Save Bangor watershed to improve quality of life

Each year tourists spend $5.2 billion in Maine (“Market drives tourism tax hike bid,” BDN, Jan. 29, and “Building tourism,” Feb. 15), and Gov. Angus King is looking to increase the taxes on lodging and restaurant meals to pay for promoting Maine, which he hopes will bring in even more money. Bangor’s potential as a gateway to many of the tourist destinations listed in this article, e.g. Acadia, Katahdin, etc., is improving thanks to the Maine Discovery Museum, waterfront projects and the art museum. Unfortunately, Bangor will still lack the opportunity for outdoor recreation desired by most visitors.

Bangor has a diamond just waiting to be unearthed to fill this void. Properly planned conservation and development of the Penjajawoc Marsh/Stream/Uplands area will expand and showcase opportunities for outdoor recreation. This ecosystem has a combination of characteristics that make it uniquely suitable as a site for ecotourism. In addition to hiking and cross-country skiing, this area affords world-class opportunities to observe a wide range of flora and fauna, particularly birds. The rich biodiversity of this area appeals to visitors, students and researchers, not just locally, but state and nation-wide. Even in its present unadvertised and relatively inaccessible state, the Penjajawoc is known internationally to birders. With the help of large federal grants, other states have developed highly profitable “birding trails.” Why not Bangor?

The Penjajawoc is one of the three richest marshes in the state. Scarborough has made its marsh one of the community’s most prized attractions. Maine has island trails, art trails and nature trails. By conserving the Penjajawoc habitat, Bangor could start a Maine Birding Trail. The Penjajawoc site could be linked to Maine’s Department of Transportation’s planned routes for moving visitors into the state. For example, someone flying into Boston could take a train up the coast and a boat up the Penobscot to visit the Penjajawoc and Bangor’s other attractions. A Penjajawoc Preserve would help make Bangor a visitor destination in its own right and encourage visitors to spend time and money here.

Now is the time to create a nature preserve and wildlife viewing area that will support Bangor’s long-term, sustainable economic development. This area has everything needed for success: biodiversity, close proximity to transportation and lodging, easy access to wildlife viewing, remarkable beauty and contiguity to a larger system of open and preserved lands, wetlands, and bogs, including the Bangor Forest and the Caribou Bog, extending as far as Old Town.

The proven broad economic benefits of ecotourism throughout the community substantially outweigh the potential economic benefits of big box retailers in the ecologically sensitive area northeast of Gilman Road and northwest of Stillwater Avenue. Bangor’s image is far better served with a nature preserve than with a shopping area that looks like everyone else’s.

In addition to bring eco-tourist dollars to Bangor, a nature preserve would make Bangor a more attractive and livable city for current and new residents. A preserve could be fully integrated into our city. The Bangor school system could develop a continuing environmental education curriculum that builds through the grades. Advanced high school students could contribute through internships under the guidance of scientists or perhaps the Discovery Museum, which could develop an outside section at the Penjajawoc site.

Perhaps by combining forces with other educational programs, future projects could include the construction of a wildlife museum, with a museum store, maps and wildlife videos. A system of trails, boardwalks and viewing blinds would make the Penjajawoc accessible to visitors without disturbing the wildlife. Such educational and outdoor recreational opportunities would enrich and enhance Bangor’s reputation.

If we miss this opportunity and allow this site to be divided and developed, we will all be harmed, since like Humpty Dumpty – once broken, nothing can make it whole again. The significance of the Penjajawoc watershed area was not known when the Comprehensive Plan was crafted. It is known now. We ask those who hold our city’s future in their hands to take the time to consider this vision.

Without careful consideration of the habitat needs of the rare birds whose presence will attract visitors to Bangor, we risk despoiling this important natural and economic resource. We owe it to all who live here now and to all who will live here in the future to preserve this resource and opportunity.

The benefits of a Penjajawoc Nature Preserve would occur at two levels. The first is the impressively large amounts of money that visitors spend in communities by outdoor recreation and wildlife watching. According to the pie graph (BDN, Jan. 29), money is spent on food, accommodations, transportation, recreation and in retail stores. The second level is the increased attractiveness of Bangor as a place to live and work.

Profitable businesses hiring educated and well-paid workers like to locate in cities that have a special sense of place, take their stewardship of their community and the natural environment seriously, and have opportunities to enjoy a beautiful natural setting. The benefits of ecotourism are far more profitable and more sustainable than any Big Box development. To not protect this incredible, irreplaceable natural resource harms us all.

On Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. at the Bangor Civic Center, the City Council is holding a workshop on development in this sensitive area. Please come and help save the Penjajawoc Watershed for a better quality of life and the development of an economy that will sustain us for years to come.

Joyce Schelling of Bangor is the Maine sales director of Recycled Office Products.