Rusty Atwood introduced us to Luca St. Clair, who manages his family’s operating foundation, Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. (EPI) in the Moosehead and Katahdin regions, as well as miles of frontage along the East Branch of the Penobscot River and Wassataquoik Stream.

In 2016, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, President Barack Obama accepted the gift of 89,000 acres of land from EPI and created the newest unit of the National Park Service - Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

Mr. St. Clair spent hours in Washington, DC before the legislative committee and National Park Service explaining why he and his family wanted to donate this land to the Park Service. Whereas, appearing before the same committees, Governor Paul LePage, on behalf of his constituents, was telling them why the state did not want this part of Maine as a national monument, saying that too many parcels of land and water front are needlessly taken from production.

The land in question was first obtained by Roxanne Quimby, of Burt’s Bees fame. She asked her son, Lucas to return to Maine and manage the property with an eye toward preparing it to be gifted to the people as a protected trust that would enhance the beauty of the majestic Katahdin region and Baxter State Park. Supporters cheered the gift that they predicted could revitalize the region’s struggling towns, while opponents warned that providing a foothold to the federal government would inhibit economic development in the North Woods, as well as restrict hunting, snowmobiling and forestry on some of the land.

According to Lucas the land was given without any denial of such access. Furthermore, the land comes with a fund of $40,000,000 to help maintain it. Mr. St. Clair and many others saw this as a business opportunity with a perpetual future that preserved the beauty of the state and enhanced the local community by providing sustainable jobs and a way of life people loved. The paper mills are now gone and the region is struggling to recover as the economy shifts from one based on manufacturing and forest products to one increasingly reliant on tourism-related jobs. Local businesses are benefiting from the changes that are happening.

Long before President Obama was given the opportunity to make the designation, Lucas had the members of the Park Authority come and visit Maine to learn what they had in mind. While they were winning over some of those from “away,” they weren’t convincing all the local politicians and the battle lines were better defined.

Lucas and the Friends of Katahdin Woods & Water continue to reach out and let the idea naturally germinate. For the time being, we have a wonderful gift to use and it seems that we may see the truth of “if you build it, they will come.” It may be the perfect time for each of us to put on our hiking shoes, apply an ample spray of bug repellent and take a walk in the woods.

 
 
(Photo L-R: Rusty Atwood, Lucas St. Clair, PP John Marr and President Laura Young.)