I've been hesitant to share this exciting news, but I think now is the perfect time. When I was a kid, every time I reached the summit of Deboullie, I thought about how much fun it would be to have a waterslide that went all the way down to the pond.
Well, my wait is over! At just over 600 vertical feet, the proposed Deboullie waterslides will be among the tallest in the world, and they'll certainly have the best view. The slides, four in all, will replace the fire tower as the area's recreational draw once the tower is removed and replaced with the MSCommNet array.
Don't take my word for it; instead, see the press release.
I don't know about you, but I'm going to head into the woods now to make sure I'm first in line.
UPDATE: Yes, I promise this is just an April Fools' joke! (I'm not sure why the timestamp shows it as Tuesday instead of Thursday.) The only part that's true is the fact that I wished for a waterslide every time I climbed the mountain when I was a kid. =) I hope everyone is having a great spring!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
No Child Left Inside
Federal legislation is currently under review to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding environmental education (the "No Child Left Inside Act of 2009"). All of Maine's representatives in Washington D.C. (Senators Snowe and Collins and Representatives Michaud and Pingree) co-sponsored the legislation, for which I'd like to thank them.
The legislation (HR 2054 in the House of Representatives and S 866 in the Senate) will require states to create Environmental Literacy Plans for students in pre-K through grade 12, which will:
-Prepare students to understand, analyze, and address the major environmental challenges facing the students' state and the United States;
-Provide field experiences as part of the regular school curriculum and create programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition; and
-Create opportunities for enhanced and on-going professional development for teachers.
The legislation will also require states to report on the implementation of the state plan every two years, to help ensure that things are going as they should. It also sets aside money for grants to help implement the plans.
I personally feel that this is a great starting point! Nature can teach our kids (and us as well) so many things, from math to biology to problem-solving. Research has also shown that nature makes us nicer and that interaction with nature (in increments as small as a 20-minute walk) can help ward off the symptoms of ADHD. What could be better for our kids?
The text of the legislation can be found at the Library of Congress by searching the bill name, the sponsors, or the bill numbers. Read the bills, contact your representatives, and let's get kids back outside where they belong.
The legislation (HR 2054 in the House of Representatives and S 866 in the Senate) will require states to create Environmental Literacy Plans for students in pre-K through grade 12, which will:
-Prepare students to understand, analyze, and address the major environmental challenges facing the students' state and the United States;
-Provide field experiences as part of the regular school curriculum and create programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition; and
-Create opportunities for enhanced and on-going professional development for teachers.
The legislation will also require states to report on the implementation of the state plan every two years, to help ensure that things are going as they should. It also sets aside money for grants to help implement the plans.
I personally feel that this is a great starting point! Nature can teach our kids (and us as well) so many things, from math to biology to problem-solving. Research has also shown that nature makes us nicer and that interaction with nature (in increments as small as a 20-minute walk) can help ward off the symptoms of ADHD. What could be better for our kids?
The text of the legislation can be found at the Library of Congress by searching the bill name, the sponsors, or the bill numbers. Read the bills, contact your representatives, and let's get kids back outside where they belong.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
MSCommNet, Part II
The Bangor Daily News had an article today regarding the proposed tower on Deboullie. (Hat tip to Kate for pointing it out to me.) It's good to see this issue getting some press- I know there are a lot of people out there who will make their voices heard once they know about the plans. The more voices that are heard, the better the result will be.I have a copy of the article here. It takes a very positive view of the project and cites Will Harris (director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands, BPL) specifically stating that, "the state is not tearing [the fire tower] down. It is on the Register of National Lookout Towers and it is in the middle of God's country, as far as I am concerned." I like the sound of that.
Later on in the article, Sen. Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) also echoed Mr. Harris' statement, saying, "From my standpoint, they will not be doing it. I think they have to find a different place to put up a communications tower other than Deboullie."
Those statements do conflict with others I've received from people connected to the project- the bottom line is that nothing is set in stone yet one way or the other. This is where the most important quote in the entire article comes in. Richard Thompson, chief information officer with the Maine Office of Information Technology (and listed under "Executive Management" on the MSCommNet directory site), said, "...my office would work with them on that site or if we had to use another site we would."
To sum up what we know so far: sketches and preliminary plans are on paper; the NJ firm who would be doing the work has begun looking for staging sites around Deboullie Mountain; and concern has been expressed about the Deboullie Mountain project site (and especially the fire tower removal). I'm still working on getting copies of the proposed plans, or at least sketches.
