This spring, we had the opportunity to visit several of our national parks and scenic roads: Everglades, Shenandoah and Blue Ridge Parkway. We were amazed with their beauty, historical significance and educational features. We also noticed the towns outside the parks were thriving and believe the Katahdin region would benefit if President Obama would designate the Maine Woods area a national monument.

We attended the public meeting hosted by Sen. Angus King, in Orono, and heard National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis state, unequivocally, that lands were worthy of inclusion in the National Parks system and that area towns would derive economic benefit from a national monument. We have visited the Katahdin region many times over the years and are saddened to see its recent economic decline.

We are perplexed that Sen. King, so often a bold leader for Maine, has not endorsed this proposal. We urge him to express his support for the proposal to his constituents and to President Obama.

At the Orono meeting, we learned this gift of land is equivalent to the Rockefellers’ donation, now Acadia National Park. We are excited about this amazing opportunity and feel a Maine Woods national monument would draw many visitors such as ourselves to the area and help the economy of the region.

Bruce Moore and Jan Chapman

Cape Elizabeth

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