A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding ...property protects a public water supply for the Town of Mount Desert and historic hiking trails around the pond and connect-ing

Winter 2011 Volume 16 No. 3

A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding Communities

PURCHASE YOUR PARK PASS!Even in winter, your park pass purchase helps make possible vitalmaintenance projects in Acadia. Eighty percent of all fees paid in thepark stay in the park…and park passes make a thoughtful gift!

The Acadia National Park $40 annual pass and $20 weekly pass($10 in the shoulder seasons) are available all winter at the AcadiaNational Park Winter Visitors Center at Park Headquarters on theEagle Lake Road in Bar Harbor.

In addition, annual passes are offered for $20 each in the month ofDecember only at these locations:Acadia National Park Winter Visitors CenterTown Office of Mount DesertTown Office of TremontTown Office of Gouldsboro

For more information visit

www.friendsofacadia.org

1Friends of Acadia Journal Winter 2011

Winter in Acadia is a relativelyquiet season—a time for skiingsilent roads and discovering new

vistas through forests bare of leaves. And winter is a time for reflection, celebration,and planning. Reflecting on the gift of work-ing with an organization like Friends ofAcadia, I am grateful for the inspiration ofour members. Each year FOA receives lettersfrom members around the country, sharingfavorite experiences as well as hopes and con-cerns for the park. This year, I was movedby the number of young people who becamemembers and sent notes to explain how theysaved or earned the money in order to takepart in the care of this amazing place.

This was a banner year for young peopleengaged directly in the business of Acadia’sstewardship, as well. Millicent Green spenther summer college break as an FOA internworking on our annual benefit (page 5). AnnaAdams became an FOA field crew leader thissummer and reflected on the path that ledto her growing professional career as a stew-ard of Acadia (page 7). The new Acadia YouthTechnology Team of high school and collegestudents explored the potential of technolo-gy to benefit Acadia and its visitors (page 8).

George Hertzog, National Park Servicedirector from 1964–1972, once wrote, “Thenational park idea has been nurtured by each succeeding generation of Americans.Today…each park contributes to a deeperunderstanding of the history of the UnitedStates and our way of life; of the naturalprocesses which have given form to our land,and to the enrichment of the environmentin which we live.” FOA and Acadia NationalPark are working together to ensure thatthis and following generations are preparedand inspired to nurture the national park ideaat Acadia.

It was a year of milestones for the IslandExplorer bus system. The 4-millionth pas-senger climbed aboard in August (page 23)and L.L.Bean renewed its commitment to theIsland Explorer system, granting $1 millionover the next five years toward the operationsof the buses. L.L.Bean’s support greatly ben-

efits the park and the region. The IslandExplorer system provides alternatives to driving personal vehicles into the park, reducing congestion and pollution. And thisfall, Phase I of the Acadia Gateway Center,the maintenance facility and offices for management of the Island Explorer system,was completed. A celebration is planned inearly 2012.

Partnership efforts led to important landconservation this year. Two key parcels, privately owned within Acadia’s boundaries,were protected through the combined effortsof Friends of Acadia and Maine CoastHeritage Trust. The Lower Hadlock Pondproperty protects a public water supply forthe Town of Mount Desert and historic hiking trails around the pond and connect-

ing to Norumbega Mountain trails. On thewest side of Mount Desert Island, 17 acreson the shores of remote Round Pond, in theLong Pond watershed, were protected. Since2005 FOA, MCHT, and other partners haveprotected 17 privately-owned parcels withinAcadia’s boundary.

Advocacy remains a key component to FOA’s stewardship of Acadia. This yearFOA staff and members took numerousopportunities to reach out to state and fed-eral legislators and communicate the park’sneed for adequate federal funding. For ourmembers, advocacy is an opportunity to shareyour commitment to the ongoing steward-ship of Acadia’s priceless resources, and toexpress your expectation that this steward-ship must be a partnership effort. Private phil-anthropy plays a critical role in the long-termcare of Acadia, but it should enhance and notreplace the obligation of the federal govern-ment to care for our national parks. (Readmore about how you can help, on page 26.)

I look back on this year of partnership con-servation and stewardship with tremendouspride. Programs inspiring young people,alternative transportation reducing traffic congestion and pollution, conservation oflands within the park’s boundary, and advo-cacy are all vital to creating a strong futurefor Acadia, and are excellent examples of whatindividuals can accomplish when they worktogether. At the inauguration of the newSERC campus at Schoodic this summer,Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski said,“Each and every one of us makes a difference,but working together we make change.”

Thank you for helping to ensure a strongfuture for Acadia National Park.

—Marla S. O’Byrne

In November, Marla O’Byrne announced that she will leave Friends of Acadia in March 2012 after 16 years with the organization. –Ed.

WINTER REFLECTIONS

President’s Column

Nor

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anAdvocacy is an opportunity toshare your commitment to the ongoing stewardship ofAcadia’s priceless resources,and to express your expecta-tion that this stewardship mustbe a partnership effort.

2 Winter 2011

A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding Communities

FEATURE ARTICLES

7 Nothing Could Be Better Anna Adams Friends of Acadia youth programs have a lasting impact

8 The Acadia Youth Technology Team Aimee Beal ChurchLocal teens guide Acadia’s digital future

10 Bed Springs and a Passion Charles WrayThe start of winter grooming in Acadia

12 Shipwreck! Rebecca Cole-WillAn archaeology field school takes place at low tide

ACTIVITIES/HIGHLIGHTS5 Special Person: Millicent Green

14 The 22nd Annual Benefit Auction

15 Acadia Quest

18 Updates

26 Advocacy Corner

27 Book Reviews

DEPARTMENTS1 President’s Column Winter Reflections Marla S. O’Byrne

3 Superintendent’s View A Community Call to Action Sheridan Steele

6 Poem Coming Back in the Fog from Isle au Haut Christian Barter

28 Chariman’s Letter Unfinished Business Edward L. Samek

BOARD OF DIRECTORSEdward L. Samek, ChairJohn Fassak, Vice Chair

Ed Lipkin, TreasurerMichael Siklosi, Secretary

Emily BeckFred Benson

Brownie CarsonGail Clark

Hannah Sistare ClarkAndrew Davis

Nathaniel FentonAnne Green

Cookie HornerJack Kelley

Barbara McLeodMeredith Moriarty

Marla S. O’ByrneLili Pew

Donna ReisJack Russell

Nonie SullivanChristiaan van Heerden

Dick WolfBill Zoellick

HONORARY TRUSTEESEleanor Ames

Robert and Anne BassCurtis and Patricia BlakeRobert and Sylvia Blake

Frederic A. Bourke Jr.Tristram and Ruth Colket

Gail CookShelby and Gale Davis

Dianna EmoryFrances Fitzgerald

Sheldon GoldthwaitNeva Goodwin

Paul and Eileen GrowaldJohn and Polly Guth

Paul HaertelLee Judd

Debby LashLinda LewisLiz MartinezJulia Merck

Gerrish and Phoebe MillikenGeorge J. and Heather Mitchell

Joseph MurphyJanneke Neilson

Nancy NimickJack PerkinsNancy Pyne

Nathaniel P. ReedAnn R. Roberts

David RockefellerJeannine RossPatricia Scull

Howard SolomonErwin Soule

Diana Davis Spencer

EMERITUS TRUSTEESW. Kent Olson

Charles R. Tyson Jr.

FRIENDS OF ACADIA STAFFTheresa Begley, Projects & Events Coordinator

Mary Boëchat, Development AssistantSharon Broom, Development Officer

Sheree Castonguay, Accounting & Administrative AssociateAimee Beal Church, Communications & Outreach Coordinator

Stephanie Clement, Conservation DirectorLisa Horsch Clark, Director of Development

Diana R. McDowell, Director of Finance & AdministrationMarla S. O’Byrne, President

Mike Staggs, Office Manager

Winter 2011 Volume 16 No. 3


We’re coming up on a double cel-ebration in 2016: the 100th

anniversary of both AcadiaNational Park and the National Park Service.It’s an opportunity to reflect on the great ideasand dedicated efforts that created the Acadiawe know and love today, and to look aheadto the future of Acadia in its second century.Volunteers, donors, and Friends of Acadiahave been instrumental in the great successof this park. Innumerable private contribu-tions throughout Acadia’s history have pro-tected important land and natural and cul-tural resources, have built and maintainedessential park facilities, and allowed us to offermeaningful visitor services for the millions ofpeople who love Acadia National Park.

Charles Eliot and George B. Dorr pavedthe way, preserving and protecting the bestof Mount Desert Island and Schoodic. JohnD. Rockefeller, Jr. also preserved thousandsof acres, and developed the incomparablesystem of carriage roads and scenic ParkLoop Road. Early volunteers formed villageimprovement societies, building marvelousand unique trails like the Precipice, JordanCliffs, and the Perpendicular Trail, nowmaintained as historic resources.

Over the last 25 years, Friends of Acadialed the way to restore the carriage roads totheir former glory and establish an endow-ment to maintain them. A similar approachfocused on the 130 miles of renowned hik-ing trails with the Acadia Trails Forevercampaign. The artistry and craftsmanshipof the stonework and the challenge of theiron rungs and hand holds continue toimpress and inspire visitors today. WithoutFOA’s commitment and contributions, thetrails and carriage roads would likely bedeteriorating for lack of attention (andfunding).

With more than 3,000 individuals annu-ally volunteering more than 40,000 hoursto park improvements, we are indeed theenvy of parks everywhere. A program ofthis magnitude requires considerable timeand attention for volunteers to feel useful

and the results to be meaningful—as theycertainly are in Acadia. FOA funds twopaid crew leaders and supports numerousvolunteer crew leaders. Volunteers alsoassist with visitor programs, visitor orien-tation, and small maintenance projects.Other examples of programs that likelywould be reduced or eliminated withoutFOA support include the Wild Gardens ofAcadia, the Island Explorer, educationalefforts for Maine schools and students, theaccessible carriages at Wildwood, and theVillage Connector Trail program.

As we approach our second century atAcadia, we must identify and address crit-ical issues affecting our future. Certainlythe need to engage youth in the nationalparks and the great outdoors is of growingconcern to me as a conservationist andpark manager. Young people seem to haveless time and interest in nature, and theyare missing wonderful experiences that canshape their lives in many positive ways.FOA helped us enlist local youth for a new“Acadia Youth Tech Team” and with grantfunding this team spent the summer devel-

oping some new approaches to engagingyouth in Acadia.

The key to the continuing success ofAcadia National Park is strengthening ourshared common goals and programs withFOA. Solutions are created and imple-mented with the people and communitiesthat most care about our parks. TheNational Park Service Director John Jarvishas released a “Call to Action,” identifyingthe many ways he sees this to be possible.He reinforced the need to build our futureon the legacies of our past and createexcitement and enthusiasm across all gen-erations including those yet unborn. InAcadia, I see this being achieved by con-tinuing our resource protection efforts,focusing on ways to assure that park visi-tors have quality experiences across thepark, and assuring that Acadia becomesthe most youth-friendly and engagingnational park in the country. Private fund-ing will continue to be essential to providethe margin of excellence we enjoy todayand develop innovative new efforts toengage Americans of all ages. I also think anew endowment to support education, tra-ditional ranger guided activities, and inter-pretation will be necessary to continue toprovide meaningful experiences that helpcreate an emotional bond with this veryspecial place.

As we approach 2016, join me andFriends of Acadia as we create opportuni-ties for area residents and visitors to dis-cover the many things that make Acadia sospecial, to be inspired by its beauty andhistory of personal dedication, and to be atrue friend of Acadia, sharing in the com-mitment to care for Acadia now and intothe future.

—Sheridan Steele

A COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION: JOIN US IN PREPARING FOR 2016

Superintendent’s View

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4 Winter 2011 Friends of Acadia Journal

Family FriendsI just want to tell you how much our entirefamily enjoyed meeting up with you [LisaHorsch Clark] again and getting to meetMarla. What a thrill it was for us! We havebeen coming to Acadia for a very long timeand now we are sharing that love with ourchildren. Mark and I appreciate the timeyou and Marla took to educate us and ourchildren on what you do for Acadia andhow we can become better stewards of thisbeautiful park.

