On a recent “Wildfire” program about the Allagash in which I participated, the North Maine Woods was referred to by George Smith of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, as the “industrial forest.” After seeing the show on March 7, I realized why I had been so affected by the North Woods being referred to in that fashion. Is this the direction we are headed? Or worse, are we already there? Even the somewhat benign sounding term “working forest” provides a glimmer of hope that as Maine citizens, we may be able to continue to enjoy the woods even as they are providing folks with a living over the ensuing decades. But the industrial forest?. Now here is a term that offers no hope whatsoever to the Maine woods.

To many the word “industry” means a factory and as we all are aware, there is no room in a factory for recreation. In my mind, the industrial forest is a place where the only use for the land is to make money by the most expedient means possible. Dave Hubley President The Allagash Alliance West Buxton