Caverly has earned Mainers’ gratitude

I am responding to the op-ed commentary, “Preserve Baxter’s history,” published on Dec. 29. Its author, George Kerivan, shows no knowledge of the operational aspects of Baxter State Park and the wishes of its founder, the late Gov. Percival P. Baxter.

The park is in its excellent operational condition because of the dedication and relentless pursuit of Gov. Baxter’s dream by many people associated with the park including staff, volunteers, advisory members, authorities and its director of the last 23 years, Irvin C. “Buzz” Caverly.

Together as a team they have overseen, directed and implemented a truly wilderness park that is exemplary and sets the standard of operation nation-wide with the envy of wilderness advocates around the world.

Caverly’s leadership is exemplified by receiving outstanding service awards from the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Land Stewardship Award from Northern Forest Alliance of Maine, the Murie Award from the Wilderness Society and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 for environmental awareness and contributions by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, just to name a few.

The dream of a brilliant man in Portland some 70 odd years ago would not be a reality today if not for the efforts of many different authorities commanding its direction and purpose and leaving the day-to-day operation to a qualified leader whether it was Helon Taylor, Caverly or others who held that prestigious position.

Authorities come and go with the political tides that create the three-member panel through legislative and gubernatorial appointment. The single constant in this equation is the staff under the direction of a capable leader, the countless volunteers who give thousands of hours to the cause of wilderness preservation and the advisory committees that were adopted many years ago by a previous authority and are continued to be appointed by all authorities since then.

The only real constant and common thread of continuity is the director. He counsels the authority, listens and takes directions from them and passes this purpose on to the staff, advisory and volunteers. The director is a person whom is held accountable for all decisions whether they are construed as correct or deviating from the norm. The director is a person who sets the moral and ethical standards, which filter down through the staff to the volunteers and ultimately to the users.

The director is held to a higher standard than would ever be maintainable in private enterprise or life. The director is a person of dedication, intrinsic values, and unquestionable loyalty to a philanthropic founder and subject to the scrutiny of his managers, the public, the users and skeptics such as Kerivan.

Caverly has withstood controversies such as snowmobile restrictions and use within the park, additions of several pieces of land to the park and the restrictions and uses thereof, closing of gate access points to allow for more monitored visitor access, and as of late the rebuilding of deteriorated buildings for the enhancement of the park and all users. All of the decisions handed down by this director were well thought out, based on derived input from staff, advisories, the public and interested bystanders and concurred with by all the authorities in charge at the time of decision-making process.

I personally have been involved with Baxter State Park for more than 50 years as a user, a volunteer and, most importantly, as an advisory member. I would state without a doubt and testify under any oath to the capabilities of the past director, Caverly. He is a man worthy of all the accolades bestowed upon him at several statewide retirement functions. He is revered nationwide as an advocate for wilderness preservation and a leader in that field. He is a person of unquestionable moral and ethical character as demonstrated daily by his love of family, Baxter State Park, his state and his God.

His untimely departure from the ranks of Baxter State Park will be felt around the state and especially in the park for years to come. Instead of showering Caverly with undue personal attacks from those who seek to snipe at him from afar, the Bangor Daily News should garner respect for the past director of Baxter State Park and say thanks for a job well done, “ole buddy,” and we are going to miss you along the trail.

Gary Trask is a resident of Holden and Zephyrhills, Fla. He served on the Baxter State Park advisory board from 1996 to 2005 and was chairman from 2002 to 2005.