The State of State Parks The State of State Parks in Maine By Li Yu Chan, Gordon Padelford and Theo Papademetriou Executive Summary The State of State Parks in Maine is the first chapter in The State of Maine’s Environment 2010, a report produced by the Environmental Policy Group in the Environmental Studies Program at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. This is the sixth State of Maine’s Environment report published since 2004. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Maine’s state park system. Maine’s 49 state parks are primarily managed for the enjoyment of their annual 2 million visitors. State parks have grown to conserve over 400,000 acres of wildlife habitats, scenic places and historical sites. Eighty percent of Maine residents have a state park within 15 miles from their homes. State parks in Maine conserve a representative range of habitats found in Maine, but they conserve relatively less compared to other types of conservation lands. Maine state parks cover the most total acreage, but the least percentage of state land area when compared to the other New England states. Maine state parks are underfunded especially in capital repairs with more than $30 million needed. Three potential areas to improve the state park system are related to visitation, conservation, and capital repairs. We recommend that the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands conduct a statewide survey to determine what people want to see in their park system, create a habitat passport program and make maps available online and as hardcopies to increase awareness of state parks, increase funding for capital repairs, and continue to partner with Maine businesses to expand the First Time Camper program. Maine state parks have the potential to be exceptional public spaces for Mainers and visitors, but it will require increased awareness, funding, and political will. Introduction State parks are areas of land and water set aside at a state level for public use and enjoyment. In Maine there are 49 state parks which range from small coastal beaches, to historic forts and forested ridgelines. The state park system under the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (MBPL) has authority over 48 state parks whereas Baxter State Park is governed by its own authority. The Beginnings of the State Park Movement State parks in America first appeared in the 19th century. The first was Yosemite Valley State Park in California in 1864 (Landrum 2004). Early parks were created as a result of efforts to preserve wild and scenic places. A consciousness had grown among the American people about the impacts of urbanization and development on the landscape. This was sparked by the westward advance of the pioneers (Landrum 2004). Public interest in the preservation of sites of historical importance also grew in the 19th century. In 1850, Hasbrouck House, George Washington's military headquarters in New York, was acquired and opened for public visitation, followed by Mount Vernon in 1858. By the 20th century, natural and historical preservation were popular movements. The historical parallel in the growth of the two movements is a reason why historic sites and land-based conservation are managed together in some states, including Maine (Landrum 2004). These movements' efforts were furthered by organizations such as the National Conferences on State Parks and by President Theodore Roosevelt's New Deal programs. Roosevelt created the Emergency Conservation Work Program and Civilian Conservation Corps to relieve unemployment during the Great Depression by building infrastructure in parks. After the Great Depression and World War II, public attitude about preservation shifted from passive/casual appreciation of scenic beauty to a more active enjoyment through outdoor recreation (Landrum 2004). This shift built momentum for the establishment of more state parks that focused on providing recreational opportunities. The Beginning of State Parks in Maine The push for state parks in Maine came after similar initiatives in other states such as New York and Connecticut, which both had state parks systems as early as 1921 (Tilden 1962). Maine most likely lagged behind other states in terms of state park adoption because of its low population density, abundant forests, and a tradition of private landownership. State parks were created in part as a response to the urbanization of Southern Maine that was seen as unnatural and unhealthy at the time (Couture, Trueworthy, and Raye 1952). Maine created its first state park when the former Governor Percival Baxter, bequeathed Mt. Katahdin and surrounding land to the state in 1931 on the condition that it be preserved as “forever wild” (Austin 2008). As governor, Baxter had tried and failed to get the state legislature to purchase the land, but the legislature was unreceptive to his ambitious idea. Because Baxter State Park was established in a unique way, it is distinct from other state parks in Maine in both its characteristics and management. Four years later, in 1935, the Maine legislature created the State Park Commission, which would become the authority governing all future state parks, with the exception of Baxter State Park (Couture, Trueworthy, and Raye 1952). This is the date being celebrated during the 75th anniversary of the state parks system in Maine in 2010. The first area put under the Commission’s authority was Aroostook County State Park in 1938. Maine state parks would also grow to be a key feature in Maine’s quality of place, and become a destination for out of state tourists. Figure 1.1 Total number of parks increase over time (MDOC 2010). From Then to Now Currently, there are 49 state parks across Maine. Since the creation of State Park Commission, the management of state parks transferred to the Department of Parks and Recreation in 1972, and was further consolidated into the Department of Conservation in 1974 as the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Currently, state parks are managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands as a result of a further merger in 1997 between the Bureau of Public Lands and the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. The types of public lands under the jurisdiction of the MBPL are categorized by use. Use can differ significantly; activities range from multiple-use (e. g. timber harvesting) to preservation. MBPL designates the land as a state park or public land unit, and the state also holds lands under conservation easements (legal rights to prevent future development of land). Most public land in Maine is comprised of public land units which are managed for multiple uses (including recreation, timber, and conservation). State parks are more well-known than other forms of public lands; although they comprise only a small fraction of the total acreage managed by the MBPL and are much more restrictive with rules regarding use (activities permitted, harvest of wood, and overall management). State parks are strictly reserved for recreation and conservation. Extractive uses such as timber harvesting are prohibited except for in-park use such as campfires. The mission of state parks in the system of public lands has been outlined in the Integrated Resource Policy as “primarily for public recreation or conservation purposes” (MDOC 2000). This frames Maine state parks as a public good, providing space where people are encouraged to come and recreate. In addition, they are a public service, protecting wildlife and ecosystem services (this is primarily on a small scale however, such as providing essential habitat for endangered plant or animal species). Most state parks are relatively small (the median size is 170 acres) with the exception of Baxter State Park and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Baxter State Park is the largest state park; almost 75% of total state park land in Maine is within Baxter’s limits. It is managed autonomously by the Baxter State Park Authority, which is headquartered in Millinocket. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is also noteworthy because of its size and wilderness characteristics associated with the river not found in other smaller Maine state parks. Goals and Objectives This year marks the 75th anniversary of Maine's state park system. Despite its importance to the past, present and future of Maine, relatively little has been written about this system. While many reports have been released talking about certain aspects of Maine state parks, such as recreation or economic impacts, we have been unable to find a comprehensive overview. This report examines the state of recreation, funding, and conservation aspects of state parks. Methods To assess the state of state parks in Maine, we conducted spatial, quantitative and qualitative analyses. We assembled background information by surveying print and online literature on state parks in Maine and interviewing individuals in the Maine Department of Conservation (MDOC), MBPL, and an environmental non-profit organization. Our focus was on the MBPL state parks because of its uniqueness and because much has already been written about it. We gathered quantitative data from MDOC reports and promotional materials. We used these data to analyze the status and trends in park growth, popularity, recreational opportunities and funding challenges. We found that most publicly available information about state parks contained gaps and inconsistencies. Perhaps the most surprising part of our research was that a significant amount of time was spent identifying the number of state parks and creating a map with their locations. After analysis of Geographical Information System (GIS) data on conservation lands available from the Maine Office of GIS, The Main e State Parks 75th Anniversary Passport, the MBPL online park finder tool, and interviews with park officials (Director of Realty and Engineering, Director of Bureau of Parks and Lands Will Harris, and Commissioner of the Department of Conservation Eliza Townsend), we were able to identify this list of the 49 Maine state parks.