Tekαkαpimək recognized, lessons from the Friends Alliance, a time for giving, learning and growing outside, and more…
White tailed deer in KAWW in early winter. Photo credit: Ross Knowlton
Over the last few weeks, the monument transitioned to its quiet season. The colorful blazes of foliage that swept across hillsides faded to sedate browns before drifting down to the forest floor. Many monument residents are burrowing down or flying away before winter arrives, and even the roads are emptier since the gates on the Loop Road and the northern entrance were officially swung shut for the season at the end of October.
This quiet season, the “season of the sticks,” presents wonderful opportunities for hikes and walks in the woods. Leafless vistas open wider views across the landscape, and the bare underbrush allows the astute (and quiet) observer glimpses of wildlife on the move.
As we take a breath before a season filled with festivities and winter preparation, Friends is focused on ensuring that we are well provisioned for the important work ahead in 2025. With just over 30 days left to reach our ambitious fundraising challenge, please join in! If you have already made a gift, thank you! Why not forward this email to a friend, or even consider a gift in their honor? And if you’ve been waiting to do your end-of-year donation, head to our Donate page to add your support!
Tekαkαpimək Cited as Example by NPS
Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis speaking at the ribbon cutting, August 17, 2024. Photo credit: Northern Oak
Earlier this month, the National Park Service issued a first-ever Director’s Order codifying and celebrating the importance of nation-to-nation consultations with Indian and Alaska Native Tribes. With this announcement, our work developing Tekαkαpimək Contact Station in partnership with the Wabanaki Nations was cited as an example paving the way forward. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is also one of just 109 park units nationally that has already established co-stewardship agreements with tribes. These indications of progress are worth mentioning, especially as we mark Native American History Month, but the work must continue.
National Park Friends Alliance Conference
Ruger, Molly and Brian take in the views at Yosemite National Park. Credit: FKWW
In October, Executive Director Brian Hinrichs, Board President Molly Ross, and Operations and Finance Coordinator Ruger Pearson attended the annual Friends Alliance Conference, held this year in Yosemite National Park. Our heads are now full of new ideas and best practices we look forward to implementing here at KAWW! Particularly memorable and meaningful were remarks from Dorothy FireCloud (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) from the Office of Native American Affairs, and Yosemite ranger Shelton Johnson. The takeaways: we must be consistent in showing up for our Wabanaki friends and partners, and there is no shortage of hidden stories to be told from these lands. Let Tekαkαpimək be the starting point for our collaboration and discovery, but not the end.
Southern Access Legislation Update
On November 19th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee (ENR) advanced a bipartisan package including legislation to improve access to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. This is an exciting and necessary step as the 118th Congressional session winds down. We thank Senator Angus King for championing this bill, which would allow the National Park Service to acquire road access from willing landowners to create a new public route along the Stacyville, Huber, and Roberts Roads into KAWW. Better connectivity with Millinocket has been a priority from the start for Friends, and we remain optimistic about the next steps Congress might take to adopt this legislation.
Katahdin Learning Project Connects to Community
What a fall KLP had with our local kids and teachers! Our staff delivered programs from Nature Art with Ashland Middle School to Maine Wildlife with Katahdin Elementary, and so much in between! We even brought Stearns High School students to Maine Bound at the University of Maine for rock climbing and to learn about college opportunities. While programs may take place deep in the wilderness or on a college campus, and cover diverse topics, every experience we provide is rooted in KLP’s core mission of connecting youth with nature, community, and the monument. Marking a seasonal transition, staff are now busy preparing for outdoor winter programs. To request a visit to your school or group, send a message to KLP@friendsofkww.org.
The Katahdin Learning Project is dedicated to honoring truth telling and integrating Wabanaki studies into our educational programs. This month, Education Coordinator Elise Goplerud attended a Wabanaki studies workshop presented by Brianne Lolar and Kaya Lolar and supported by Maine Environmental Education Association where she joined a group of passionate educators from across the state. Elise shared, “It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, exchange success stories, discuss challenges, and support one another in this important work.” She’s excited to bring new perspectives to KLP’s programs and more meaningfully incorporate Wabanaki studies into curriculum. In December, KLP will bring Shantel Neptune, water quality scientist for Penobscot Nation Natural Resources to participate in co-leading our water quality testing lesson. You can learn more about MEEA’s work to expand access to Wabanaki studies here.
