National park debated

John Simko’s letter of Dec. 29 reminds me of the bitter opposition to the creation of a national park on Cape Cod where I grew up. The Cape Cod National Seashore is now the longest stretch of unspoiled seashore on America’s North Atlantic coast. If it wasn’t for dedicated people working to create the park, the shorefront would have been lost to development. There were changes in development plans but the major gains, including economic benefits to the region, are much more important.

The National Park Service began as early as 1939 to investigate the possibility of a national seashore in Massachusetts. The park was not established until August 1961 by Congress . It takes years to create a national park. The proposed Maine Woods National Park and Preserve is only a proposal now. What Mainers really need to do is to protect the vast unbroken stretch of the northern forest that is home to some of the country’s most scenic rivers, lakes and gorges from timber harvesting and development. It becomes much more difficult and expensive when development stakes are in the ground.

David Wood

Newcastle

Why is it that almost every time an idea that would drastically affect the economy and use of land in the northern half, or should I say two-thirds, of the state is brought up, most of the proponents of the idea are from southern Maine or from outside of the state, whereas almost all the residents of the areas that would be affected strongly oppose the idea?

The most current issue is the proposed Maine Woods National Park. This park is not necessary. It would severely lessen the amount of privately owned land in the state of Maine. It would restrict hunting in those areas. It would also cause semi-urban sprawl.

Of course, gateway towns such as Greenville and Millinocket would have an increased economic base, but only at the expense of this bane on society that is called sprawl. Of course, everybody can access a national park, but part of the land in question is currently accessible by anybody. The only hassles to that access are the nominal gate fees, the necessity to yield to the logging trucks, and the possible need to request permission from the owner of the land if that landowner has not yet given blanket permission.

Maine is the state with the most private land that is allowed to be used by the public. The only people who want this changed, by creating an unnecessary national park, seem to be self-serving and thinking of people from southern Maine and out-of-staters, instead of the people this park would truly affect.

Travis Michaud

Frenchville