ON DAICEY POND

Two waterfront cabins on Daicey Pond in Baxter State Park are so popular that brave souls have long camped out at the park headquarters in January to ensure a stay at “Lookout” and “Outlet.” Now these two cabins are scheduled for demolition to make way for a modern, larger camp farther back from the pond. This decision, protested by fans of the cabins and the group Maine Preservation, needs to be revisited and a compromise reached.

Gov. Percival Baxter bought up and donated to the state much of the land that became the preserve that now bears his name. Not wanting the park to be governed by politics, he set up an authority to oversee it and left an endowment to maintain it. He also left written instructions, in the form of the deeds of trust, as to how the park should be run.

As with many documents written by people now long dead, there are disagreements over what the governor intended. Even Gov. Baxter’s guiding principles for the park invite conflicting views. He wanted the park to remain “forever wild,” but he also wanted people to be able to access it wildness and its beauty so they would better understand the need to preserve nature as he had done.

To do this, the park has provided a variety of experiences for visitors. Some want to camp deep in the woods at sites only accessible by foot, some prefer established campgrounds with outhouses. The two dozen camps on the two ponds, however, are by far the most popular overnight accommodations in the park. And, among those, the two camps slated for demolition are the favored picks.

They are so popular because they are perched on rocks above Daicey Pond, proving spectacular views of the pond and surrounding mountains. Although such a situation would not be permissible under today’s environmental laws, it is hard to see how the cabins, which have no water or toilets, are harming the pond.

More than 15 years, ago, a group was to determine what to do with an old sporting camp on Kidney Pond, which had electricity, flush toilets, running water and a dining hall. A decision, loudly protested at the time, to remove the “amenities” was reached. The group cited Daicey Pond as the example of how rustic camps could be compatible with Baxter’s mission.

Now, the Baxter State Park Authority has approved the razing of Lookout and Outlet after Labor Day, citing deterioration of the structures and their proximity to the water. Park officials say the structures must come down because painting them and doing other repairs would be harmful to the environment. They have already cut trees to make room for a modern six- person cabin set back from the water as current law requires.

Before this happens, another look should be taken, preferably by an independent entity, to determine if the cabins can be re-situated farther back from the water without ruining them or the great view that has drawn generations to the pond.