public and the planning team during the development and promotion planning phase .
NHAs involve no ownership of land , nor are they a tool to regulate land use or remove municipal or private jurisdiction . NHAs do NOT create new expenses for a community to bear – the program provides matching funds to support local heritage initiatives .
The National Heritage Area program focuses on four core values that also directly align with core values of communities and organizations across Downeast Maine .
1 . Sustainable economic development 2 . Healthy environment and people 3 . Education and Stewardship 4 . Community Engagement and Pride
The National Heritage Area program supports local and regional economic development in three important ways :
Seaweed Harvester - The cold , nutrient rich waters provide a highly productive marine environment for a range of sea weeds including sugar kelp , edible kelp , Irish moss , and dulse . Seaweed was important to the earliest human inhabitants of Downeast Maine , the Wabanaki people , European colonizers , and continues to be important in the present day . Downeast Maine is growing as a globally important resource for edible and commercial seaweeds but is a relatively new industry . The sea vegetable fishery has increased in landings , number of wild harvesters , aquaculture sites , and public demand over the last fifty years . Commercial aquaculture has been in place for approximately ten years . Photo courtesy of The Greenhorns , Smithereen Farm .
1 . It engages and unites residents around shared values to strengthen the economy and Downeast way of life .
2 . It assists people to explore the opportunities that exist in the region , thus helping attract and retain a sustainable population and demographic .
3 . It creates awareness of and interaction with heritage stories to help strengthen pride-of-place and nurture stewards of cultural and natural heritage .
Guided Canoe Trip - Registered Maine Guides are recognized around the world as the gold standard in outdoor skills and knowledge and have a long and colorful history as storytellers and adventurers . Sporting camps and guiding services have provided employment and recreation for hundreds of years in Downeast Maine , especially in the northern parts of the region . Some remaining sporting camps have been in operation through generations of family members , others through new owners and long traditions . Hunting , trapping , and fishing were once the predominant activities , but modern camps and guides now offer recreational paddling , hiking , wildlife watching , and camping . Photo by Tessa Ftorek .
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