I suggest that if you want to weigh in on the topic, please do. You can contact me with your concerns, and I'll pass them on to the folks I've been talking with at the state. You can contact BPL or the MSCommNet project team, or you can get in touch with Senator Jackson.
I'm confident that this project will not be completed without a substantial review process and hopefully a lot of public input. I've said all along that I believe this is an important project, but I don't believe a "start from scratch on Deboullie Mountain" approach is a good one.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
MSCommNet
MSCommNet is the second of two "Big Items" that could signficantly affect Red River. (The first is Keeping Maine's Forest, which I mentioned yesterday and will be expanding on soon.)
MSCommNet stands for the Maine State Communications Network project, which will develop a unified statewide land mobile radio network for State law enforcement, public safety, and public service agencies. In other words, the project will update the infrastructure necessary to allow radio communications for the folks who help keep the woods safe. Let me start off by emphasizing that this is a good thing.
Why and how will this affect Red River? If you take a look at the proposed tower network (see here), one of the towers is slated for Deboullie Mountain. To answer your first question, yes, I have heard that the existing fire tower on the mountain may be slated for removal because it is not structurally-sound enough to hold the new radio infrastructure.
From what I understand, nothing is set in stone yet. This would obviously be a big impact on the area and the viewshed, though, especially if the new tower is significantly more modern than the fire tower. If you want to contact the state and voice your opinion, start at the MSCommNet site.
I've talked to some of the folks working on the project, and I'm trying to get copies of the plans to see if I can help the design company find a solution that doesn't impact the existing tower to the point of requiring its removal. (In engineering, the tendency is to start with a blank slate and work from there. It's easier. It also means that they might not have considered every option.) At the very least, the state has requested that the new tower have a viewing platform.
For the easier questions about funding and timelines, I'll direct you to the FAQ section of the MSCommNet site. Otherwise, I'll keep you posted as I get more information.
MSCommNet stands for the Maine State Communications Network project, which will develop a unified statewide land mobile radio network for State law enforcement, public safety, and public service agencies. In other words, the project will update the infrastructure necessary to allow radio communications for the folks who help keep the woods safe. Let me start off by emphasizing that this is a good thing.
Why and how will this affect Red River? If you take a look at the proposed tower network (see here), one of the towers is slated for Deboullie Mountain. To answer your first question, yes, I have heard that the existing fire tower on the mountain may be slated for removal because it is not structurally-sound enough to hold the new radio infrastructure.
From what I understand, nothing is set in stone yet. This would obviously be a big impact on the area and the viewshed, though, especially if the new tower is significantly more modern than the fire tower. If you want to contact the state and voice your opinion, start at the MSCommNet site.
I've talked to some of the folks working on the project, and I'm trying to get copies of the plans to see if I can help the design company find a solution that doesn't impact the existing tower to the point of requiring its removal. (In engineering, the tendency is to start with a blank slate and work from there. It's easier. It also means that they might not have considered every option.) At the very least, the state has requested that the new tower have a viewing platform.
For the easier questions about funding and timelines, I'll direct you to the FAQ section of the MSCommNet site. Otherwise, I'll keep you posted as I get more information.
Monday, March 15, 2010
A Vision for the North Woods?
From the Portland Press-Herald:
"A group called the Keeping Maine's Forests steering committee is working on a proposal to protect millions of acres of the working forest from further development. The committee is close to having a final plan and will deliver it to federal officials as early as this month."
Read the entire article here.
This could be a very big deal for those of us in and around the North Maine Woods. I think everyone who knows me knows how I feel about the woods. If done right, this deal could be very beneficial to the people of Northern Maine, and it could ensure that Deboullie retains its remote character well into the future.
I'll keep my eyes open for more information on this potential land deal, which is being negotiated only among a select few at this point, and I'll keep you posted. I'm optimistic with a healthy dose of skepticism at this point.
"A group called the Keeping Maine's Forests steering committee is working on a proposal to protect millions of acres of the working forest from further development. The committee is close to having a final plan and will deliver it to federal officials as early as this month."
Read the entire article here.
This could be a very big deal for those of us in and around the North Maine Woods. I think everyone who knows me knows how I feel about the woods. If done right, this deal could be very beneficial to the people of Northern Maine, and it could ensure that Deboullie retains its remote character well into the future.
I'll keep my eyes open for more information on this potential land deal, which is being negotiated only among a select few at this point, and I'll keep you posted. I'm optimistic with a healthy dose of skepticism at this point.
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