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Acadia National To Receive $1.7 Million From LWCF to Seal Deal On 39 Acres

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on June 7, 2011 - 1:41am

Acadia National Park soon will grow by 39 acres thanks to federal Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars that will enable the Park Service to acquire the acreage near the Lower Hadlock Pond.

The Friends of Acadia and Maine Coast Heritage Trust have been holding the land for the park; the groups own 10 acres outright and have held an option on the remaining 29. The Park Service, armed with the $1.7 million in LWCF dollars, can now buy the property, according to a release from the friends group.

By adding the land to the national park it will help protect the drinking water supply of Northeast Harbor and preserve several village trails that connect to the park, the groups said.

Comments

Submitted by samsdad1 (not verified) on June 7, 2011 - 7:40am.

Sounds like another example of a special interest group making money off the already poorly funded NPS!!!!

This land should have been donated.

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on June 7, 2011 - 7:57am.

Sounds to me like a system that works to the benefit of all, Matt.

The LWCF was set up specifically to fund these sorts of land purchases. The money does not come from the Park Service. Additionally, the bulk of the money goes not to the non-profits, but to the landowner, who might not have been in the financial position to donate the land outright. In return, the park gets a little more acreage, a water supply is protected from development, and hiking trails from the park to the villages remain intact.

The non-profits get reimbursed for the amount they put up to buy the 10 acres and retain an option on the remaining 29, and so can use that money again for similar acquisitions.

Certainly seems like a winning proposition for all involved.

Submitted by Bruce on June 7, 2011 - 6:45pm.

Well done.