Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 3 , 2 0 1 6 12 D owntown Millinocket, 9:30 a.m., a crisp fall morning. e view looking north from Pelletier Loggers Family Restaurant Bar and Grill, which closed last year, is dominated by a large "for sale" sign on the commercial property. ere are few cars on Penobscot Avenue. ere's not a pedestrian in sight. It has all the appearances of a quiet Sunday morning — except this is a Tuesday and by Maine's early-to-rise standards it's well past the time when a downtown should be coming to life. Several vacant buildings — includ- ing one with its windows boarded up, another with a "for rent" sign in the win- dow and a third with a sign stating "For rent, will build out to suit tenant" — reinforce the fi rst impression the town is still reeling from the permanent closures of the Katahdin Region's two paper mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket that just 30 years ago employed almost 3,000 workers and paid millions in local property taxes. With both mills being demolished and equipment sold for scrap, those days aren't coming back. Behind the scenes, though, several key Millinocket businesses owners are diligently working to recreate the region's economy. ey see President Obama's creation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument as a critical fi rst step in those eff orts, one that off ers a glimmer of hope to once- proud papermaking communities. ey're investing in a future, putting both cash and ideas on the table. ey recognize it is a long-term transition P H O T O / JA M E S M C C A R T H Y Rebranding a mill town New national monument creates fresh hope for a devastated region B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y N O R T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S What is the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument? It encompasses 87,500 acres in Penobscot County made up of 13 parcels donated by Elliotsville Plantation Inc. The parcels are located east of Baxter State Park, north of Millinocket and west of Sherman and Patten. A map is available online at www.nps.gov/kaww/planyourvisit/ maps.htm Now that the national monument has been established by President Obama, what happens next? The National Park Service has begun a series of "listening sessions" in local communities as a fi rst step in drafting a management plan that will be developed over the next three years. The park service expects ideas and questions about visitor use and management, access, interpretive and educational programming and resource protection will be explored in detail throughout the process of creat- ing the monument's master plan. Are there fees for access and use? No, there was no required fee pro- gram in the presidential proclama- tion. Any future consideration of use fees (e.g., for camping sites and other amenities) or access fees will be part of the management plan. Where will be the visitors' center? The National Park Service has estab- lished a welcome center at 200 Penobscot Ave. in Millinocket and a welcome desk at the Lumbermen's Museum in Patten. How will the monument be funded? The National Park Service in the short term will deploy available resources within its Northeast Region to begin operations and management plan- ning. It will seek specifi c appropria- tions for the monument in the next budget cycle. The Roxanne Quimby Foundation has committed $20 million to the establishment of an endowment at the National Park Foundation to sup- port the monument, with funds being used primarily to help jump start operations, enhance infrastructure such as access roads and bridges and establish programs. Both founda- tions have announced their intention to launch a $20 million fundraising campaign to increase this support. Will snowmobiling access continue? Snowmobiling will continue on the Millinocket-to-Matagamon Interconnected Trail System (largely, but not entirely, on the east side of the East Branch of the Penobscot River) and is guaranteed through pro- visions Elliotsville Plantation included in the deeds for the relevant parcels. What about hunting? Hunting with a state of Maine license will continue to be allowed on lands previously open to hunting during Elliotsville Plantation's management, as guaranteed through provisions included in deeds for designated mon- ument lands east of the East Branch of the Penobscot River. Hunting of bears with bait or dogs is not allowed. Will logging trucks lose their access and rights-of-way? No. The national monument was estab- lished "subject to valid existing rights," including rights-of-way across national monument land. Logging trucks and recreational users have coexisted in both the Maine North Woods and vari- ous national parks for many years. D E T A I L A R E A Katahdin Woods and Waters park area Katahdin Woods and Waters recreation area Baxter State Park S O U R C E : Edited version of National Park Service FAQs sheet provided at Sept. 20 "listening session" in Medway At a glance: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument John Hafford and his wife, Jessica Masse, who relocated their graphic design and marketing fi rm to downtown Millinocket last year, say the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument helps local efforts to diversify the region's economy.

• Cover