A little wild

Months of discussions on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, give and take among participants in the group creating its management plan, debates on historical use, development zones and allowable watercraft come down to a question raised repeatedly at the public hearings: So, are you going to open John’s Bridge to boat access or not?

The question is entirely appropriate, and neatly captures Maine’s ongoing debate on how best to balance its use and protection of its natural areas.

Allow people to use John’s Bridge, located in the more traveled section of the waterway between Eagle and Churchill lakes, and access to the waterway is easier. That means more people overall and more people likely to be interested in pursuing a recreational rather than a wilderness experience will use the waterway. Groups such as the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine want the access; groups such as the Natural Resources Council of Maine want to prevent it.

Though hardly wilderness by any strict sense — two much-photographed old trains sit between major lakes there — the Allagash is an important part of the small legacy that one generation of Maine residents can pass along to the next. It was established in 1966 for “the preservation, protection and development of natural scenic beauty.” Though roads have ended its relative remoteness, Allagash remains through its official designations and through tradition a place different from other natural places in Maine.

Could the waterway accommodate the number of people likely to use John’s Bridge if it were made a legal put-in? Almost certainly. But at least one part of the problem cannot be described with a simple count of canoes. Travel with the rangers on those lakes and they can show you site after site where users have abused the privilege of visiting this beautiful and rare place.

They can point out where camp fires have been lit against pine trees, where other trees right along the shoreline have been cut down to improve a camper’s view, where fires were left burning and trash was left for someone else to pick up. A relatively small number of people use the Allagash compared with other public places in Maine, but too many are misusing it, making increased access an unwise plan. John’s Bridge should remain closed and other access restrictions may be needed because of the number of visitors who have shown too little respect for the waterway.

Fortunately, this situation is not necessarily permanent. If visitors, summer and, increasingly, winter, are able to travel lightly along these lakes and rivers, then access restrictions will become less important. The legacy can be preserved while more people enjoy its use. Until then, however, Maine has a responsibility to protect the waterway and keep to a minimum those who would spend their children’s inheritance.