Once again we had a wonderful time inAcadia, hiking the beautiful trails, shop-ping and walking in town, climbing moun-tains by foot and on bikes, looking forsand dollars on the beach. As long as weare able, we will continue to come backand appreciate this beautiful land and seaand we promise to continue to supportFriends of Acadia.

As you can see in the picture, the kids(and we) proudly wore our new friends ofAcadia gear around town, and we thankyou for that!

—Bonnie AtwoodNew York

Young FriendI earned a quarter every time I did mychores and a dollar every time I read abook. I want to donate $3.00 to you. Ipicked Friends of Acadia because my fam-ily goes there on vacation almost everyyear. We love to climb mountains andswim in the ocean. Hope you use themoney to make the park better than italready is.

—Jimmy SuiterNew York

Family Fun BonusOne week each summer we visit MDI—weare lucky to have family in Bar Harbor (butwould probably make the trip even if wedidn’t). There’s always so much to see anddo and our two young children just love toexplore. But…this particular week stood outfrom recent years because we were lucky tobe in the area for “Family Fun Day.” To sayit was well done is an understatement. Fromthe enthusiastic volunteers to the thoughtthat went into each activity station—it’ssomething we’ll be talking about for years tocome. Thank you!!!

—The Tighe FamilyPennsylvania

A Magazine about Acadia National Parkand Surrounding Communities

Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, andpromotes stewardship of the outstanding

natural beauty, ecological vitality,and distinctive cultural resources of

Acadia National Park and surroundingcommunities for the inspirationand enjoyment of current and

future generations.

The Journal is published three times a year.Submissions are welcome.

Opinions expressed are the authors’.

You may write us at43 Cottage Street / PO Box 45

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609or contact us at207-288-3340800-625-0321

www.friendsofacadia.orgemail: [email protected]

EDITORAimee Beal Church

POETRY EDITORChristian Barter

DESIGNMahan Graphics

PHOTOGRAPHER AT LARGETom Blagden

PRINTINGPenmor Lithographers

PUBLISHERMarla S. O’Byrne

This Journal is printed on paper made with 100%recycled fiber and 60% post-consumer waste, processed

chlorine free, and manufactured in the USA with100% Green-e certified renewable energy. Printed with

soy-based ink, using wind power.

Notes from Friends

Hunters Beach in Winter by Tom Blagden

Bonn

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Winter 2011Volume 16 No. 3

Some young members of the Atwood family show off their new FOA gear in Bar Harbor.


Special Person

MILLICENT GREEN: INTERN EXTRAORDINAIRE

Confident, friendly, focused, thought-ful, funny—all words used by thestaff of Friends of Acadia to describe

our fantastic summer intern Millicent Green. To say the very least, we were fortu-nate to have Millicent with us during the busy summer season. This talented youngwoman made life easier for everyone at 43 Cottage Street.

Millicent joined the staff on July 1st as anintern in the development office with afocus on event management. Much ofMillicent’s time was spent working on theAnnual Benefit. Whether attending plan-ning meetings, working on the database,drafting text for the catalog, or answeringthe phone, Millicent accomplished taskswith skill, grace, efficiency, and a smile onher face.

Millicent, a junior at Elon Universitycurrently studying in Florence, Italy, hasvisited Acadia National Park and MountDesert Island every year of her life. Shecomes from a long line of Friends ofAcadia members. Grandparents Bill andMaura Benjamin have been members sincethe early 90s and her parents Anne and JimGreen are active volunteers with Friends ofAcadia. Anne serves on the board of direc-tors and the benefit committee. Both of herparents have been leaders in the NextGeneration initiative at FOA. Clearly herlove for Acadia and FOA has been nur-tured for many years.

I was personally amazed by Millicent’simpeccable computer skills and attentionto detail. I could give Millicent a task uponarrival in the morning, thinking it wouldtake her most of her day. In a short time,she would pop into my office saying shewas done. I’ve watched her at the comput-er. Even with the old dog of a computer atthe intern’s desk, Millicent would takeshortcuts and quick steps to get the jobdone fast. And anyone who has visited thebusy FOA office in the summer knows thatgood and fast is an asset.

Millicent also has a remarkable intuitivesense. She would often hand me a draftbefore I asked for it or bring something toa meeting saying, “I thought you mightneed this.”

Millicent’s hard work was not all that she gave to the office. Development OfficerSharon Broom noted, “In addition to all ofthe ways they assist the staff, interns bringa fresh perspective to our work and help usbetter connect with young adults. Workingwith Millicent each day gave us a valuableinsight into the interests and preferences of twenty-somethings.” As we continueour work with the Young Friends ofAcadia, Millicent and her friends will becritical to our success.

Keeping us fresh is important but what Imiss the most about Millicent is Millicent.Her cheery smile and great sense of humoralways brightened my day. ❧

—Lisa Horsch Clark

Ann

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Millicent Green’s love for Acadia started early.

Millicent Green


The water shines and, definite as it is,

slips under the fog and goes, sending up

an island now and then from farther out—

great tufts of dark nailed down by the same roots

that spring strange halls in dreams and cliffs that tip

with height beyond the towns that closed behind you.

A mother has picked her son up off the deck

to make sure of his flesh and the women from the party

have stopped shouting up from the bottoms of their wells,

stare in whatever direction they were left pointing,

except for one, who presses at a cell phone

like someone trying to push an ice cube down.

A town appears, as ruins first, then rises.

The coming back meets its mist and slides under it.

—Christian Barter

Poem

Christian Barter’s first book, The Singers I Prefer, was a finalist for the 2006Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets and his secondbook is forthcoming in 2012. His work has appeared in journals includingPloughshares, The Literary Review, North American Review, Georgia Review, andThe American Scholar and has been featured on Poetry Daily and The Writer’sAlmanac. He lives in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he is a supervisor for the trailcrew at Acadia National Park, an editor at The Beloit Poetry Journal, and poetryeditor of the Friends of Acadia Journal.

Coming Back in the Fog from Isle au Haut

Submissions are invited for the 2012

FRIENDS OF ACADIA POETRY PRIZE

“The future of this world lies in the relationship wehave with it. Poetry helps develop an understandingand appreciation of—and a connection with—theworld around us.”

—Kate Barnesformer Maine Poet Laureate

F R I E N D S O F A C A D I A P O E T RY P R I Z EEstablished in 1998, the Friends of Acadia PoetryPrize is awarded biannually to promote and recog-nize distinctive nature poetry. Three winning poemswill be published in the Friends of Acadia Journal(print and online), and awarded prizes by category:

~ 1st place: $350~ 2nd place: $250~ 3rd place: $150

G U I D E L I N E SSubmit up to three nature-based poems, each of 30 lines or fewer. Entries must be original andunpublished. Simultaneous submissions are permitted; please notify us immediately if a poem is accepted for publication elsewhere. There is no fee to enter. Postmark deadline: January 30, 2012

F O R M ATSubmit each poem on a separate page. Include acover sheet with your name, address, and the titlesof the poems you are submitting. Do not includeyour name on manuscript(s).

For notification of results, include a business-sizedSASE. Manuscripts will not be returned.

If you wish to receive a copy of the Friends ofAcadia Journal in which the first-place poem ispublished, include a self-addressed envelope, at least9” x 12”, with $2.00 postage attached. (This is inaddition to a business-sized SASE for notification.)

Please send all entries to:Editor, Friends of Acadia Journal

PO Box 45, Bar Harbor, ME 04609or [email protected]


Youth

NOTHING COULD BE BETTERAnna Adams

This speech was given at the 2011 Friendsof Acadia Annual Meeting, on July 13th inBar Harbor.

I’m sure you all remember your very firstjob. I know I do. I remember very clear-ly driving up to the park’s trail shop and

looking at my fellow Youth ConservationCorps workers and telling my dad “Thoseguys are huge!” I was so nervous about doingwell, and my fears weren’t assuaged any onour first project. We were high lining, whichis when we use cables to move rocks up anddown mountains. Part of the process is thatsomeone has to be operating what we call the“griphoist,” which is like a giant crank thatincreases tension on the cable. Well, I was thegriphoist operator, or at least, I was trying tobe. I was using all of my weight to pull backon the handle, and then throwing myself ontoit to try and push it forward. Eventually mysupervisor came up to see what was wrong,because obviously nothing was happening.He watched me struggle for a few minutesand said “You know, I don’t think you eatenough for this job.”

I like to think that my success, or at leastwhy I’m still working at Acadia today, hasa lot to do with the second sandwich Ipacked from that day on.

Throughout that summer I got strongerand more confident doing the work theYCC does to help out the trail crew. One ofour last projects that season was a log haulup a mountain. We spent the whole daygoing up and down hauling bog walkmaterial, and I remember asking myself if Iwanted to come back and do this job again.When I reached the summit I had myanswer: of course I would. Looking out onthe park I had grown to love, I knew that Iwasn’t ready to quit working my butt off tohelp make it better. So I worked anothersummer on YCC, and then signed on tojoin the trail crew after high school.

As my graduation approached more andmore people began asking me what I wasgoing to do with the rest of my life (simplequestion of course). I never could quitefind the right answer, until I got a pam-phlet in the mail from the University ofMaine at Machias. I read about their pro-grams and I remember shouting down tomy parents “Did you know, you can get adegree in Park Management?!?!?” That wasit; nothing had ever felt so right. So I went to UMM and got my bachelors degreein Environmental Recreation Managementand Park Management (which is a fancyway of saying “gets paid to play outside”).I worked on the trail crew a few summersas well as for Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Sooner than I expected, another gradu-ation was upon me and I was again beingasked: “What are you going to do with

yourself?” It wasn’t until I heard about thisjob with Friends of Acadia that I found the right fit. I truly believe that Friends of Acadia’s programs helped shaped thecourse of my life. Nothing could be better than getting to help others work in this beautiful place, and get to know itfor themselves. I know that we are allcounting the big accomplishments thatFriends can lay claim to over these pasttwenty-five years, but I ask you to try and think about all the small ways inwhich this organization has had an impact, both on this park and those wholove it. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of all that you do. ❧

ANNA ADAMS is a field crew leader at Friends of Acadia.

Anna Adams speaking at the 2011 Friends of Acadia Annual Meeting.

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Youth Stewardship

THE ACADIA YOUTH TECHNOLOGY TEAM:LOCAL TEENS GUIDE ACADIA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

Aimee Beal Church

Picture this: you’re nearing a moun-taintop in Acadia, hiking up a trail ofpink granite ledge with glorious views

of unspoiled forest reaching down to asparkling, island-dotted sea. Maybe a pere-grine falcon wheels overhead. Approachingthe classic wooden sign marking the summit,you see four teenagers sitting with headsdown and eyes glued to the screen of aniPad on his or her lap.

What do you think? Maybe you feelsorry for the kids, for their apparent lack ofconnection to the natural beauty aroundthem. Maybe you’re annoyed to be remind-ed of the “outside world.” Maybe you won-der, “Hey, can I get a cell phone signal uphere?” Then one of them hops up andapproaches you with a smile, and younotice that her T-shirt reads Acadia YouthTechnology Team.

This past summer, those four teenagerswere MDI high school students AudynCurless, Sophia Krevans, Ryann Rourk,and Liam Torrey. Along with Team LeaderColin MacArthur, Assistant Team LeaderJohn Carll, and volunteer contributingscholar Fabio Fraticelli, they spent 10weeks learning, brainstorming, and exper-imenting with technology like iPads, digi-tal cameras, smart phones, webcams, QRcodes, apps, and the like. They thoughtabout how these programs and devicesmight enhance a visitor’s experience—especially young visitors for whom tech-nology is an integral and familiar part oftheir world. Much of that work was doneoutside in Acadia, where they also spokewith dozens of visitors about their use oftechnology in the park.

