Dear Supporter,
As we approach Christmas and the New Year, I love to keep traditions alive. Whether it’s singing Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” going out to find the best wild Balsam Fir tree or watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” with my family.
That movie, made in 1946, remains one of the best stories showing us our life has a purpose… that our actions matter and can make the world better. I believe this is also the central theme of conservation and that Theodore Roosevelt put it best:
The ‘greatest good for the greatest number’ applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction. Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wildlife, and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources, are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method.
This fall provided a stunning example that your actions matter when we passed the Maine Trails Bond. This effort started right here in Franklin County in November of 2022. My board members Darryl Wood and Roger Lambert, along with myself, were asked to join a panel organized by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. They were interested in hearing what was important to Franklin County residents.
I suggested that the one thing we needed in the High Peaks was trail funding. Pete from NRCM proposed that perhaps a bond could work. We discussed how to structure it, and within the next month, a coalition of trail organizations submitted a bill to the Maine Legislature. Our very own Senator Black, Representative Soboleski, and Representative Landry were among the bill’s sponsors.
We worked to gain support and spoke to many lawmakers, but it became clear that there was more work to do before this could pass the legislature. The bill was held over until 2024. The efforts of many picked up the pace, and over 520 businesses, towns, and organizations contributed to the effort.
The Appropriations Committee passed the bill unanimously. The final Senate vote was 29-3, and the House vote was 133-6, moving it on to be signed into law by the Governor. Then, this fall, it was up to the Maine people to decide if we should invest in trails.
Your voices were heard as Franklin County had the second-highest percentage of support of any county in the state. This was the only bond approved out of four for 11 of Franklin County’s towns. Your actions will result in $30 million in grants over the next four years. This is the first large-scale investment in our trails and our future in Maine.
High Peaks Alliance amplified your voice, and now we are still working to ensure the implementation of this new grant is well-designed. There are many interested parties, but we have already submitted comments to the state on the draft program guidelines. There is more work to be done to get ready for the rollout. We need your help to identify the projects and trails that need investment so we can design trail plans and prepare applications.
The work we do now will benefit generations to come. I have found my life’s purpose and hope you will commit yours to ensure that this landscape will be forever kept wild and accessible for us and every generation to come.
Thank you for the actions you take in support of this mission.
Your actions matter,
