Maine State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2003-2008 Maine Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Lands October 2003 Maine State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2003-2008 Maine Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Lands October 2003 Steering Committee David Soucy, Chair, Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands John DelVecchio, State Planning Office Ken Hanscom, Maine Recreation and Park Association Paul Jacques, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Bruce Joule, Department of Marine Resources Duane Scott, Department of Transportation Mark Turek, Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Tourism Terms Expired: Tom Morrison, Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands Fred Hurley, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Planning Team Herb Hartman, Deputy Director, Ret. Cynthia Bastey, Chief Planner Gary Boyle, Planning & Research Associate Dick Kelly, Cartographer, State Planning Office The preparation of this plan was financed in part through a planning grant from the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, under the provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965. Contents Page IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY i CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION I-1 A. SCORP Planning Requirements I-2 B. Planning Process and Methodology I-3 C. Public Participation I-5 D. Accomplishments since the 1993 SCORP I-6 CHAPTER II. SUPPLY OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AREAS AND II-1 FACILITIES A. Land and Water Recreation Resources in Maine II-1 B. Summary of Public Recreation Lands II-1 C. Private Lands Available to the Public II-6 D. Summary of Public and Private Recreation Facilities by Type and Provider II-7 CHAPTER III. OUTDOOR RECREATION DEMAND III-1 A. Demographic Trends Affecting Outdoor Recreation III-1 B. Outdoor Recreation Trends in Maine, New England, and the US III-11 C. Findings III-25 CHAPTER IV. OUTDOOR RECREATION ISSUES OF STATEWIDE IV-1 IMPORTANCE A. The Focus Group Process IV-1 B. Availability of Outdoor Recreation Opportunities IV-2 C. Community Outdoor Recreation Needs and Smart Growth IV-7 D. Recreation/Public Access in the Northern Forest IV-11 E. Trail Recreation IV-16 F. Tourism and Public Recreation Areas and Facilities IV-24 CHAPTER V. WETLAND COMPONENT V-1 A. Introduction V-1 B. National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan V-2 C. Regional Wetlands Concept Plan V-3 D. Wetland Priority Components in Maine SCORPs V-3 E. Maine Wetland Conservation Plan V-5 F. Beginning with Habitat V-6 G. Current Wetland Acquisition in Maine V-7 H. Recommendations V-9 Contents, continued Page CHAPTER VI. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM VI-1 A. Priorities for Land and Water Conservation Fund Expenditures VI-1 B. Selected Focus Group Strategies VI-7 C. Additional Actions VI-11 APPENDICES A-1 I. 2003 SCORP Steering Committee A-2 II. Focus Groups on Outdoor Recreation Issues of Statewide Importance A-3 III. Public Comment A-8 IV. Bureau of Parks and Lands Acquisition Criteria A-16 V. Governor’s Task Force on ATV Use A-18 VI. Maine LWCF Open Project Selection System A-21 List of Figures Figure Page 1 LWCF Obligations in Maine 19965-2001 I-1 2 Land and Water Conservation Funds in Maine 1993-2001 I-8 3 Maine Recreational Trail Program Funding 1993-2001 I-8 4 Forest Legacy Projects in Maine 1993-2002/03 I-9 5 LWCF Funds for Stateside Projects 1993-2002 by Type I-13 6 LWCF Funds for Stateside Projects 1993-2002 by Sponsor I-13 7 Recreational Trail Program Funds for Maine Projects 1993-2001 by I-13 Sponsor 8 Number of Maine Recreational Trail Program Grants by Type 1993- I-13 2001 9 Land for Maine’s Future Fund Land Acquisition Amounts 1993-2002 I-14 10 Transportation Enhancement Fund Expenditures in Maine 1992/93 to I-17 2000/01 11 Distribution of State Held Fee and Easement Lands in Maine by County II-4 2002 12 Population Change 1990-2000 for Maine, New England and the US III-1 13 Maine Population 1995-2025 III-1 14 Maine Population by County 2000 III-2 15 Maine Population Change by County 1990-2000 III-2 16 Median Age of US Population III-3 17 Percent Change in Population by Age 1990-2000 III-4 18 Percent of Maine Population by Age III-4 19 Number of Maine People with Disabilities by Age Group III-5 20 Number of Maine People by Selected Types of Disability III-5 21 Non-White 2000 Population in Maine and US III-5 22 Nonresident Day and Overnight Trips to Maine 2001 III-6 23 Nonresident Trips to Maine by Purpose 2001 III-6 24 Origin of Nonresident Day Trips to Maine 2001 III-7 25 Origin of Maine Overnight Trips 2001 III-7 List of Figures, continued Figure Page 26 Percent of Marketable Overnight Pleasure Trips to Maine by Age 2001 III-7 27 Maine Regions Visited by Overnight Visitors 2001 III-8 28 Percent Change in Participants in Land-Based Recreation Activities in III-13 the United States: 1994-95 to 1999-01 29 Percent Change in Participants in Water-Based Recreation Activities in III-13 the United States: 1994-95 to 1999-01 30 Percent Change in Participants in Snow and Ice-Based Recreation Activities in the United States: 1994-95 to 