The Acadia Youth Technology Team wasjointly funded by Friends of Acadia andAcadia National Park, motivated by thepark’s commitment to engage youth intheir national parks and the natural world.As Superintendent Sheridan Steele notes,

“According to the Kaiser Family Found-ation, kids under age 18 are spending morethan 7.5 hours per day, or more than 50hours per week, using electronic media.What will happen to national parks whenpeople don’t have time for nature and thereal world outdoors?” By reframing tech-nology as a portal into the park rather thana barrier, and asking youth directly whatthey find most interesting, the park cancreate new and uniquely effective tools toawaken kids, teenagers, and young adultsto the treasures of Acadia.

Lynne Dominy, chief of interpretation atAcadia, knew this would be a challenge.She had been researching similar initiativesin other national parks to find a model fora youth-focused and youth-powered“think tank.” She found nothing, so sheand the interpretive staff designed the pro-ject from scratch. In addition to providingmeaningful insights into how to engageyouth using technology, this pilot program

creates a model for how the park service—at Acadia and elsewhere—can work withyouth on similar questions.

Through a $25,000 gift made in honorof FOA’s 25th anniversary, Friends ofAcadia hired the four teen interns andassistant team leader and purchased theiPads and apps necessary for their research.Says Marla O’Byrne, president of Friends ofAcadia, “We were fortunate to gather sucha talented, energetic team of young people,and delighted to support this innovativepilot project that is so important for thefuture of the park.” FOA funding wasmatched by the park, which hired the teamleader and organized and hosted the pro-gram.

The team was immersed in the park vis-itor experience, from which they generatedideas about how technology could meettwo park-wide goals: engaging youth inAcadia and improving the visitor experi-ence. Each week focused on a particular

The Acadia Youth Technology Team examined opportunities for technology to enhance park experiencesof all kinds, by land, and by sea. From left to right, Sophia Krevans, Audyn Curless, Ryann Rourke,Liam Torrey, and John Carll.

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sort of technology or electronic media.Their days might begin with a ranger-ledprogram or hike, continue with a discus-sion of the place’s meanings, deepen withvisitor interviews, and conclude withbrainstorming technology project ideas. Atthe end of each week, the team hosted ameeting to gather feedback from park andFriends of Acadia personnel.

THE PLANAt the end of the summer, the team pro-duced a 72-page report including specificproposals for technology projects, includ-ing cost breakdowns and incrementaldevelopment stages where appropriate.The proposals range in scope, from easy—such as enabling FourSquare.com check-ins at park locations that already havewireless access—to ambitious—such ascreating a comprehensive web-based data-base of information about Acadia thatincludes park-generated and user-generat-ed content, accessible via QR codes placedon existing wayside signs throughout the park.

The team also developed general princi-ples that should guide the park in any newtechnology project. They wrote, “Any timewe use technology to interact with thepublic…we should use technology to meetkey park goals….The technology we useshould facilitate, not replace or discourage,experiences with the trails, plants, arti-facts, animals and people of the park….Weshould not assume providing youth withtechnology engages them in the park.Instead, we should always specify the spe-cific way youth-targeted technology willencourage stewardship.” The plan statesthat any technology project should includesuch key ingredients as involvement of tar-get audiences and park staff and provisionsfor maintaining the project. An appendixto the report includes a map of cell phonereception along the roads on MDI and theSchoodic Peninsula, which the team creat-ed by driving around and checking recep-tion every half mile.

NEXT STEPSThe report was completed by the timeteam members returned to school, but theproject doesn’t end there. The park alreadyhas plans to begin implementing the

report’s proposals as budgeting allows. Twoproposals may be taken on by MDI HighSchool Students during the current schoolyear for their “Senior Exhibition” service-learning projects. Says Lynne Dominy,“Service learning is a terrific resource forAcadia, because it’s a fully supported pro-gram already in place in area schools—thestudents are required to do it, and theirservice is free to the park. And, park staff ismore than happy to host these young stew-ards of our park resources.”

One potential project open to thisspring’s seniors is to help the park set upseveral digital video cameras and use themto host a competition for by-youth, for-youth videos about Acadia. Another proj-

ect would involve working with the park’sRaptor Rangers to set up a “digital mediainterpretation kit,” including a digiscopeadapter and 24” television screen, to beattached to one of the high-poweredscopes at the base of Champlain Mountain.This will allow many more visitors to viewa live feed of the peregrine falcons nestingalong the Precipice Trail, and allow rangersto show interpretive slideshows andrecorded footage of the falcons on foggydays. Next summer, the park hopes to hirea “2012 youth team” to continue to imple-ment selected youth-driven projects.

For park youth coordinator ArdriannaMcLane, “This pilot project has opened thedoor to stronger connections with the highschool, new youth leadership opportuni-ties, and a greater emphasis upon youth-generated programming with the park.”

ENGAGED PARK STEWARDSThroughout all this, the team explored thenative plants in the Wild Gardens ofAcadia, participated in a bio blitz at the

Schoodic Education and Research Center,took a cruise to Baker Island, hiked milesof trails and carriage roads, and more.They met with park employees, research-ers, and visitors to see the park from different perspectives. Liam, Ryann,Sophia, and Audyn already shared a fondfamiliarity with Acadia, but all agreed that the summer greatly deepened theirconnection to the park and their under-standing of its value and vulnerabilities.

In fact, the Acadia Youth TechnologyTeam was itself a highly successful pro-gram to engage youth as stewards ofAcadia. The four local high school studentstook great pride in the idea that their workwould truly benefit the park. Said Ryann,“Being a member of the Youth TechnologyTeam has truly been a once in a lifetimeopportunity and a dream summer job for aperson my age. I’ve enjoyed travelingabout the park, seeing places I’ve neverseen, learning about the park, and workingwith motivated people. But, the thing I’ve enjoyed most is being a part of andcontributing to a master plan of ideas andsuggestions of how the park can integratetechnology into their programs in non-intrusive ways.” Audyn added, “I am con-vinced that the work we did this summerwill have a lasting impact on the park.”

Some team members expressed interestin working in the park service in thefuture. For Liam, “working in NationalParks in the future has gone from a minutepossibility to a hope and aspiration.” Ofcourse, one needn’t be a park employee tobe a park steward! Sophia observed,“Living here, I have always used the park,but simply as an enormous, very well kept backyard. Throughout this summer,as I have gained more and more knowl-edge about the park, I have developed adeeper respect for the cultural and geo-logical history of the landscape as well asthe way the park is run and maintained.Working in the park made me realize whatan important resource Acadia is and why it is imperative to protect it for the nextgeneration.” ❧

AIMEE BEAL CHURCH is the communicationsand outreach coordinator at Friends of Acadia.

We should not assume provid-ing youth with technologyengages them in the park.Instead, we should alwaysspecify the specific way youth-targeted technology will encourage stewardship.


Volunteers

It took a champion, a diplomat, aninnkeeper, and two superintendents.During the last 25 years the grooming of

Acadia’s carriage roads for cross-country ski-ing has grown from two volunteers and twoor three carriage roads into a multifaceted,well-coordinated activity in Acadia NationalPark. Today, nearly twenty cold-tolerant vol-unteers eagerly await each new snowfall toset down classic and skating tracks from theAmphitheater to Witch Hole, from JordanPond to the highest carriage road on the west-ern side of Sargent Mountain, transformingthe snow covered trails into some of the bestcross country skiing anywhere. Friends ofAcadia coordinates the grooming and fundsthe program, and Acadia National Park main-tains four low-emission snowmobiles andnearly a dozen grooming track setters.

One cannot think of the ski trails with-out thinking of Dr. Bob Massucco, thechampion volunteer groomer, who settledin Somesville in the early 1970s. Havingbeen an avid skier, high school ski coach,and dentist in Aspen, Colorado, Bob—together with his wife Mimi, their family,and friends—made many, many trips tothe former Squaw Mountain near Green-ville to pursue their passion for skiing.Tiring of nearly weekly trips to SquawMountain, Bob realized that some of thebest cross-country skiing in New Englandcould be found minutes away in AcadiaNational Park. At that time, cross-countryski tracks on Acadia’s carriage roads werecreated by the skiers who got out first aftereach snowfall. Bob and Henry Agnese ofNortheast Harbor would be some of thefirst skiers out to break trail, and the lateElizabeth (Leila) Bright would eagerlyawait news from the trail breakers beforesetting out herself.

During the 1980s and early 1990sinnkeeper Joseph Striefel of Bar Harborprovided his guests with a variety of

athletic adventures, from paddling andsculling to hiking and eventually cross-country skiing. In an effort to extend theseason of his bed-and-breakfast, Joe andBob Massucco developed a plan to providegroomed carriage paths for local skiers and visitors. In 1987, Joe and Bob firstapproached Acadia National Park aboutusing snowmobiles for grooming.

Fortunately for a generation of skiers in Acadia, the champion and innkeepermet with like-minded ANP staff: Super-intendent Jack Hauptman and DeputySuperintendent Len Bobinchock. AcadiaNational Park issued an experimental special use permit to “Drag carriage roadsto provide a suitable base of snow for vari-ous winter activities.” Using his own andwife Mimi’s snowmobiles, Bob and Joebegan grooming Hadlock Pond and Witch

Hole. In the early years bed springs withconcrete weights loaded on top were usedto initially pack each trail. After draggingthe Rube Goldberg bedspring over thetrail, a track setter—made from two-by-four and two-by-six lumber and metalguides—was used to set classic ski tracks.

To advise ANP staff on the new experi-mental grooming efforts and assess thefuture of the carriage roads, Super-intendent Hauptman formed an AcadiaTrails Committee. In the early years someskiers felt grooming was disruptive; how-ever, the pundits’ ski tracks suggested thatthey sometimes preferred the groomed trailto the occasionally heavy, untracked,coastal snow. As grooming became popu-lar, skiers began donating cash on the trails to offset the costs that were com-pletely covered by champion groomer Bob

BED SPRINGS AND A PASSION:THE START OF WINTER GROOMING IN ACADIA

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Then, as now, AWTA volunteers often went out in pairs. Here, grooming champion Bob Massucco (left)works the Amphitheatre with fellow volunteer Dirck Bradt in the early 1990s.

Charles Wray


Massucco. Uncomfortable asa cashier and groomer, Bobwelcomed the assistance ofStan MacDonald, whoassumed chairmanship of thenow formalized AcadiaWinter Trails Association(AWTA).

The vice president of BarHarbor Bank and Trust, StanMacDonald became thediplomat for grooming in thePark. Despite the tremendousgrooming efforts of Bob, Stan,Bill Jenkins, Dirck Bradt,Herb Watson, Frank Braleyand YMCA Program DirectorEric Hanson, grooming re-mained controversial withinthe halls of ANP head-quarters. Led by BobMassucco, the hardy trailgroomers defended theirgrooming independence andwere somewhat reluctant tobe managed by a committeeor organization.

By a stroke of luck, PaulHaertel, himself an avid cross-countryskier previously posted at Denali National Park, became superintendent at Acadia. With Stan MacDonald at thehelm of AWTA and Paul Haertel and Len Bobinchock leading ANP, groomingtrails became a formal volunteer activityand the Winter Trails Association dev-eloped a budget and held regularly sched-uled meetings. Joe Striefel had movedaway from Mount Desert Island, but BobMassucco remained the heart and soul of the grooming effort. After seeing hisdental patients, Bob Massucco clearedtrails late into the evening, cut away treesblown down in winter storms, and keptthe trails in remarkable shape. After thebiggest wind-driven snowstorms, Bobrecalls using his chainsaw to cut throughmassive snowdrifts to get the snow-mobiles across the carriage road on the eastflank of Penobscot Mountain, just west ofJordan Pond.

