• Develop more community forests to connect communities with nature and utilize the resources at community level .
• Seek Wild and Scenic River status for the Machias River . Machias contains the greatest amount of juvenile-rearing habitat and has the highest estimated smolt production of the state ’ s eight wild Atlantic salmon rivers . The river system supports a rich array of wading birds , waterfowl , neotropical migrants and grassland species . This region of Maine is considered a Globally Important Bird Area , with the occurrence of at least 180 species of birds , including 23 warblers . Create multi-sport connections between the Machias river waterway and the Grand Lakes system – bike , hike , paddle , camp .
• Develop creative interpretation for the National Wildlife Refuges geared toward locals that is engaging and timeless . Ideas from NWR staff include expanded use of social media ; podcasts with shorts that are relevant to today , seasonally & site specific ; install webcams at public places to view wildlife ; virtual reality exhibits
• Partner with Coastal Maine Geopark to build out supporting infrastructure to guide visitors to these sites with user-friendly information , develop educational toolkits for schools . Geositemaps , itineraries , and interpretive information ; further development of the Maine Ice Age Trail ; sites for school & community education ; self-guided scenic & educational tour .
• Expand the Acadia Night sky festival with small events across the region , coastal and inland on the lakes , in the wild blueberry barrens . Can even extend from a week to two weeks if events are staggered .
Outdoor Recreation
• Address voids in recreation infrastructure by connecting trails to create more regional systems , building off the Down East Sunrise Trail .
• Expand the number of boat tour operations – kayaking , whale watching , lobster and lighthouse tours .
• Create more camping and glamping opportunities .
• Develop and map more bike routes , both
Calais Waterfront Walkway – The Calais Waterfront Walkway , once part of the Maine Central Railroad , is a grassy riverside promenade in downtown Calais . The Walkway marks the easternmost trailhead of two national bicycling routes connecting Key West , Florida and Calais ( East Coast Greenway and US Bike Route 1 ), and the 211-mile Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway connecting Calais and Milbridge . The Calais Walkway mirrors another riverside promenade and multi-use trail a stone ’ s throw across the international St . Croix River in St . Stephen , New Brunswick , Canada . Photo courtesy of Kristine Keeney .
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