1999-01 III-13 31 Number of Anglers, Hunters and Wildlife Watchers in the US 1991- III-15 2001 32 Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Watching Participation in Maine, New III-16 England, and US 2001 33 Number of Recreational Saltwater Anglers in Maine 1997-2001 III-16 34 Number of Recreational Saltwater Angler Trips in Maine 1997-2001 III-16 35 Recreation Visits to Acadia National Park 1993-2002 III-17 36 Camping Stays at Acadia National Park 1993-2002 III-17 37 National Park System Recreation Visits 1993-2002 III-18 38 National Park System Camping Stays 1993-2002 III-18 39 Maine State Park Visitor Days 1993-2001 III-18 40 Day Use Visits to Maine State Parks 2001 III-18 41 Maine State Park Camper Nights 1993-2001 III-19 42 Camper Nights at Maine State Park Campgrounds 2001 III-19 43 Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visitor Days and Camping Days 1993- III-19 2002 44 Baxter State Park Visitor Days 1993-2000 III-20 45 North Maine Woods Visitor Days by Purpose 2001 III-20 46 North Maine Woods Total Visitor Days 1993-200` III-21 47 North Maine Woods Camping Days 1993-2001 III-21 48 Maine Fishing Licenses 1992-2001 III-21 49 Maine Resident and Nonresident Alien Fishing Licenses 2001 III-21 50 Maine Hunting Licenses 1992-2001 III-22 51 Maine Resident and Nonresident Alien Hunting Licenses 2001 III-22 52 Maine Pleasure Boat Registrations 1993-2000 III-22 53 2000 Maine Boat Registrations by Type III-22 54 Maine ATV Registrations 1992/93-2000/01 III-23 55 Maine Resident/Nonresident ATV Registrations 2000/01 III-23 56 Maine Snowmobile Registrations 1993-2001 III-23 57 Maine Resident/Nonresident Snowmobile Registrations 2000/01 III-23 58 Commercial Whitewater Rafting Passengers in Maine 1993-2001 III-24 59 Maine Commercial Whitewater Rafting Passengers 2001 III-24 60 Important, Scarce and Vulnerable Wetlands in Maine Identified by the V-15 US Fish and Wildlife Service under Authority of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act List of Tables Table Page 1 LMF Acres Acquired by Managing Agency I-14 2 LMF Acres Acquired by Type of Interest I-14 3 Licenses and Registrations Issued by the Maine Department of Inland I-19 Fisheries and Wildlife 1993-2000 4 Public Conservation and Recreation Lands in Maine 1993-2002 II-1 5 Public Conservation and Recreation Lands in Maine 2002 (Acres) II-2 6 Land Trust Conservation and Recreation Lands in Maine 2002 (Acres) II-2 7 Federal Conservation and Recreation Lands in Maine 2002 (Acres) II-2 8 State Conservation and Recreation Lands in Maine 2002 (Acres) II-3 9 Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands Land II-4 Transactions 1995-2003 10 Maine Ecological Reserves on Public Reserved Lands 2002 II-5 11 Municipal and School Conservation and Recreation Lands 2002 (Acres) II-5 12 Private Conservation Organization and Land Trust Lands in Maine 2002 II-6 (Acres) 13 Supply of Selected Maine Outdoor Recreation Facilities by Jurisdiction II-8 2002 14 Proportion of Selected Maine Recreation Facilities Provided by II-10 Municipalities and Schools 15 Multi Use Rail Trails in Maine II-13 16 Maine Rivers Study - Significant River Boating Areas II-14 17 Recent Golf Course Changes in Maine II-15 18 Population Change by Size of Town 1990-2000 III-3 19 Percent of Overnight Marketable Pleasure Trips to Maine by Destination III-8 2001 20 Demographic, Social, and Economic Comparisons Between the Maine and III-9 US Populations 21 Most Popular Activities among Maine Residents Compared with the III-11 Northeast and US 22 Number of Maine Anglers, Hunters & Wildlife Watchers 16 Years and Older III-15 23 Activities and Experiences Pursued on Marketable Overnight Pleasure III-25 Trips to Maine 2001 24 Percent Participation in Outdoor Recreation Activities by Maine Residents III-29 16 Years and Older in 1991-92 25 Maine Recreation Activities in which One-Third of Age Group Participates in III-29 1991-92 26 Percent Participation by US Population 16 Years and Older in Outdoor III-30 Recreation Activities of the 1994-95 and 1999-01 National Surveys on Recreation and the Environment 27 US Population 16 Years and Older Participating in Outdoor Recreation III-32 Activities of the 1994-95 and 1999-01 National Surveys on Recreation and the Environment 28 Wetland Acquisition Funding Programs in Maine V-7 29 Maine Stateside Lands and Water Conservation Fund Acquisition Projects V-8 1993-2002 List of Tables, continued Table Page 30 Important, Scarce and Vulnerable Wetlands in Maine Identified by the US V-10 Fish and Wildlife Service under Authority of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act 31 Matrix Indicating Additional Recognition of Priority Wetlands in Maine by V-16 Federal or State Agencies 32 Beginning with Habitat Focus Areas for Conservation 2/10/03 V-18 2003 Maine SCORP Implementation Summary IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) An approved SCORP is a requirement of the National Park Service (NPS) in order for a state to maintain five years of eligibility to receive and expend federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) monies, which can be used at both the state and municipal levels for land acquisition, public outdoor recreational facility development, and planning.