In 1990, the skiing was so popular thatthe 15-km Acadia Crossing Ski Tour andRace, from Little Long Pond to JordanPond via the Amphitheater, attracted skiers

from all over Maine. By 1994, the annualrace reached nearly 100 skiers despitewarm conditions at Little Long Pond andfrozen conditions at Jordan Pond. Whilethe Acadia Crossing Race did not continue,Bob Massucco was dubbed “Acadia’sWinter Caretaker.” Meanwhile FOA assisted the AWTA volunteers’ efforts, raising financial support for groomingequipment and fuel, and AWTA estab-lished cross-country skiing as a significantwinter activity within ANP. As word spreadacross New England about the tremendous skiing in Acadia, the phone began to ringat the Massucco’s house. After storms, Bob and Mimi would answer call after call reporting on snow conditions and grooming status.

In 1990 the Acadia Winter TrailsAssociation became a committee of Friendsof Acadia, formally partnering with FOAand ANP by jointly signing a Memo-randum of Agreement between the threegroups to manage volunteer efforts in thepark. FOA and AWTA began providingregular financial and fundraising assistanceto loyal groomers Bob Massucco, Stan

MacDonald, Bill Jenkins, andDirck Bradt. The bed springsand concrete blocks weregradually replaced with state-of-the-art Tidd Tech draggroomers and the originalsnowmobiles were replaced.The ranks of volunteers ex-panded and the numbers ofskiers out on the carriagetrails rapidly grew. In 2003,Bob Massucco and StanMacDonald were presentedwith the Excellence in Volun-teerism Award at the FOAannual meeting. In 2005, inappreciation for the great skiing in ANP, the family ofLeila Bright generouslydonated $250,000 in hermemory to support groom-ing activities. The ElizabethR. Bright Endowment pro-vides equipment, fuel, safetytraining and equipment, andoperating support, and hasallowed grooming to expandsignificantly.

Through the efforts of the champion vol-unteer Bob Massucco and the support ofan innkeeper, a diplomat, and two super-intendents, the cross-country ski trails inAcadia National Park now attract hundredsof skiers every week to Acadia. Today, the AWTA volunteer cadre totals 18 dedicated men and women, and eachseason when the snow flies they log hundreds of hours laying skate and classic tracks. The group has been featured in several newspapers around the state and on MPBN’s Bill Green’s Maine. Trail conditions are available online atwww.friendsofacadia.org/projects/awta.shtml. While snow is sometimes fickle inAcadia, the loyalty of the winter groomingcrew remains unwavering, just as Dr. BobMassucco wanted. ❧

CHARLES WRAY is a staff scientist and directorof science resources at the MDI BiologicalLaboratory and has been an Acadia WinterTrails Association volunteer groomer for over adecade.

This 1989 special use permit from Acadia National Park granted BobMassucco permission to groom selected carriage roads.


Acadia National Park is surroundedby water and much of its historyand resources relate to its mar-

itime location. It should be no surprise,then, that there are many shipwrecks in thewaters around the park.

When maritime archeologist FranklinPrice began research to document historicshipwrecks in the area, he spent a lot oftime listening to fishermen, who, after all,know these waters better than anyone.Price grew up in Bernard and worked atlobster fishing for a time. He studied histo-ry as an undergraduate and then receivedhis Master of Arts degree in maritime stud-ies at East Carolina University. Price’sresearch has taken him to exotic andfamous locales. He worked on the projectto document Blackbeard’s flagship, QueenAnne’s Revenge, off the North Carolinacoast. He spent time in Cyprus, studyingan ancient Greek vessel and assisted ondocumenting Vasa, a 1628 Swedish war-ship. Currently, Price is a senior archaeolo-gist with the State of Florida, where hecoordinates diving operations and managesthe state’s Underwater ArchaeologicalPreserve program. But he is drawn back toMount Desert Island, and tries to get homewhen possible.

From his interviews with local fisher-men, Price heard about historic wrecklocations. From there, he combed oldnewspaper accounts of wrecks and badstorms. These provide information aboutwhen and possibly where wrecks occurred.Insurance claims and maritime recordsoften document the size of a wrecked ves-sel and particulars of its cargo, or other cir-cumstances of the event. He eventuallyassembled a database of nearly 150 knownwrecks in the waters surrounding MDI,from Penobscot to Frenchman Bays,reporting on the project with support froman L.L. Bean Acadia Research Fellowshipthrough the SERC Institute and NPS. One

wreck in the Seal Cove area intrigued him.He recalled seeing it as a kid, and when herevisited it during this project it was stillthere. The wreck is remarkably preserved,lying up in the cove against the bank,where it is exposed at low water and pro-tected from severe storms that would dis-articulate the wooden skeleton.

Says Price, “Recording vessels like thisone is important because each represents astage in wooden boat building technology.Wood was the material of choice in vesselconstruction for millennia, but now thishas been eclipsed by fiberglass and steel. Itis important to get all of the informationwe can from these old vessels while there is still enough left of them to study. This is especially important in the inter-tidal zone where exposure to air and ice slowlydegrades the wooden structure.”

Price proposed the idea of a field schoolto document the site. Acadia National Parkdoesn’t own the property but holds a con-servation easement on it, where its juris-diction extends to the low water mark.

(The National Park Service does not man-age shipwrecks or other resources beyondthe intertidal zone, but does work withpartners—the state, other federal agencies,landowners, and land conservation organi-zations—to protect and steward them.) Asan archaeologist and specialist in culturalresources at Acadia, I worked with Price, inpartnership with the Town of Tremont andlandowners, to develop the project withtwo primary goals. We wanted to reach outto interested local residents, park staff, stu-dents, and partner organizations to offer ahands-on learning experience to documentan underwater archeological resource.And I was interested in building capacity atthe park to handle this sort of project inthe future. Resources like this wreck aredotted all around the island and could beuncovered in the park as a result of storms.We might develop a local “swat” team withsome training to document wrecks afterunexpected exposures. This scenario hasplayed out at other coastal national parks.At Cape Cod National Seashore, for exam-

Resource Management

SHIPWRECK!Rebecca Cole-Will

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Field school team members measure off an established baseline. Left to right: Franklin Price, Tony Menziette,and Charles Bowdoin.


ple, storms frequently rework and erodewhole stretches of the vulnerable sandbeaches. There, wrecks are sometimesexposed for no more than one tide cycleand park staff must respond quickly todocument and protect them.

Partial funding was secured from theSubmerged Resources Center of theNational Park Service and from the non-profit Institute of Maritime History. Priceenlisted Charles Bowdoin, a graduate stu-dent from his alma mater, to assist withproject management. We put out a call forparticipants—“No experience required!”—and many community members joined us,including Friends of Acadia volunteers,Muriel Trask Davisson, a member of theTremont Historical Society Board ofDirectors, and Otter Creek resident KarenZimmerman, who came out for a day andwrote a blog about her experience (atwww.fromthecreek.com). Park staff partic-ipated as well, including Youth in Parkssummer seasonals Kate Pontbriand andClare Anderson and staff from theResource Management and ResourceProtection divisions. In all, 20 people wereinvolved in various capacities—drawing,measuring, photographing, or takingnotes.

We had to work with the tide. The site isonly exposed for about three hours aroundlow tide. Once it begins to turn, it takes

only a few minutes before water rushesinto the cove and the site is underwater.Price and Bowdoin prepared the site formapping by running a datum line alongthe keel from stem to stern, or what wasleft of them. The goals were to map the siteusing tape and compass. While this mayseem very low-tech in these days of laserscanning technology, remote sensing,satellite imagery, etc., it is tried and true.Archeologists in underwater or remotelocations cannot always rely on technology.They are often left with a pencil, tape, and graph paper to produce a scale map ofa site.

Teams of two or three worked togetherto measure and map the structural compo-nents of the vessel. We learned about howwooden vessels were put together—thisone has a hewn timber keel, frames (theribs), and trunnels (literally “tree nails,” orwooden pegs) and iron spike fasteners. We mapped each of these features, usingbasic geometry to plot points on water-proof mylar. Gradually, a scale map of thewreck emerged.

On the last day, we literally played in the muck. I learned that underwater arch-eologists do not excavate sites the way Iwas taught as a traditional terrestrial archeologist. Trowels do not work in thethick, mucky sediment clinging to thewreck. To expose the keel, we dug it out

with our hands, feeling carefully for itsshape.

Afterward, participants agreed that itwas a great experience. Local high schoolstudent Kate Pontbriand is interested inpursuing archaeology as a career, andnoted, “From drawing the sketch of theship to digging around in the mud meas-uring the planks of the ship, everythinginterested me! I think the most memorablething about this was being able to applyconcepts I learned in my math classes atschool to actual work. We triangulatedpieces of wood from the base line we hadset up in order to get accurate drawings ofthe ship. You sit in these math classes andalways think ‘When will I ever use this!?!’Real-world applications are rare and beingable to have this experience was priceless.”

“Documenting shipwrecks in the Townof Tremont is important for the TremontHistorical Society, because they are part ofTremont’s history,” said Muriel TraskDavisson. “It was a great learning experi-ence to participate and see how marinearcheology is done.”

Bowdoin will give a presentation aboutthe field school at the Society for HistoricalArchaeology’s annual meeting in January2012, and Bowdoin and Price will contin-ue research to learn about the wreck. Priceobserves, “This particular vessel will bevery difficult to identify. At the momentthere are a couple of candidates thatwrecked in Seal Cove in the late 1800s,both wooden schooners. Rinaldo wreckedin 1876 and Levant wrecked in 1883. ZachWhalen, a recent COA graduate, shared his research on them with the project. Ifear that Rinaldo is too small to be this vessel, and I doubt we will be able to knowconclusively if Levant was or not. Furtherresearch into the vessel’s construction techniques will need to be done. Dendro-chronology (counting tree rings) mightalso provide answers, but it is not part ofthe current project. Perhaps in the futurewe will learn more about this wreck.” ❧

REBECCA COLE-WILL is the cultural resourcesprogram manager at Acadia National Park, andan archaeologist specializing in pre-Europeancontact archeology of New England and theArctic.

The field school produced this site plan of the Seal Cove shipwreck, documenting the remaining structural components of the vessel.

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Once a year, a dedicated group ofFOA members kick off their hik-ing boots and put on their finest

cocktail attire to attend the Friends ofAcadia Benefit Auction. Always held thesecond Saturday in August, the benefit isan opportunity for park lovers to enjoy awonderful social event, bid on special andunique offerings, and support FOA’s mis-sion to preserve and protect AcadiaNational Park.

This year’s benefit week kicked off onMonday, August 8th, with a preview partyfor auction patrons hosted by Ruth andTris Colket at their Bar Harbor home,Kenarden. The preview party generatedexcitement around the live auction itemsand inspired record patron contributionsbefore the main event.

On Saturday, August 13th, more than 500people attended the Benefit Auction,exceeding the record set last year as the largest turnout in the event’s history.Attendees’ generosity raised a net$650,000 for FOA’s conservation work.“In 2011, FOA will grant more than $1.5million to youth initiatives and conserva-tion projects in Acadia and the surround-ing communities,” said FOA President andCEO Marla O’Byrne. “The auction helps ussupport these efforts and provides criticalunrestricted funding for the organization.”

The evening began with an energeticsilent auction of over 100 items, includingoriginal art, unique experiences, one-of-a-kind jewelry, and items for the homeand children. Following an elegant dinnerserved by the Asticou, Sotheby’s Auction-eer Hugh Hildesley led a spirited live auction of unique items including a walk-on role on Law and Order: SVU, specialtrips, and a family of three bears carved bycelebrated local artist Dan Falt.

FOA Board Member Andrew Davisintroduced the auction’s paddle raise toprotect land within Acadia’s boundary atLower Hadlock Pond. By the end of theevening, 63 people raised their paddles tocontribute more than $180,000 toward the

purchase of the Northeast Harbor property.The paddle donations were increased by a50% match from The Pew CharitableTrusts and Davis Family Challenge. Theparcel was protected in September, inpartnership with Maine Coast HeritageTrust, ensuring it will remain open to pub-lic access in perpetuity, and helping toprotect the pond as a water supply forNortheast Harbor.

