A Sustainable Future for Maine’s High Peaks Region?

A Sustainable Future for Maine’s High Peaks Region?

ASK THE HIGH PEAKS ALLIANCE

Large Landscape Conservation IS the Way for Nature, People and Community:

o     Conservation protects our working forests and public access for recreation

o     ensures that our forests and streams will continue to provide clean air and water for our communities

o     allows viable populations of plants and animals to exist and adapt to climate change

Help us to reclaim the vision of Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby and re-invent northern Franklin County:

o     Protect our woodland landscape from further fragmentation

o     Connect our communities through back-country trails

o    Build a strong local economy by stewarding our natural resources

Today’s decisions create our future

A sustainable future is not all about new technology

Keep what is good about our rural heritage

“To my knowledge the High Peaks Alliance is the only group working toward conservation and preservation of our precious landscape while at the same time working with local organizations, communities and interested people to develop a recreational area for all activities and to create local trail stewardship ethics. Community collaborations are necessary to assure the preservation of open space and recreational access for present and future generations.  Starting with the “Fly Rod” Crosby Trail.  To me, this is really what the HPA is all about.”

Dona Whittemore

highpeaksalliance.wordpress.com                                                                     sandyriverlandtrust.googlepages.com

Farmington 350 Conservation Fair, October 24, 2009.

 

High Peaks Alliance Finds Common Ground

The High Peaks Alliance Finds Common Ground

Written by Lloyd Griscom, Sandy River Land Trust and High Peaks Alliance The High Peaks Alliance took shape in 2007 through meetings with groups of hunters, hikers, skiers, ATV and snowmobile enthusiasts from Strong, Phillips and surrounding areas. These groups got together to express their concerns about the future of their back country area. HPA has since evolved to represent the “local voice” in conserving land for traditional use, working forest and public access in western Maine’s High Peaks Region. Our mission is to find the common ground that individuals and groups with diverse interests might share. We recognize that suspicion and hostility between groups of different perspectives needs to be addressed. Mutual respect is necessary to unleash the power of co-operation, which we believe can help all sides achieve better results. Our vision includes the connection of High Peaks communities (Eustis, Carrabassett Valley, Kingfield, Salem, Strong, Phillips, Avon, Madrid and Rangeley) through back country trails. Building on existing town infrastructure and creating multi-use connections between communities can only add to the quality of our place and economic opportunity for our communities. Click here to read more. Our first grass roots project, suggested by Bud Godsoe of Madrid, is the creation of a Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby footpath and trail from Strong (where she is buried), through Phillips (where she lived)  and Rangeley (where she worked) to Oquossoc (where she helped build a chapel) — ending near the new Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum. Ben Godsoe, who grew up in Madrid, took a three-week unpaid leave of absence from his job in Vermont to volunteer for the HPA, working to find a route for the proposed “Fly Rod” Crosby trail. The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust has offered to help determine potential routes south of the Rangeley Lakes to Oquossoc. The HPA is currently working with the Bureau of Public Land, ATV Maine and other clubs to achieve legal routing for ATV’s across the Appalachian Trail between Caribou Valley, Phillips and Rangeley. In return motorized groups have offered to help establish non-motorized trails in Madrid and other townships. It is hoped that designated walking, mountain biking and cross-country ski trails, in addition to the established motorized trails, could set this area apart as a nature tourism destination. HPA, RLHT, the Sandy River Land Trust and the Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust are collaborating to achieve large landscape conservation in this High Peaks Region. Business and civic leaders through out the area are supporting our efforts including the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association, Saddleback and Sugarloaf Mountains and Maine Huts and Trails. Thank you to the Maine Woods Consortium who ran this month’s article on HPA. Each month Field Notes features a project that we think is well aligned with MWC “desired outcomes” in Landscape Resources, Community Revitalization, and Networked Economies program areas (see outcomes at www.mainewoodsconsortium.org). If you would like to submit your project for consideration, please email Shaunacy Cobb.

