Look Out For
ME
A New Initiative to Encourage Safe and Responsible Use of the Maine Outdoors A hiker enjoys the big view of Moosehead Lake from the summit of Big Moose Mountain.
Over the last several years there has been an enormous surge in the recreational use of the Maine outdoors, from the rocky coast to the big woods to the mountain peaks. More people of all ages, interests, and abilities than ever before have discovered the health and fitness benefits of time well spent exercising and having fun in the woods and on the waters of our beautiful Pine Tree State. But there are downsides to this recreation boom, like overcrowded beaches, jammed parking lots, unauthorized campfires, trashed campsites, and a marked increase in trail erosion. There’s more garbage and litter, unwanted noise, improper disposal of human and pet waste, and an alarming rise in emergency calls and rescues. These unfortunate problems are negatively impacting our natural resources, degrading the experience for visitors and residents alike, and causing considerable distress among land managers, property owners, and tourism officials, becoming a wholly unsustainable situation.
4 Summer/Fall 2022
Story & Photos by CAREY KISH
“After COVID-19 hit and the pandemic continued to spread, we saw an enormous rise in the number of people out there, reports of property damage, the many complaints and concerns,” said Steve Lyons, the director of Maine’s Office of Tourism. “About 95 percent of Maine’s forest land is privately owned and about half of that is open to the public through the generosity of the landowners. When the Maine Warden Service reported a substantial increase in landowner requests for “Access By Permission Only” signs, it was a clear indication of concern over user numbers and behavior.
“...We saw the enormous rise in the number of people out there, reports of property damage, the many complaints and concerns...[and] knew we had to develop some kind of 'recreate responsibly' message to help ameliorate the problems.”
That's when outdoor and tourism leaders around the state rallied together and approached the MOT to develop a message to help ameliorate the problems. The result was the Look Out for ME campaign, the goal of which is “to ensure that visitors and residents alike venture out safely and responsibly with a great respect for the land we all love and cherish.” Per MOT’s website, the initiative is a blueprint for “how we can all do our part to conserve the state’s natural resources, season after season, and for generations to come.” The Look Out for ME message is pretty straightforward: Check out your intended destination in advance and know the rules and regulations. Travel only on designated trails and roads. Visit places outside of peak hours and always have a Plan B to avoid disappointment. Don’t transport firewood and clean and dry your boots and boats to reduce the spread of invasive species. Be careful with fire, use only designated sites, and don’t harm green trees. But wait, there’s more. Don’t litter, pack out your garbage and that of others less thoughtful.