Martha Stewart served as honorary chairfor the benefit. Event Chair MargaretHamner and Vice-Chair Noelle Wolf led a corps of more than 125 volunteers whoplanned the benefit, assisted by FOADirector of Development Lisa HorschClark.

“We are grateful to all who made thisbenefit such a success: including the eventsponsors and underwriters; the many businesses, artists, and individuals whodonated auction items; and everyone whoattended the benefit and took part in theauction,” said O’Byrne. “Their generositymakes it possible for FOA to do its bestwork of protecting Acadia.”

The event was underwritten byAntoinette and Ben Brewster, Ildiko and GilButler, Gail and Ham Clark, Ruth and TrisColket, Leslie and Joe Fogg, Anne and Jim Green, Laura and Berno Hamilton,Margaret and Clay Hamner, Elizabeth andArthur Martinez, Nonie and John Sullivan,Julia and Hans Utsch, Lynne Wheat, andNoelle and Dick Wolf. Listings of allpatrons, sponsors, committee members,and auction item donors can be found onthe FOA website, www.friendsofacadia.org,along with photos of the evening.

For more information about the Friendsof Acadia Annual Benefit Auction, or to find out how to contribute to next year’sevent, contact Friends of Acadia Director of Development Lisa Horsch Clark at [email protected] or 207-288-3340. ❧

—Lisa Horsch Clark

Development

22ND ANNUAL FRIENDS OF ACADIA BENEFIT AUCTION

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Friends of Acadia Journal

How Much Is Enough?Someone recently asked me, (in refer-ence to Friends of Acadia’s fundraising),“How much is enough?” I didn’t have ananswer for him at the time but uponreflection I realized we still have morethan 100 privately-owned parcels ofland within the park boundary that needpermanent protection, six miles of carriage roads around Eagle Lake thatneed to be restored, a vibrant volunteerprogram always expanding in size andactivities, and talented staff at FOA and the park brimming with ideas onhow to engage young people in explor-ing Acadia.

With the centennial of AcadiaNational Park in five short years, wewon’t rest on the success of our springmembership drive, our recent AnnualFund campaign, or our benefit auction.The staff of Friends of Acadia will continue to brainstorm for new andexciting ways to raise money becausewhen it comes to Acadia, there is stillmuch to be done.

—Lisa Horsch ClarkFriends of Acadia Director of Development

Winter 2011


Youth Programs

ACADIA QUEST ON FACEBOOK

Acadia Quest is a series of youth- andfamily-oriented experiences inAcadia National Park that encourage

young people and families to explore, learn, and protect national parks and otherconserved lands.

In the Quest’s fourth season, a newapproach and new activities got teams“moving outside” in Acadia while interact-ing with the park from a variety of per-spectives: biking on the carriage roads,swimming in Echo Lake, photographingthe stone bridges, completing a scavengerhunt in the Wild Gardens, or volunteeringon at a park stewardship event.

For the first time this year, teams wereinvited to report on their activities viaFacebook, sharing their adventures withother teams and Friends of Acadia onlinefans. Here is just a tiny selection of the ter-rific questing that happened this year.

“We are happily Questing away! Thisyear is proving to be a great opportunityfor the girls to experience different parts ofthe park. We tend to go to the same placeseach summer, so now they have some newfavorites.”

—Team Turner Trio

“We vacationed in Acadia for a week andcompleted the quest. For the Boat/Swimcombo, we kayaked in the ocean. The 4 ofus went out with a group out of BarHarbor. We paddled in front of Bar Islandand Sheep Porcupine Island and landed onBurnt Porcupine Island. The view ofCadillac Mt along with the other peaks wasbeautiful. But the best sight was when wepaddled back we spotted a baby harborseal sunning on the rocks on the backsideof Sheep Porcupine Island.”

—Team Ferreira

“Swim in Lake Wood. I have lived on theisland for 9 years and off island in Lamoinefor an additional 5 years and had neverknown about this place!! The water waswarm and the girls loved the side frog

pond as well as finding a small dead baitfish on shore to examine. We were the onlyones there but unfortunately couldn’t staylong due to the arrival of a very scary look-ing rain cloud front. Will definitely beheading back there this summer. This hasbeen so much fun so far!”

—Team 12th Night

“Witch Hole Pond, via Route 3 from BarHarbor to carriage roads. This was a hardbike ride for us, but we made it! Weenjoyed stopping at 2 bridges and explor-ing the streams under them. We wereamazed by how the bridges looked frombelow.”

—Team Hicks

“Team Fingerlow attended their veryfirst [Friends of Acadia] annual meeting,which offered an inside look at what theorganization has done over the past 25years, and more importantly, what wetogether can accomplish for the future.Speakers stressed the importance of ouryouth. Our two junior team members,Delenn and Torin, enthusiastically agree.”

—Team Fingerlow ❧

Looking out over Somes Sound and Great Harbor from Acadia Mountain.

Biking Aunt Betty’s loop.

Enjoying the view from Flying Mountain summit.


New Members

We are pleased to welcome our newest friends:

David AitchisonJane AlaviJohn AndersonDiana and Gary AnsleyPriscilla and James ApplegateDoug ArnoldKellen ArnoldChristopher AthaidePat and Gan AveryCarl BainNancy BallantyneMary and Al BanfieldCheryl Barber and Sarah AndrewsSharon and William BaridonJeanne and Daniel BarnwellPamela and Walt BarryKathy and Dan BaummerBeverly and Michael Becker

Michael BennettDonna and Lee BenseyAmy BerlinClaire BestChristopher BeverConstance BeverleyKatrina BianchiJohanna and Sean BillingsElizabeth BirdMelissa and Perot BissellPeggy and Jim BlackGlen BlairJudith BlakeEmogene and George BlandHannah BluntSarah BoggsPenny Bohac-CardelloMary-Glynn and John BoiesSandra and Steven BorgersonMary and Warren BowenPamela and Keith BowieKathy and Charles BoydDenise and Dave BoyerJill BrammerThomas BreitenbeckJudi and Chuck BrettDoris BridgeKaye BrightHeather and Bob BrintonBrookfield/Burke FoundationJill and Todd BrownNorman BruceSusan BrusteinAnissa BuckleyMichael BucklinLester BurbicNancy and Duncan Burke Gretchen Butera and George Maughan

Bernadette ByrneGennaro CamelioJohn CampbellLloyd CandellDavid CappilloRebecca CariñoSusan and David CarlisleTracy CarrollPatricia and Donald CarterCatherine and Peter CassonRebecca and Grant CastleAnn CaswellSusan CeurvelsAlta and Basil ChadbourneBrenda and Dick ChapinLucia and Alan Chapman

Wanchin ChouAthena ChristakisMichael ClementsSheila CochranHannah and Robert CohenSally Cohen-AlamenoKim CollierKay Lee CollinsThe Community Foundation

for the National Capital RegionFrancis ConwayAnnette CookConnie and Ken CooksonJennifer Cory and Rocco MorrongielloSean CotterAndrea CourseyStory CowlesAnna and Alain CreissenGreg CrockerNancy and Mark CuddihyLucy DanielJulie D’AoustEmily DavidsonHeather and Arthur DavisSusan and James DavisYvonne DavisJerome DavisLorraine and Scott DavisonAnn and Vince DefabioRalph DeFlorioNoreen and Michael DeloreyJohn DennisSheila and Bruce Denny-BrownFelicia and Bruce DePaola

Elizabeth D’ErricoElsie DicktySharon and Gordon DicosolaKaren and Andrew DietzRichard DostSteven DropshoKristin DrosteRick DunlopJames DunlopJon EdmondsonLynn and Jeffrey EggertElsie and Don EhmanMarion EhrlichRobert EllisSheila and Mike ElserJohn EngdahlSarah English and

Alfons van HeerwaardenHeather EvansSandra FalseyDonnalee and Kip FarrisDiane FathereeMaureen and Matthew FeddernScott FitzGeraldDr. Colleen FitzpatrickSarah FlynnKathleen Vignos FolsomLisa de Paula FonsecaJennifer FosterLinda FountainDebra Fox and Ruth ArnoldSara and Skip FraleyBrian FreyermuthSusan Orban and Rupert FridayLisa and Rick FritzSuzy and Steve GagnonPaul GalardyMaria GarciaMichael GarnerHelen and Jack GarritySharon GarrowayVeronica and Anthony GaukerJohn GearnsBeth and David GeduldGEI Consultants, Inc.Jeanne and Tommy GeorgeNancy GibbensSteve GilbAngela and Jason GilbertTimothy GillSylvia GillettCarol GlynnSusan and Martin Gosman Barbara Graham and Hugh DelehantyKathleen Graham and Robert Cook Alice Grant and Matthew FaulknerNancy Davis Griffin and Glenn GriffinSean GrindallGeoffrey GroesbeckJoan GrosserJoseph HaasKai HagenJane and Bruce HakansonAnna Hargraves HallCaroline and Mark HallKay HallenbeckMartha and Alan HamblenDavid Hamilton

Jane Harper and Mark TuckerChérie HarringtonDr. Kevin HartBrenda and Steven HartfordBarb and Merlin HeinzeLaura and Hewitt HeisermanLouisa HenzlerJennifer Heywood and Robert AbislaJennifer and David HigginsJoshua Hildreth and Rick RobinsonAna HillLeon HirthBarbara HobbsMr. and Mrs. Ed HoffmanLinda and William HogePaul HollidayJane Hood and Neal BoyleNatasha and Stephen HopeBeth and Jim HornHannah HosterLona HoughRuth HouseAmy and Andrew HoutNancy and Brian HughesBetty and Steve HunterStephen HydePaula IngallsJacqueline JacobsTheodore JakubiakThomas Jakubiak Dona Jewell and Samuel EddyDr. Judy JohnstonKimberley JonesJune and Don JordetCharles JuciusSuzanne and Alfred JuddSusan KaminskiKatherine KaneHolly and Mark KarinenAnnette and Daniel KasleLewis KatzLynn KellyJoan and Jack KellyCarolyn and Jim KepounSophie KernanAcadia KeyesDeb and Rod KimeJean Kindleberger Tina King and Barry TeaterMeagan and Jake KingMargaret and Michael KleinGordon KlofstadColleen and Thomas KowalczykVeronica and Jon KrausDieter KriegCarole and Hal KroegerSharon KulpKathy and Dave LaffoonJoan LancourtKaren Landis


New Members

Stella and Ray LandryCarson LappetitoBelinda and Chuck Lawrence

John LazzarottiBarbara and Warren LeeLorraine LeeDavid LeeBeth Lee

Noelle LehrmanMaggie and Zach LeinenKaren and Larry LenzRoseanne LevinGina and Lynn Lewis Kristin Lindgren and Alex PearsonLaurie and Greg LindsayJohn LindsayKaren LinnellLeila LituchyGail and Craig Llewellyn Leslie Longfield and Michael RobinsonDonna LoringerJo LoudenslagerSusan and John LoVersoAnita and Peter Lucsky Kelly Lynch and Gary KanterMegan LyonCathy and Lou MacDonaldJane MacElreeJennifer MackiewiczMaine Commercial Photography, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan MalkinMartha and Frank ManleyNancy MargolisSheldon MarksChari MarronTrish and Owen MarxJoe Masi

Christina MauceriKenneth May

Paul McArdleBrian McAuliffeJim McVayDonna MerkelBonnie and Albert MeyerPam Meyers and Mike WatersSuzanne MillsAmanda and Anthony ModrovskyRita MondragonLinda and Allen MooreBarbara and Ronald Moreland