 

Narrow Gauge Riders-Alan Bickford

The NARROW GAUGE RIDERS atv club ,based in the towns of AVON,PHILLIPS, and MADRID,support having a trail crossing at RANGELEY, and a new one at CARIBOU valley. We support the work the HIGH PEAKS ALLIANCE, is doing ,to try and keep access to these areas, for all of the different recreational activitys,such as HIKING,ATVING,SNOWMOBILING ,SKIING,etc

I believe we all can work togeather to create a multi use trail system,so we all can benefit ,and enjoy the beauty andtranquility,of our WESTERN MAINE mountains. While I am a member and officer in Narrow Guage Riders, I am also an avid hiker,and snowmobiler,and I do know my way around very well. I think we could all pool our interest, by sharing the expense of building trails togeather, and planning the future of this great place.

When I am hiking in the back country, its comforting to know, that there are atv and snowmobile trails, that are near the Appalachian Trail System, so I could be rescued in an emergency. With that thought I think its ok for hiking and recreational trails to cross each other , but we all need are designated for one purpose trails. I personally hate cross-country skiing,or snowshoeing ,while in fear of being encountered by a snowmobile.

As a club ,we voted last november to support both the RANGELY AT crossing and the CARIBOU VALLEY AT crossing.

Let us know what we can do to help.

ALAN BICKFORD

VP NARROW GAUGE RIDERS/and writer for ATV MAINE.

 

Reconnoitering “Fly Rod” Crosby Trail

Walking from Madrid toward Rangeley.

 

Rangeley Guides & Sportsmen’s Association endorses High Peaks Alliance

 

A Young Hiker

A young hiker on the Appalachian Trail near Saddleback Jr.

 

TIF,Trails,Tourism and Conservation In the High Peaks Region.

Morning Sentinel Article

BY BETTY JESPERSEN
Staff Writer

08/09/2009

from the Morning Sentinel

FARMINGTON — Trail development, mapping, tourism and marketing in the unorganized townships in northern Franklin County are some of the ways county commissioners plan to spend some of the $200,000 that will come in each year for 20 years, a boon from a tax break deal with a wind farm developer.
Creating or improving existing trails was an option the Legislature added this year to the list of permitted uses for tax-increment financing revenues. The “TIF” is a program of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

County commissioners have started receiving inquiries from recreation and conservation organizations interested in the application process and timeline for the money to start to flow, said Commissioner Fred Hardy.

TransCanada, one of the largest power-generating companies in North America, is building a $220 million, 44-turbine wind farm near the Canadian border in Kibby and Skinner townships. It will be the largest wind power development in New England, providing enough clean, renewable electricity for the equivalent of 50,000 average Maine homes, according to the company.

Under the tax-break program, Franklin County can keep a percentage of the wind farm’s annual $1.1 million property tax revenue over the next 20 years.

The TIF allows the county to “shelter” the property tax revenue from state valuation and use it for commercial or economic development activities within Franklin County’s unorganized townships and plantations.

TransCanada will use its portion on the project.

Commissioners have agreed to establish a committee to review the applications that are expected to flood in from organizations seeking a piece of the revenue pie.

The committee would operate under the guidance of Greater Franklin Development Corporation and will set up guidelines for proposals, evaluate applications and finally make recommendations to the board on which to fund.

Lloyd Griscom of Phillips is a volunteer with the High Peaks Alliance, a group of local people working to preserve and enhance recreational access to forest lands in northern Franklin County. He said the group has already been working to develop the kind of recreational opportunities the county commissioners are targeting.

Participants in the Alliance include individuals and representatives of organized trail groups that maintain the area’s backcountry trails for snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicle trail riding, hiking, cross-country skiing and mountain biking. Others involved are those interested in preserving traditional recreational access for hunting, fishing and nature study.

They are currently planning the Fly Rod Crosby Footpath to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Cornelia T. Crosby, known to sports enthusiasts as Fly Rod Crosby, Griscom said. The 19th-century sportswoman was the state’s first Maine Guide and was known locally and nationally for her hunting and fishing abilities.

The southern end of the trail would start in Strong where she was buried, continue north to Phillips where she was born in 1854, on to Rangeley and would end in Oquossoc where she learned her outdoor skills, he said.

The Alliance is also collaborating with Maine Huts & Trails and the Sandy River Land Trust, among others.

