I am studying for my bachelor of science in parks, recreation and tourism while also pursuing a minor in psychology at the University of Maine.

What I didn’t know was I was diving head-first into a special problem that hit home with great resonance. The community that raised me was dying, and I silently had been watching it crumble since I was born. Something needs to change before there is nothing left.

Attending the School of Forest Resources at the university has taught me a lot. Standing out from that education is the philosophy in which there can be a balance between forest products and the human dynamics present in recreation and tourism. We have to start letting people in, not kicking them out.

Tourism in Maine has racked up a hefty percentage in Maine’s economy, providing many communities and families a source of sustainable income. You need to be strong; you need to be innovative.

The proposed national park I believe is not the golden answer, but it is an opportunity we need to grasp because it is going to bring more people to the area. It is going to create jobs and increase traffic so those “outsiders,” as most will say, will spend money in the area.

We should be taking all we can get right now. Let’s use our past to formulate a plan for the now to promote our future. Our resources aren’t leaving – people are. We need to bring our Millinocket pride back by teaching ourselves, but also teaching each other. We need to be open to experience.

Cody Ray McEwen

Millinocket

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