Kathy and Jack MorganLinda MorrisonLoretta and Scott MorschauserSara and John MoserLuanne and David MoskowitzMudhillun MuQaribuMuriel and Edward MurphyTammy MurrayJudy and Roy MurrayJody NaimarkTricia and Hod NalleVictoria NeelyMr. and Mrs. Lewis L. Neilson Jr.Edgar NelsonHetty NerodFred NewmanAndrew NicholsonChristopher O’Brien Christine Ochsner and John CarrollWilma O’ConnellKathleen O’ConnellDebbie and Larry OnieRosalind and Anthony OrofinoJames OtisTara and Jack PackoPhyllis PalmaM. Jane and Robert PalmerRoberta and Joseph PalmiottoSusan and James PantoleonMarianne and Keith PendleburyChristine and Dennis PerhamJulia PerlmanJoan PetersonHeather PetersonJen PetrasRaphael PicardJohn PickardBarbara and Charles PierceMr. and Mrs. Richard PileggiDrs. Barbara and Stuart PizerRoberta PorterSarah Powell and Noah TapleyDenise and Edward PrusakJonathan RabonStephen RamponiWade RankinPam and Ron ReisCarol and Ira Reznikoff

Patricia RiceElizabeth RobinsonRuben RocaLouise RockwellDr. Maria RodriguesJames RosenquistErika and Art RublinMary RudisVickie and Jim RuffingRyan RuigrokNed SacktorSaddleBrooke Lady NinersThe Saint Paul FoundationMichelle and Donald SalvaBill SamekJose SantiagoThomas Sapontzis Marilyn Sass-Lehrer and Sande LehrerLucy and Michael SchaudAngela and Nathan ScheigertCarolyn and Andrew SchillyVickie and Francis SchlosserTracy and Daniel Schofield Elizabeth Schreffler and

David ThompsonMary Schultheis Amy Schuman and Larry StolerDale SchustermanJoseph SciricoFrank SclafaniMary and Keith ScottUrling and Robert SearleJeff SeinwillThe Sherlock FamilyAndrea SewallMr. and Mrs. Scott O. ShafferKathleen and James SheildsDave ShermanMelanie and Madison ShmaloReuben SilversVirginia and Donald SinkGreg Sinn

Suzanne Skidmore Dr. Stephanie Small

and Dr. Kurt KelleyAlec SmithKent SokmensuerEdith SontagSorrento Dental AssociatesLinda and Michael SoukupDonna SpadaroMark SpauldingChristine and Robert SpazianiMarci SpiegleWilliam Springer Cathryn Stein and David SeldinHarvey SteinerKaren and Kirk SteinhoffStanley StillmanLeslie and Neil Stone

Karen, Jon, Jimmy and Jess SuiterLyn TanRobyn Tarantino and Tim GuilfoyleThomas TashWendy TaylorAshley ThamesAnn ThoitsSam ThompsonAli Thompson-Kassels and

Steven KasselsEstrid and Karl ThugeDavid ThuroffSean and Maurisha TigheJoseph TillemanLaura and David TimbyPeggy and Ernest ToddDr. Henry L. TomashevskiShirley TourignyTrenton General StoreIrene and John TrzaskosCheryl and Terry TurkMr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Turner Sr.Nick UniontowskiGeorgia Van DusenJessica VasilSuzanne VilandréJanet and Philip VitielloAnthony Vittoria

Mathew WaldronPeter Ward Stephanie Watson and Ian VoparilRenee WeberLucy Nalle WeedRochelle WehrfritzSandra and Paul WeisblattEric WeitzeSarah WhartonWilliam WheelerMary WhiteAnna WieckowskiDeborah Wiggs and Phillip NorrisMarsha WilesBeth Ann WilliamsSherri and David WilsonLydia and Gary WindermanJim WintonNancy WohlgemuthRuth, Chuck, and Aaron YeiserDrs. Mary and Richard YooThomas Yu Clara Zenteno and Oscar MaciasVanessa Zoll and Jay TillotsonMary Ellen Zwirner

June 1–September 20, 2011


Good Friends Honored at Annual MeetingAt the 25th Anniversary Annual Meeting ofFriends of Acadia on July 13th, outgoingboard chair Lili Pew was honored with theMarianne Edwards Distinguished ServiceAward. During the presentation, FOAPresident Marla O’Byrne noted Pew’s greatcommitment to Acadia and her “extraordi-nary ability to engage, entertain, challenge,and inspire each and every person shemeets.” Lili Pew has served on the boardfor the past six years, and was board chairfrom 2007 to 2011. Established in 1991,the Marianne Edwards Award was namedfor the late founder of Friends of Acadia.

Honorees at the Annual Meeting alsoincluded outgoing board member DebbyLash, who received the President’s Awardfor Damn Good Work in recognition of herwork as initiator and chair of theGovernance Committee. Retiring AcadiaNational Park Chief of Maintenance JimVekasi received the Friends of AcadiaAward for Distinguished Public Service,and Glen Mittelhauser of the MaineNatural History Observatory and AnnKinney of the Garden Club of MountDesert jointly received the ConservationColleague Award for their partnership withFriends of Acadia to publish the Plants ofAcadia National Park.

Mano en Mano WeekendIn July, Friends of Acadia hosted fortyadults and children from the Milbridgeorganization Mano en Mano on a two-dayexploration of Acadia as part of a youthand diversity pilot program funded by theUnilever United States Foundation, Inc.The families camped, visited Islesford, vol-unteered in the park, and explored thecoastline. The goal of the pilot programwas to encourage Maine’s culturally diversepopulation to begin lifelong relationshipswith one of Maine’s greatest outdoor assets,Acadia National Park. Ian Jaffe, executivedirector of Mano en Mano reported, “thiswas a positive experience for the familiesthat will encourage many of them toexplore the outdoors again in the futureand become stewards of the natural envi-ronment. I know that many families areinterested in camping again this season.”

More than 250 New MembersJoin at the Membership TableThanks to 21 knowledgeable and enthusi-astic volunteers, the Friends of Acadiamembership table at Jordan Pond Housegained 252 new memberships this summerand $17,922 in contributions from newmembers and others. During the fifth sea-son for the membership table program, thegroup logged 320 hours from late June to

Updates

Participants enjoyed the sights from the Islesford ferry during Friends of Acadia’s Mano en Mano weekend.

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mid-September. They brought the totalnew members gained at the table to 1,482,plus 264 additional contributions.

The membership table program givesAcadia National Park visitors the opportu-nity to learn one-on-one about FOA and itsmission. Often, visitors tell the volunteersthey are happy to join Friends of Acadia asa way to give back to Acadia for all of thefun and meaningful experiences they haveenjoyed in the park over the years. Themembership table is a convenient way tojoin FOA, and many current members stopby to renew their membership. To see photos of new members from 2011, visitwww.facebook/friendsofacadia.

Canada Cliffs InaugurationOn September 29th, FOA celebrated thecompletion of the Canada Cliffs ConnectorTrail with an inaugural hike led by AcadiaNational Park Trails Foreman GaryStellpflug. Through the coordinated effortsof Footloose Friends, an anonymousdonor, the Acadia Youth ConservationCorps, park trail crews, and FOA volun-teers—under the umbrella of the AcadiaTrails Forever (ATF) program—the trail connects Canada Cliffs to Echo Lake viathe Lurvey Spring Road, creating a loopthat allows hikers access to BeechMountain trails from Echo Lake withouttackling the Beech Cliff Trail’s formidabledescent. Over 3,300 feet long, the trail

includes the abandoned 1926 CanadaCliffs Cutoff and a new section along theEcho Lake Beach access road. The trailpasses through sections of historic value,sensitive plant areas, a challenging boulderfield, and previously undeveloped forest.In all, almost 200 stone steps were reset oradded, over 1,000 feet of stone tread orcauseway were built, and log cribwork and log checks stabilize tread in soft forestfloors.

Valley Cove, Great Notch, FlyingMountain…do you like hikingthe Westside of Acadia?In fall 2009, an anonymous FOA memberchallenged members to raise $5,000 tosupport the rehabilitation of trails on theWestside of the island. In November 2010,members met the challenge. With thefunds, FOA helped the park completework on Canada Cliffs, the West RidgeTrail, and Flying Mountain this year. OurFernald Point friend was so please with theresults she issued another challenge—thistime for $10,000—for Westside trails.Extensive work is scheduled for the ValleyCove area in 2012.

Response to the 2011 WestsideChallenge has been great, with more than$ ,000 received. To join the effort andmake a contribution to be matched, simplymail a check, made payable to Friends ofAcadia, and enclose it in the envelope pro-

Hikers wind up the steps on the new Canada Cliffs Connector during the trail’s inaugural event.

birchbayvillage.us 207 288-8014

9


FORESIGHT & GENEROSITY

WAYS YOU CAN GIVE“One of the greatest satisfactions in doing any sound work for an institution,

a town, or a city, or for the nation, is that good work done for the public lasts,endures through the generations; and the little bit of work that any individual

of the passing generation is enabled to do gains the association with such collective activities an immortality of its own.”

—Charles W. Eliot, Sieur de Monts Celebration, 1916

Please consider these options for providing essential financial support to Friends of Acadia:

Gift of Cash or Marketable Securities. Mail a check, payable to Friends of Acadia, to P.O. Box 45,

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, or visit www.friendsofacadia.org/support.shtml to make a secure gift using your credit card. Call 800-625-0321 or visit

our website for instructions on giving appreciated securities, which can offerincome tax benefits, as well as savings on capital gains.

Gift of Retirement AssetsDesignate FOA as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or other retirement asset,

and pass funds to Friends of Acadia free of taxes.

Gift of PropertyGive real estate, boats, artwork, or other property

to Friends of Acadia and you may avoid capital gains in addition to providing much-needed funds for the park.

Gift Through a Bequest in Your WillAdd Friends of Acadia as a beneficiary in your will.

For more information, contact Lisa Horsch Clark at 207-288-3340 or 800-625-0321,

email [email protected], or visit our website at www.friendsofacadia.org.

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vided with this Journal. Or, if you prefer,call the office at 800-625-0321 or visit oursecure website at www.friendsofacadia.orgto charge your gift. Be sure to note that thegift is for the Westside Challenge.

Cruising Acadia More than forty guests gathered for the 7th

Annual George B. Dorr Society event inSeptember for a morning cruise acrossFrenchman’s Bay to explore the coast of theSchoodic Peninsula. Society members,joined by FOA President Marla O’Byrneand Superintendent Sheridan Steele,cruised aboard the Starfish Enterprise andpicnicked between Ned Island and FrazerPoint. The meal was catered by the JordanPond House. Highlights of the cruiseincluded nature interpretation by ANPRanger Todd Miller, land protection detailsby ANP Land Resource Specialist EmilySeger Pagan, and a posing American baldeagle just off the boat’s port side.

The George B. Dorr Society was estab-lished in 2005 to recognize those membersand friends who have documented pro-visions for Friends of Acadia in their estateplans. The Dorr Society honors GeorgeBucknam Dorr, gentleman, scholar, andlover of nature, whose dedication to pre-serving Mount Desert Island helped createAcadia National Park. Each year membersof the Dorr Society gather for a specialappreciation event.

If you have made provisions for FOAin your estate plans or would like infor-mation about joining the George B. DorrSociety, please contact Lisa Horsch Clark,director of development and donor rela-tions at 207-288-3340.

Clean Water, Clean Shores Hundreds of volunteers spent the morningof Saturday, September 17th cleaning 25sites on shorelines from MDI to Schoodicand islands in between. Participating townsincluded Tremont, Bar Harbor, SouthwestHarbor, Mt. Desert, Lamoine, and Goulds-boro and the island communities of Gotts,Swans, Baker and Cranberry. Volunteerscollected over 8,000 pounds of trash,including a pesticide applicator, propanetanks, balloons, floating drums, fishing lineand about 215 lobster traps. Of that, 3,300pounds of trash were recycled through thecooperation of the Department of MarineResources and the generosity of the Gulf ofMaine Lobsterman’s Association.

Trenton Trails Community SocialOn September 18th FOA hosted a TrentonCommunity Trail Volunteer Social.Volunteers brushed out the trail and beganlimbing the trees along the route, and weretreated to a cookout immediately followingthe volunteer project. Friends of Acadiacontinues to work with the Trenton VillageConnector Trail Committee and BurnhamMartin of the National Park Service’s Riversand Trails Conservation Assistance Programon planning the trail. FOA will be workingwith area high school students on interpre-tive aspects of the trail, such as identifyingnatural features along the trail route, sig-nage for interpretive panels on the board-walk and at the viewing platform, and howto apply current interactive technology onthe trail, such as a “Trenton app” or geo-caching. The 1.8 mile trail loop has beenfinalized, and volunteers have been brush-ing out sections of the trail since June. FOA

Members of the George B. Dorr Society enjoyed Acadia by sea aboard the Starfish Enterprise.


