In regard to the article (BDN, Dec. 14), “Park opponents denounce RESTORE study” – what an enlightening discussion that must have been. Two of the three panelists have direct financial ties to the paper companies, who covertly oppose the possibility that some of our state might be put off limits to their profiteering.

First, a professor of forest resources, a program funded mostly by the paper industry, shows his loyalty by denouncing a study he hasn’t even read. I wonder what he does to his students when they critique assignments they don’t read? He goes on to say people would not come to a woods park and that people only come to Acadia because it is on the coast. Perhaps he thinks Yellowstone is on the coast.

University of Maine Professor David Field also laments the predicted loss of 1,500 forest industry jobs. He fails to mention that 50 percent of our forest industry jobs have been lost over the past 10 years without the help of a park. Most of these jobs were lost because of improved technology and industry greed. Are we to expect this trend will end?

Second, our own Conservation Commissioner Ron Lovagilo, serving the citizens of Maine while on leave from the paper industry, told the group the park was a bad idea because it would take 18 percent of Maine’s land out of state control. That’s the same 18 percent that is now owned by out of state interests. The third panelist says the park is a bad idea because “they tend to ruin the areas around them.” Have you been to the Bar Harbor area lately? That’s a disaster area.

It does a great disservice to Mainers when people in positions of influence allow their financial ties to color their opinions. If these reasons are the best that intelligent people can come up with, it makes you wonder. There is no logic to any of their arguments.

Study after study shows the number of people who would use such a park continues to grow each year. The demand is there; look at the lines of people just trying to get camping sites at Baxter State Park. Each year these large tracts of land are being divided up. If you look deep enough into your heart and if you really love Maine, you can see saving the area in the form of a park is the only way to ensure our grandchildren can enjoy the Maine we knew as children. Look through the propaganda and support the park. Your grandchildren will thank you.

Harlan McLaughlin

Searsport