottage homes, clus-tered housing, multi-family mixed use hous-ing, golf courses, environmental centers, andoutposts can enhance the environment. Wehave difficulty understanding how identify-ing a natural corridor among all this decon-structed, man-made habitat maintains theintegrity of the peninsula’s ecosystem, espe-cially when it is crisscrossed with vehicularroads for automobiles and carriage roads builtto support electric cars and trams. We can’tquite get a grasp on clearing and cultivatingland to create a nursery for native plants onterrain that is the natural home to an amaz-ingly divergent variety of local flora.

And while Rosemary and I know that wewill always be able to visit the SchoodicDistrict of Acadia to enjoy the wonder ofspring, as well as summer, fall, and winter,we are extremely concerned that the creationof an exclusive, private community at its gate-way. We fear that it will impact public accessto the Schoodic District. We know from expe-rience that there are subtle ways for proper-ty owners and managers, developers, andhomeowners to discourage use by creating aperception of exclusion. We are aware thatthere are myriad techniques to convey theidea that public property is off-limits, com-municate the sense that public transit is akinto trespass, and make people feel uncom-fortable and unwanted.

Rosemary and I understand that it is pos-sible to create an ecologically-sound, envi-ronmentally-friendly community that com-plements the environment in which it is locat-ed. We are, however, not at all confidentthat such a community is, or, more impor-tantly, should be what is proposed for thisspecific portion of the Schoodic Peninsula.

We remain wary of the eco-resort propos-al, to say the least. ❧

GARRY LEVIN and his wife, Rosemary, livein the village of Corea on the SchoodicPeninsula.

“I realized that I couldn’twrite the column I wanted…I knew I had to address themost significant issue facedby the Schoodic District,Acadia National Park, and theSchoodic Peninsula in recenttimes...”

A view of the currently pristine landscape as viewedfrom atop Schoodic Head.

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26 Summer/Fall 2008 Friends of Acadia Journal

Giving as a way of life has always beenthe spirit of my soul. From my ear-liest days, I learned the lessons of giv-

ing back from my family, in daily life at home,in our community, and in the larger venueof social responsibility—striving to leave theworld with solutions, not add to problems.My father and mother took the time to sharestories of the great work that people can dowhen focused on giving back, as genera-tions of Pews have done.

Words I heard approaching my first vol-unteer efforts still hold true today, “the giftof giving back, in any manner you canthrough volunteer action, leadership, andphilanthropic gifts, will be the greatest giftyou can give to life.” Investing my hopes, val-ues, and entrepreneurial spirit in support ofa great community need or resource, just asgenerations of my family have done, helped

bring me back to Acadia National Park andto Friends of Acadia to pursue giving as a wayof life.

A spirit of giving is important but visionand planning are key to effecting long termchange. The following statement from a char-itable organization my family is deeplyinvolved with particularly resonates with me:“Strategic philanthropic planning must firstselect the right ideas for investment—ideasthat are visionary, significant and feasible.Next is building the capacity with organiza-tions, people and resources in concert withthe designing projects that will most effec-tively execute the ideas to produce the bestresults.”

Over the past few years, Friends hasworked on developing a strategic plan that

will be the roadmap for our collective effortsthrough 2016, the centennial anniversary ofAcadia and the National Park Service. Let meshare with each you, stewards and stake-holders of our precious Acadia National Park,ways to join Friends of Acadia on a givingjourney to 2016!

Volunteer in AcadiaThere is no better way to build a connec-

tion to Friends of Acadia and the park thanto join a volunteer activity. We have manyopportunities for our friends to be part of crit-ically important projects, such as working onthe carriage roads, hiking trails, Acadia WildGardens, or helping with a species count(called a “bio-blitz”) as part of a park inven-tory program. Friends also helps coordinateseveral large events in the park, the successof which largely depends on volunteers.Volunteers help us with our Earth DayRoadside Clean-Up, National Trails Day,Family Fun Day, and Take Pride in Acadia.

Another great activity for volunteering is themembership tables at several locations in thepark. Last summer, these volunteers wel-comed many new members and weretremendous ambassadors for Friends ofAcadia to new visitors in the park. With train-ing and confidence flowing strong, Friendshelps volunteers of all kinds have a greatexperience giving back to the park.

Join the Advocacy NetworkFriends is a strong advocate for the park

on the local, regional, and national levels. Theexpertise that Friends and our partneringorganizations have enables us to have a voiceof reason in advocating for initiatives, legis-lation, and regulations that will help the parkand the surrounding communities. Throughthe simple but vital role of becoming a mem-ber of our Acadia Advocacy Network, youwill become informed on these issues, andyour voice will be heard by policy makers.Just as each of us has a choice to be part ofthe democracy by voting in an election,Friends asks you to choose to share yourvoice through its advocacy network.

Join Friends of Acadia as a Member and Donor

Making a financial gift to Friends buildsour capacity to execute new ideas to producethe best results. Our strategic planningprocess has mapped out an ambitious, yetachievable, set of goals to pursue, all of whichneed financial support to succeed. Just as thegift of volunteer time is priceless and the giftof your voice is crucial in advocacy, the giftof a financial donation supports programsand staff to efficiently and effectively reachthe highest standards of excellence that haveset Friends of Acadia as the model for otherFriends groups nationwide. We have a proventrack record for producing results that addvalue and longevity to our beloved AcadiaNational Park.

—Lili Pew

Chairman’s Letter

GIVING AS A WAY OF LIFE

Lili

Pew

“Never doubt that a smallgroup of thoughtful, commit-ted citizens can change theworld. Indeed, it is the onlything that ever has.”

— Margaret Mead

Lili spends a day last summer working with a groupof first-time park volunteers from Chicago. This wasthe first lesson in giving back and the first experi-ence in nature for many of the students.

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VOLUNTEER THIS SUMMER…It’s Work You Could Love!

Volunteers meet at Park Headquarters on Route 233 each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning,

June through October, weather permitting.

Wear sturdy shoes and bring water, insect repellent, snack, and lunch.

For more information, call 207-288-3340

Each year, volunteers contribute thousands of hours to Acadia National Park. Visitors, residents,

families, and groups of all ages help care for the trails and carriage roads of Acadia. The park needs

your help and volunteering is a tangible way to say “thank you” for the beauty of Acadia.

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PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLEWISTON, MAINE

PERMIT #82

Friends of Acadia

MissionFriends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality,

and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations.

Friends of Acadia 43 Cottage Street PO Box 45 Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 207-288-3340 800-625-0321

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