ACADIA FOREVEREstate Planning—Supporting the Mission ofFriends of Acadia

Preserving and protecting the outstandingnatural beauty, ecological vitality, and cul-

tural distinctiveness of Acadia National Parkand the surrounding communities is a wiseinvestment.

It’s simple. Add only one of the followingsentences to your will, or a codicil:

• I hereby give ______ % of my residuary estateto Friends of Acadia, Inc., a Maine charita-ble corporation, P.O. Box 45, Bar Harbor,Maine 04609, for its charitable purposes.

• I hereby bequeath $_________ to Friendsof Acadia, Inc., a Maine charitable corpo-ration, P.O. Box 45, Bar Harbor, Maine04609, for its charitable purposes.

• I hereby devise the following property toFriends of Acadia, Inc., a Maine charitablecorporation, P.O. Box 45, Bar Harbor,Maine 04609, for its charitable purposes:[legal description of property].

Your concern and appreciation for Acadiaand Mount Desert Island will be a lasting lega-cy, enriching the lives of millions now andin the future. For more information, call 800-625-0321, email the director of developmentat [email protected], or visit ourwebsite at www.friendsofacadia.org.

In Gratitude

IN-KIND DONORSBar Harbor Chamber of Commerce

BerryDunnMichelle Bierman

Joe and Kathy BonaventuraChris’s Farm StandDr. Doug Coleman

FernwoodFlying Change Webs & Graphics

Greenrock CompanyHome Depot of Ellsworth

Helen and Philip KochMount Desert Land and Garden

PreserveQueen Anne’s Flower Shop

Schoodic Education and ResearchCenter Institute

Ann SmithPaul Sullivan

Surry GardensSweet Pea’s Farm Store

BENEFIT VOLUNTEERSIn addition to the 154 members

of the Benefit Committee, the followingvolunteers helped make the Benefit

Auction a success.Lynne Blair

Jeff CastonguayJenn DonaldsonMarshall GinnMillicent GreenDon LenahanDee Lustusky

Adrienne RedhairJane and Bob Sanderson

Lynne StaggsRita and Mel Timmons

Sara YeterianDiane and Frank Zito

Julia Zito

MEMBERSHIP TABLEVOLUNTEERS

Len BerkowitzJeff DunnPeg Emple

Margot Haertel

Karol HagbergPriscilla and Jack Hirschenhofer

Susan HokanssonCookie HornerJames Kaiser

Barbara LovelandAnne Molavi

Georgia MunsellJudy and Peter Obbard

Anne PomeroyValerie Thaler and Robert Petrie

Rita and Mel TimmonsDiane and Frank Zito

WILD GARDENS OFACADIA VOLUNTEERS

Pauline AngioneConnie BlaneyJason Bosworth

Becky BrushJordan Chalfant

Barbara ColeDr. Doug Coleman

Lucy CreeveyLeah Donahue

Floy ErvinDavid and Judith Fischer

Lois FrazierMargot Haertel

Mary Ann HandelHelen KochAnne KozakSusan Leiter

Muriel LindquistEileen Linnane

Isabel Mancinelli and Sam CoplonAnne MolaviMary OpdykePam Parvin

Carole PlentyKate Pontbriand

Barbara RappaportAbbie SavageKathy Shultz

Don and Joan SmithMargaret Stern

Barbara TennentGenie Thorndike

Claudia and Carey TurnbullNancy Turner

Cody van HeerdenJan Varnum

Michaeleen WardJill Weber

Mavis WeinbergerRuth and Sandy WerierMarilyn and Al Wiberley

Pauline Angione

FAMILY FUN DAY IN-KIND DONORS

AND VOLUNTEERSThe Abbe Museum

Acadia National ParkAmerican Park Network

Barbara ArterBar Harbor Chamber of Commerce

Bar Harbor Whale Watch Camp Beech Cliff Evie & Sam Cook

Deb Deal Iron Slipper FarmIsland Explorer

The Jackson Laboratory Zack Klyver Mollie Sosa

Peter SteenstraCalvin Tweedie

U.S. Fish & WildlifeKate Vanoff

Wallace Tent & Party Rental The Wild Gardens of Acadia

Committee

FAMILY FUN DAYSPONSORS

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust The Bluenose Inn

The FirstHale & Hamlin

The Knowles Company The Vanoff Family

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is currently applying for permitting forbridge work over streams, as well as aboardwalk that will lead to and overlookthe heath.

Teens to TrailsFriends of Acadia and Acadia National Parkco-hosted the Teens to Trails Outing ClubRendezvous over the Columbus Day week-end. Schools that participated in the week-end of outdoors activities includedBoothbay Region High School, CapeElizabeth High School, Cheverus HighSchool, Cony High School, Kents HillSchool, Lake Region High School, MountDesert Island High School, South PortlandHigh School, Thornton Academy, andWiscasset High School—each recognizingthe importance of outdoor experiences intheir students’ lives. Teens spent Saturdayafternoon volunteering on park trails thatthey then explored the following day—camping, hiking, biking, and rock climbingoutdoors all day Sunday. For many of theseteenagers, it was their very first trip toAcadia and their first night sleeping underthe stars. Teens To Trails is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization engaging teens inthe Maine outdoors. The Teens to Trailsgoal is to establish an outing club in everyMaine high school community, to promoteoutdoor adventures and healthy lifestyles,and nurture next generation of caring stew-ards for Maine’s precious natural resources.

Island Explorer Carries Four Million RidersOn August 19th, the Sherlock family fromCherry Hill, NJ was surprised with thenews that they were the 4-millionth pas-sengers on the Island Explorer bus.Camping in an RV at BlackwoodsCampground, the family estimated thatthey had ridden five of the eight routesoffered by the Island Explorer. They wereheaded for a day of hiking on CadillacMountain, but paused at the Bar HarborVillage Green for a press conference wherethey were presented with a gift member-ship to Friends of Acadia and a gift tote andgift card from L.L.Bean.

Be a Trailblazer with a Monthly Gift to FOADid you know that you can conserve natu-ral resources by using your checkingaccount or credit card to make a monthlymembership gift to FOA? The Trailblazermonthly giving program makes it safe andconvenient to support FOA’s work yearround. Trailblazer members’ dollars go far-ther toward preserving and protectingAcadia by saving paper and postage costs.As a Trailblazer member, you will avoidreceiving membership renewal notices inthe mail and you will never have to mailyour renewal payment. And your member-ship will always be current!

Celebrating the 4-millionth passengers on the Island Explorer (left to right): Stephanie Clement, FOA conservation director; Paul Murphy, general manager of Downeast Transportation; Ryan Sherlock, age 12;Kim Sherlock; Amanda Sherlock, age 9; Mike Sherlock; and Len Bobinchock, ANP deputy superintendent.

24 Winter 2011 Friends of Acadia Journal24 Friends of Acadia Journal

GIVE THE GIFT OF ACADIA

Looking for the perfect gift ide ?a throughout the year

Introduce someone you love to Acadia with a gift membership inFriends of Acadia.

Please send a special $40 gift package* to:

Name

Address

City State Zip

Telephone Number

Message you would like on the card:

*Gift package includes:

• Summit Blocks on Acadia Mountain and other classic scenes, a packet of six lovelynote cards featuring the photos of former Friends of Acadia artist-in-residence GeorgeDe Wolf

• A one-year (three issues) subscription to the Friends of Acadia Journal

• A Friends of Acadia window decal

• The satisfaction of knowing that membership in Friends of Acadia helps to preservethe remarkable beauty of Acadia National Park

To give a gift membership, simply mail the above form (or a photocopy), along with acheck made payable to Friends of Acadia, in the envelope provided or visit www.friendsofacadia.org

All contributions to Friends of Acadia are used to preserve, protect, and promote steward-ship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality, and distinctive cultural resourcesof Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities. All gifts are tax deductible.

Friends of AcadiaP.O. Box 45 • Bar Harbor, ME 04609www.friendsofacadia.org207-288-3340 • 800-625-0321

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When you sign up for the program, youcan choose to set up an automatic deduc-tion from your checking account or anautomatic charge to your credit card on thefirst business day of each month. We wel-come any monthly payment of $10 ormore. You can change or cancel yourTrailblazer membership any time by con-tacting FOA. To become a Trailblazer mem-ber, contact Sharon Broom, developmentofficer, at 207-288-3340 or [email protected].

Celebrating Acadia’s Night SkiesThe Third Annual Acadia Night SkyFestival, co-sponsored by Friends ofAcadia, concluded on Monday, September

26th with great success. Although the fogcaused several star parties and night-timeinterpretive boat cruises to be canceled, thearts events and lectures drew rave reviewsfrom participants. The opening keynotespeech was provided by Dr. H. John Woodof the Goddard Space Center with imagesfrom the Hubble telescope. Other high-lights included an outdoor viewing of themovie Wall-E on the Bar Harbor VillageGreen, a night-sky themed concert byrenowned pianist Paul Sullivan and sopra-no Rose Upton, and presentations byauthor, astronomer, and physicist Dr. TylerNordgren relating features found inAmerica’s national parks like geysers andthe tides to astronomical phenomena.

Pianist Paul Sullivan and soprano Rose Upton performed a night sky-themed concert at Hammond Hall inWinter Harbor as a benefit for the Acadia Night Sky Festival and Schoodic Arts for All. Friends of Acadia’scontributions to the festival helped make this event possible.

Friends of Acadia Conservation Director Stephanie Clement briefed a visiting delegation from the ChineseState Forestry Administration in September about nonprofit friends organizations and the relationshipbetween Acadia National Park and Friends of Acadia. The group was guided through Acadia by DivisionChief of Resource Management David Manski and representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Telephone or Fax: 667-621035 Commerce Park, Bar Harbor Road

P.O. Box 552, Ellsworth, ME 04605

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As Congress battles over the budgetover the next two years, our nation-al parks, including Acadia, will like-

ly be affected by spending cuts intended toreduce the national debt. Friends of Acadianeeds your help to ensure that Congress hearsoften about the value and importance ofnational parks to the American people andtheir communities.

While FOA understands that federalbudget reductions are bound to be part ofany balanced debt reduction package, weare concerned about the scale of cuts thatmay be made and their effects on AcadiaNational Park which already performs effi-ciently on a lean budget. Under a budgetamendment, federal agencies have beendirected to operate with 1.5% less thanthey had in the previous fiscal year—atleast through November 18th, the datewhen the existing continuing resolutionexpires in Congress. Acadia has also beenasked by the National Park Service to pro-ject labor and non-labor costs through2016 and estimate deficits the park wouldface if the budget is reduced by 3%, 5%,7% or 10%.

Acadia’s operating budget in Fiscal Year2011 was just over $7.9 million, and a cutof 10% in FY 2012 would mean a deficit of$709,518. This is of great concern becausewe understand that the FY 2012 budgetwill likely set the base for the next three tofour years, with little hope of reparation forcuts made that builds a legacy of deficientfunding. Additionally, a 10% cut would beroughly equivalent to the annual cost of thepark’s seasonal staff. Acadia could nevereliminate its seasonal personnel since theyare the front line employees who staff information desks, build and maintaintrails, operate the campgrounds, staff theentrance stations, and ensure visitor safety.Acadia would likely have to weigh all possible budget cuts when already there are15 unfunded permanent staff positions atthe park.

Your voice matters! For 25 years, Friendsof Acadia members have made a difference

in Washington, helping to tell Acadia’sstory. In the spring of 2011, FOA calledupon a member in the Washington, D.C.area to attend a national fly-in of conserva-tion advocates working to encourageCongress to preserve the Land and WaterConservation Fund. FOA staff and boardmembers visited with the MaineCongressional delegation earlier thatyear—we were told how important it wasto hear from many constituents. Thanks tothe reinforcing messages of that memberand the FOA staff, board, and partners,Acadia received $1.7 million in 2011 toacquire a conservation easement on a 39-acre parcel bordering Lower Hadlock Pond.