“We would hope to a candidate for the county’s funding,” Griscom said Friday.

Eaton Peabody Consulting Group in Augusta was hired by the county to negotiate the tax-increment financing deal with TransCanada and the company continues to oversee the program.

“This is an incredibly important investment in your unorganized territory that you could not have done before,” consultant Mathew Eddy told commissioners this week.

He said he envisions a portion of the annual revenue being used to expand and focus tourism and marketing to the unorganized townships. The region boasts lakes, mountains, a section of the Appalachian Trail, recreation trails, portions of the Bigelow Preserve, and opportunities in the more developed townships of Madrid, Salem, and the areas around Rangeley and Carrabassett Valley.

The $200,000 annual windfall will also be used to upgrade emergency telecommunications and services, increase public safety resources and it will pay half the county’s $60,000 annual fee to Greater Franklin Development Corporation. The $30,000 would be earmarked for marketing the unorganized area for tourism and economic development.

There will also be money to create a revolving loan fund for businesses, improve scenic highways and provide local matches for economic development grants.

The deal allows the county to retain a portion of the project’s property tax revenue to create a $4 million fund that would be used to support economic development and infrastructure improvements over the next 10 years.

In return, about $8.9 million would be given back to the developer over 20 years to put toward the project, while the Maine Unorganized Territory would receive $9.3 million.

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Saddleback Jr looking west.

Hiking view from Saddleback Jr.

 

Meeting Notes May 29, 2009 – June 30th meeting cancelled

High Peaks Alliance Meeting
May 29, 2009 Notes by Betsy Squibb
1. High Peaks Alliance Organization
Chris, Lloyd and Roger reported on meeting with lawyers. It was decided to continue to seek 501c status with a local lawyer. Roger offered to contact Linda Sparkes in Phillips.

2. Fly Rod Crosby Footpath
We are invited to attend the Rangeley Guides and Sportsmen Meeting on June 18th. The meeting is at Thursday at 6 pm with a potluck supper. It was suggested that we meet and drive together. More details to follow.

There was continued discussion about finding out who owns land along a potential footpath.

Don has identified Madrid tax maps.
Roger identified Avon and Strong and volunteered to do Phillips.

The group brainstormed ideas for the whole project
Segments or pieces of the footpath
A map with some of the places (points) for visitors such as birthplace, burial place.
Places to note in towns include
Strong Cemetery and Historical Society
Phillips Historical society, SR& RL Railroad,
Rangeley/ Oquossoc Bald Mountain Campus, Chapel.
Should there be a driving route?
3. Environmental Funders Network
HPA will not be eligible to put in a full proposal this year.
We decided to continue to seek funding and pursue ideas in the preproposal submitted and maybe try again next year.
4. Other HPA efforts
Members of the group have been working on a HPA Forum for building awareness of the High Peaks region. The forum would occur in fall and begin with a design meeting for program planning. Lloyd, Chris and Betsy are working with Warren Cook to organize a date for the design planning meeting.
Lloyd said he would be going to a meeting with Allen Stearns on ATV crossings and will report back.

June 30th meeting is cancelled and will be resheduled when Roger gets back from a trip towards the middle of July.

 

Conserving Land for Traditional Use

Dan & Deb Mitchell

The organized ATV Clubs located in the Western Mountains of Maine have come together to Support the efforts of the High Peaks Alliance to conserve our traditional way of life here in the high peaks region. Working together we can help to preserve one of the most special places in the State of Maine. In the past couple of years there has been a movement of the non-motorized folks and those that enjoy motorized exploration to work together. As a working member of Governor Baldacci’s Task Force Regarding the management of public lands I was part of very beginning of this cooperation between the two groups. By fostering mutual respect and trust between us we have come to the point now where it is time to work together on these types of projects. Being a person who enjoys both backcountry hiking and exploring on my ATV I have a broad perspective of these activities and what each group wants, needs and desires to fully enjoy their recreation of choice.

So here we are embarking on one of our first conservation projects together and say to all of you that are reading this, “This is just the beginning and together great things will be accomplished.”

Dan Mitchell

President

River Valley Riders ATV Club