Patrick K. McGowan is commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation and was a legislative sponsor of the Land for Maine's Future program in 1986.
Gene's influence is still being felt today. Maine voters endorsed LMF in 1987, and again last week overwhelmingly approved a bond issue that included money for land conservation and state park infrastructure.
On four different occasions, Maine's voters have endorsed the Land for Maine's Future program. Residents of every county have benefitted from this national model for the funding of land conservation. And, this year, the measure passed in every county, leading the ballot totals with the largest margin of support of any measure.
More than 400,000 acres of the Maine landscape have been conserved with the help of LMF. From Mount Agamenticus in York to Bradbury Mountain State Park, the program has been a key element in preserving open space for recreation.
But, the program also plays a role in economic development. Large tracts of working forest have been protected by conservation easement, allowing landowners to continue to supply wood to Maine's paper and sawmills. And farms in Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough and other communities have also been kept productive through easements purchased in part with LMF funds.
In its 20-year existence, Land for Maine's Future has preserved some of Maine's best places: Mount Kineo; the Camden Hills; the Debsconeags.
But it has also worked with local land trusts to save key smaller parcels in Falmouth, Harpswell and Parsonsfield.
This month's support of the Land for Maine's Future program was an endorsement and a charge: Keep working to save those places important to Maine people and visitors to our fair state.
That same charge was given to the Department of Conservation's Bureau of Parks and Lands, with the approval of $7.5 million for infrastructure improvements.
Maine's state park and historic site system entertains more than 2 million visitors annually, the majority of them from Maine. In 2007, we saw an increase in attendance of nearly 10 percent, which yielded an economic impact of more than $100 million to the communities that host these facilities.
The outdoor experience provided by the state park system will only be enhanced by completion of projects that will now be made possible: new rest room facilities at Popham Beach, our most popular beach park; new playgrounds and group picnic pavilions at many of our parks; improvements to campgrounds at Lamoine and Lily Bay; much-needed masonry work at Fort Popham; and wastewater treatment improvements at Colonial Pemaquid.
In July, the Baldacci administration launched a program called "Take It Outside," aimed at re-connecting Maine's young people with our outdoor heritage. Gove. Baldacci led by example, climbing Mount Katahdin and canoeing the Allagash with his son Jack.
Hiking, biking, fishing, camping and other outdoor pursuits are often unfamiliar to many.
Improvements to our state parks and historic sites will make them even more popular destinations for families living in or visiting Maine. The whole idea of recreation is to have fun, and our state parks and historic sites will offer fun for all.
Maine people understand the connection between the outdoors, the environment and Maine's economy. Tourism, forest products, snowmobile and ATV riding, hunting and fishing combine for more than $20 billion in annual economic impact, and they all depend on our abundant natural resources.
A recent study showed that young people aged 25-34 were moving to or staying in Maine at a faster pace than 36 other states. From 2004-2006, Maine saw a 4 percent increase in this demographic.
One big draw for these new residents is our myriad of outdoor recreation opportunities.
More often than not, they find what they want in state parks or on lands preserved with the help...
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