Now, we need your assistance. Pleasecontact your members of Congress andshare your personal Acadia story, encourag-ing your delegation to help protect ournation’s most important natural and cultur-al resources by ensuring that national parkappropriations remain strong. If you have apersonal relationship with a member(s) ofCongress and would be willing to set up anappointment for you and an FOA staffmember to visit, please contactConservation Director Stephanie Clementat [email protected] to let herknow.

We are facing a critical time for nationalparks, and it is up to all of us who loveAcadia to ensure Congress remembers thatnational parks are public places of inspira-tion and enjoyment—that they embody ournational heritage and truly are “America’sbest idea.”

Advocacy Corner

THE ACADIA ADVOCACY NETWORKNEEDS YOUR HELP!

Please contact your membersof Congress and share yourpersonal Acadia story, encour-aging your delegation to helpprotect our nation’s mostimportant natural and culturalresources by ensuring thatnational park appropriationsremain strong.

Harvey AigesAndrew Alameno

Robert AmesHilary AthaideWinnie AtkinsCarolyn Barber

Margaret Maher BarryDiane BennettTom BianchiCharles Bird

BrandyKaren BridgeGeorge Buck

Rebecca BurkhartTimothy CarrollDavid CaswellBobbie Cook

Mr. and Mrs. H.A. CookDavid and Kitzi Crofoot

Anna Marie FerratoFlorence Young Frederick

Nicholas GervasioMary Giller

John HartwellNancy Hiestand

Diane HindDeanie HodgkinsGeorge HuskinsF. Peter Jordan

Eric KellerMarie LathropEstelle LehrerAnn Macauley

Thomas McCoyJennie Michaloski

Marion MigrinMarie Morrison

William NewmanWalter O’Connell

Robert PalmerJoseph PaolinoMarie Perkins

Ric PfefferSpencer PorterDavid RabascaJames Roberts

June and Bert SacktorSol and Rose SadekIrene Schneiderman

Irma SibiliaDavid TowleSarah Trafton

Theresa WaldronChrysandra Walter

Happy and John WhiteThomas Witt


IN MEMORIAMWe gratefully acknowledge gifts

received in memory of:


It’s never too early to begin sharing a loveand appreciation for the natural worldwith children, and you don’t need to take

them to the ends of the earth to find nature.In fact, the close and familiar may be the best place to start. Richard Louv, author ofLast Child in the Woods, points out that whennature is unfamiliar, it feels scary to children,leading them to retreat inside to their iPodsand computer or television screens. For children in many regions of the U.S., a pondmay be a perfect place to find the adventureand mystery of nature on a small and non-threatening scale.

Two recent children’s books focus onponds as a gateway for young naturalists.We found some young reviewers whocould offer their opinions.

“Quack, quack, mama, duck, quack,quack, mama, duck” chanted Grace as sheflipped through the pages of Pond Babies. At 18 months old, Grace’s vocabulary islimited but her enthusiasm for Pond Babieswas evident as she and her parents readthrough the new release from DowneastBooks. Not a board book but still smallenough for little hands, the book has brieftext and captivating and colorful illus-trations—perfect for her age and beyond.As an outdoor family, her parents loved that it introduced in a simple way the crea-tures of the natural world and their homeenvironments.

Four-year-old Maia delighted in answer-ing the repeated question, “Whose baby isthis?” before the page turn revealed a moth-er duck, turtle, frog, deer, or loon. Whenasked, she declared that her favorite partwas the pages at the end where the readeris invited to wiggle like a tadpole, dive andpop up like a loon chick, and act out theother pond babies in the book. Her momappreciated the accuracy of the collageillustrations—the ducks (both mama andbaby) clearly identifiable as mallards, theturtles certainly eastern painted turtles,

the frog a fine green frog with its tadpolesprouting two hind legs. All are commonin Maine, where author/illustrator CathrynFalwell lives. Even the plants in and aroundthe pond are not generic greenery, but sen-sitive fern, pickerel weed, white pine, andso on.

A parents’ guide at the end offers sug-gestions on ways to engage all five senseswhen exploring the natural world, clearlyencouraging families to head outside whenreading time is done.

The lively Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond, byauthor Mary Quattlebaum and illustratorLaura J. Bryant, is aimed at a slightly olderaudience, but five-year-old Julia proved tobe a tough critic. While Maia delighted inthe lovely watercolor illustrations and funre-imagining of the classic children’s song“Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” the picturebook format didn’t immediately draw inher older friend. However, Maia requestedseveral more sing-throughs after Julia wenthome, and enjoyed the surprise ending.

Like Pond Babies, this book offers carefuldepictions of specific animal species; andthough they are called reeds, fish, or birds inthe text, the back pages offer interestingand age-appropriate descriptions of cattails,bluegills, red-winged blackbirds, and soon. Throughout the book, the illustrationsshow Jo recording her observations in anotebook. This is explained at the end withan activity inviting readers to match Jo’sanimal drawings to the sounds the animalsmade in the song, and a section on “how tobe a naturalist like Jo” offering suggestionsof creative ways to pay attention to andrecord interactions with nature. The activi-ties largely depend on reading and drawingabilities beyond most pre-schoolers—mak-ing this book well poised to grow alongwith a developing naturalist.

—Lisa Horsch Clark and Aimee Beal Church

Book Reviews

Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond

by Mary Quattlebaum

Dawn Publications, 2011

32 pp., Softcover

Pond Babies

by Cathryn Falwell

Down East Books, 2011

32 pp., Hardbound

Gerald BerlinDaphne and Laurence Birdsey

Louise BlackBucky and Maureen Brooks

The Buchanan and Boggs FamiliesEric Christensen

Stephanie ClementOwen Craighead

Elizabeth, Knox, and EliSusan Frost

Henry and Oscar GilmoreJenny and Ron Green

Margaret HamnerHarper and Karsten

Nanette HerbstRobert and Kay Hulen

Patricia KellyBob and Traci Lampkin

Ann LazzarottiLife, Liberty, and Constitutional Law

Leila LituchyNed and Mary MitchellLucy Johnson Palmer

Lili PewDonna and David Reis

Alan Rosenquist and Cora OlgyayEd and Martie Samek

Mary Lou and Andrew SchrefflerCarolyn Suchy-Dicey and David Jennings

Jane Ingraham Thomas


IN NOMINEWe gratefully acknowledge gifts

received in memory of:

Sydn

ey R

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felle

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ts


As young adults, my wife and I dis-covered the stunning natural beautyand wonders of Acadia National

Park. We fell in love instantly, not onlybecause of the spectacular scenery and views,but also because of the myriad of recreation-al opportunities.

In time, we returned to Mount DesertIsland and Acadia with our three daugh-ters, Anne, Meg, and Liz, and now we havebeen joined by our sons-in-law and grand-children. Every summer the entire familygroup, now sixteen in number, gathers foran extended time on MDI and in the park.Each person in the family seems to have afavorite hike or trail or view! Acadia hasbecome the center of our family life togeth-er—a treasure for each of us, as we know itis, also, for many others.

Whether you are a first-time or regularvisitor, a year-round or summer resident,you know that Acadia is a special place—aplace that feels like it has been here forev-er and that you can depend on to be hereforever, too, for you, your children, andthe many generations to come. That is partof its mystery and magnificence. It recallseternity, in the way its long history blendsinto its glorious present, with promises toremain, unchanged, well into the future.

However, much has changed since eventhe founding of the park in 1916. Naturalforces and human presence have both pro-tected and eroded the natural and culturalresources of our beloved park. TheNational Park Service, with its remarkablytalented and caring staff, does a great job ofprotecting and preserving Acadia NationalPark and the visitor experience it offers.And, fortunately, in 1986 Friends of Acadiawas founded as a nonprofit partner for thepark service, with shared goals for Acadia.FOA initially focused on the deterioratedcarriage roads and hiking trails. Our part-nership has been highly successful, as weall can see in the meticulously restored andmaintained carriage roads and trails. FOA

has also been a major force for protectingand preserving the park in such milestoneaccomplishments as the creation and support of the propane-fueled IslandExplorer bus system and the AcadiaGateway Center; the Acadia Land Legacypartnership, which is helping to protectmany privately-held parcels of land withinthe park’s boundary; preventing clear-cutting on Schoodic; among numerousother efforts.

But, our work and accomplishments todate are only the beginning. Our work isreally that of unfinished business. Westand on the shoulders of those who beganthe successful and important work ofFriends of Acadia, and we are the shoul-ders upon which our successors will standas they continue to preserve and protectthe park and the visitor experience—which we all love.

As the eighth board chair of Friends ofAcadia, my challenge and responsibility isto help FOA continue the good work ofthose who have preceded us while helpingto prepare FOA for the future. While wedeeply appreciate and respect the accom-plishments of the past, we recognize that

as the beneficiaries of all that good workand care we have an obligation to assure astrong future! The accomplishments of ourtime of responsibility will stand as ourlegacy for future generations.

Friends of Acadia, working with you—our partners, volunteers, and donors—andrecognizing that we are dealing with unfin-ished business, will continue the successesof the past. We will focus additionally onthe challenges of the future; challenges thatinclude recognizing and helping mitigatethe effects of congestion in the park, aswell as the important task of inspiring and engaging future generations of parkstewards.

Friends of Acadia has inspired andengaged me, as I believe it has you. I inviteeach of you to continue your support, love,and appreciation for Acadia and to join mein reaching out to the next generation—who will someday be required to continueour work just as we continue the work ofthose who came before us!

—Edward L. Samek

Chairman’s Letter

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

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Martie and Ed Samek with their grandchildren on MDI.

FRIENDS OF ACADIA FOUNDING COMMITTEEMarianne EdwardsChair

Joe AbrellANP Chief of Operations

Seldon Bernstein

John Kauffmann

John March

Michael Ross

Bob RotheANP Volunteer Coordinator

Lois WinterANP Ranger

Ron WryeANP Superintendent

FRIENDS OF ACADIABOARD CHAIRSJohn Kauffmann1986–1989

Jeannine Ross1989–1991

Charles R. Tyson, Jr.1991–1993

Linda Lewis1993–1997

Lee Judd1997–2002

Dianna Emory2002–2007

Lili Pew2007–2011

Edward L. Samek2011–present

FRIENDS OF ACADIACHIEF EXECUTIVESJim BatchelderExecutive Director 1988–1989

Duane Pierson, President1989–1995

Charles R. Tyson, Jr., President1995 (Interim)

Ken OlsonPresident and CEO 1995–2006

John CourtinPresident and CEO 2006

Marla S. O’ByrnePresident and CEO 2006–present

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK SUPERINTENDENTSRonald Wrye1981–1986

Joseph Abrell1986–1987 (Acting)

Jack Hauptman1987–1991

Robert Reynolds1991–1994

Len Bobinchok1994 (Acting)

Paul Haertel1994–2002

Len Bobinchok2002–2003 (Acting)

Sheridan Steele2003–present

As our 25th anniversary yearcomes to a close, Friends ofAcadia would like to say Thank You to the remarkableleaders who have guided andinspired our efforts to protect the splendor of Acadia.

Granite ledges near Ocean Drive.

FRIENDS OF ACADIA—25 YEARS OF PROTECTING ACADIA

Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality,

and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration

and enjoyment of current and future generations.

Friends of Acadia 43 Cottage Street PO Box 45 Bar Harbor, Maine 04609 207-288-3340 800-625-0321

Friends of Acadia

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l Bre

chlin

First Snow on Eagle Lake

PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLEWISTON, MAINE

PERMIT #82

Mission

Documents

A Magazine about Acadia National Park and Surrounding ...property protects a public water supply for the Town of Mount Desert and historic hiking trails around the pond and connect-ing