Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Project under way to create beach access guide

There's no comprehensive guide, either online or in print, to the coastal beaches in Maine that are open to the public.

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In most coastal states, beaches are considered as much a public resource as the ocean, and the state owns the area between low and high tide. Based on a Colonial-era ordinance, Maine and Massachusetts oceanfront property owners generally own all the way to the low-tide mark, including the beach, rocks and seaweed.

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That information is spread out across various sources, from state tourism websites to local land trust brochures.

But that's about to change, thanks to a project by the Maine Coastal Program.

The program is developing a coastal access guide, which will include detailed information about well-known and lesser-known beaches. The guide will offer information about costs, parking, and facilities.

"It has been an outstanding need for a while, and I think the public is interested in one-stop shopping," said Kathleen Leyden, director of the program.

"It's hard to access something that you don't know exists," she said. Leyden hopes the guide will be available online and in print before next summer.

The Maine Coastal Program, administered by the Maine State Planning Office, is a partnership among local, regional and state agencies for the purpose of managing Maine's coastal resources for the public benefit. It was established in 1978 and is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

-- Trevor Maxwell