To many of us, June equates with the beginning of summer. The time to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer. In 2019, June was declared the Great Outdoors Month to promote healthy lifestyles, vibrant communities, and preserve outdoor areas–celebrating the joy of being outside.
Since 2008, the High Peaks Alliance (HPA) has been helping us celebrate the great outdoors every month. Our community is very fortunate to have the High Peaks Alliance supporting outdoor experiences in all forms. It is rare to find an organization committed to conserving and providing access to all forms of outdoor enjoyment, including birding, hunting, canoeing, biking, hiking, ATVing, and snowmobiling. High Peaks Alliance understands each of us enjoys the outdoors in our way and seeks to conserve and provide access to any outdoor enthusiast.
There has always been abundant access to this landscape, but with changing landowners and trail closures, we need to take responsibility. The High Peaks Alliance has funded bridges and trails for motorized clubs, built hiking and accessible trails, and conserved land.
HPA ensured access to Rangeley when they negotiated the Eddy Pond crossing of the Appalachian Trail, which allowed ITS 89 to cross the AT. In the recent 13,500-acre project that conserved Quill Hill and Perham Stream, HPA worked to make sure there was road access miles further than originally proposed and now is working on proposing a new trail up Mt. Abraham. HPA has raised close to $3 million dollars for the Sandy River Bridge in Farmington that will connect the Whistle Stop Trail to downtown. Birders can watch and listen at the Perham Stream birding trail in Madrid, now an HPA property open to all in perpetuity. Shiloh Pond in Kingfield, a gem trout fishing pond just outside of the village, is secured for eternity and locally managed, thanks to efforts by HPA and many other partner stakeholders and organizations.
Now is the time to support HPA in its efforts to continue to promote all forms of outdoor recreation in the High Peaks Region by helping them celebrate the Great Outdoors Month. Your donations are the seed to start projects like Sandy River Bridge, Shiloh Pond, Quill Hill, and future others.
Finding solutions to access and conservation is never easy; it takes a community. If you want to ensure your favorite hunting spot or hiking trail is there for you and future generations, consider donating to their Great Outdoors campaign at highpeaksalliance.org/great-outdoors-month/
Mary Haley
Skowhegan, Maine
Opinion pieces reflect the views of the individual author, and do not reflect the views of the Daily Bulldog, Mt. Blue TV, or Central Maine Media Alliance. Publication of an opinion piece does not equate to endorsement of the content of the piece.