Sharing the Story of Tekαkαpimək
Although Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is now fully closed to any visitation until the 2025 summer season, the stories of how the building and exhibits were shaped and created, and the lasting impacts and relationships formed, are being told. Friends is honored to be a part of the story through the A Monumental Welcome campaign, and even more so to pass the podium to the artists and architects of this special place. Keep an eye on our social media channels in the weeks and months ahead as we share links to articles, webinars, and presentations. *In case you missed it, Maine Conservation Voters hosted a Lunch and Learn panel discussion in September that explored how “interpretation…through a Wabanaki lens in a contemporary context…honor[s] the past and show[s] vibrant communities moving sustainably into the future.”
Behind the Signs
News from the National Park Service and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Get cozy this winter by reserving a night at one of the two huts on monument land for a KAWW winter camping trip. Reservations will open, only at recreation.gov, on December 9th and we expect they will book up quickly!
Now is the time to consider seasonal summer jobs with the National Park Service. Learn how to find positions and build your resume at one of the Federal Resume Workshops offered by Acadia National Park staff in Ellsworth or online. (Applicants interested in KAWW welcome!)
Ripple Effect
News and notes from the Katahdin region, the Friends community, and beyond
Heads up, Millinocket-area 6-12th graders – the Katahdin Region Outdoor Collaborative (KROC) hosts weekly outdoor activities after school. Check the schedule and learn more at the Millinocket Memorial Library.
If you know, you know…the Millinocket Marathon and Half is like no other! Maine’s famous grassroots race will run on Saturday, December 7th.
The 30th Anniversary Wabanaki Winter Market will take place on Saturday, December 14th at the Collins Center for the Arts on the UMaine campus in Orono.
🎉A bipartisan group of senators including Maine Senator Angus King introduced the extension of the Great American Outdoors Act National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) last week. The America the Beautiful Act would increase and extend this transformative funding. Read the press release from the National Parks Conservation Association here.
Sponsor Spotlight
Thank you to our Lookout sponsor Ktaadn Resorts – New England Outdoor Center! Whether hosting our Woods and Waters Day celebration, supporting Friends, or providing top notch accomodations for outdoor enthusiasts in all seasons, NEOC is a true champion of the Katahdin region.
And thank you to fellow nonprofit Maine Audubon for their Hathorn sponsorship as well as their deep care for the national monument’s flora and fauna.Sponsors provide crucial funding that supports Friends’ mission and work. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, visit friendsofkww.org/sponsorship or contact sarah@friendsofkww.org.
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on November 26, 2024. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
Stick Season – November eNewsletter
Posted: December 2, 2024 by Sarah Andre
Tekαkαpimək recognized, lessons from the Friends Alliance, a time for giving, learning and growing outside, and more…
Over the last few weeks, the monument transitioned to its quiet season. The colorful blazes of foliage that swept across hillsides faded to sedate browns before drifting down to the forest floor. Many monument residents are burrowing down or flying away before winter arrives, and even the roads are emptier since the gates on the Loop Road and the northern entrance were officially swung shut for the season at the end of October.
This quiet season, the “season of the sticks,” presents wonderful opportunities for hikes and walks in the woods. Leafless vistas open wider views across the landscape, and the bare underbrush allows the astute (and quiet) observer glimpses of wildlife on the move.
As we take a breath before a season filled with festivities and winter preparation, Friends is focused on ensuring that we are well provisioned for the important work ahead in 2025. With just over 30 days left to reach our ambitious fundraising challenge, please join in! If you have already made a gift, thank you! Why not forward this email to a friend, or even consider a gift in their honor? And if you’ve been waiting to do your end-of-year donation, head to our Donate page to add your support!
Tekαkαpimək Cited as Example by NPS
Earlier this month, the National Park Service issued a first-ever Director’s Order codifying and celebrating the importance of nation-to-nation consultations with Indian and Alaska Native Tribes. With this announcement, our work developing Tekαkαpimək Contact Station in partnership with the Wabanaki Nations was cited as an example paving the way forward. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is also one of just 109 park units nationally that has already established co-stewardship agreements with tribes. These indications of progress are worth mentioning, especially as we mark Native American History Month, but the work must continue.
National Park Friends Alliance Conference
In October, Executive Director Brian Hinrichs, Board President Molly Ross, and Operations and Finance Coordinator Ruger Pearson attended the annual Friends Alliance Conference, held this year in Yosemite National Park. Our heads are now full of new ideas and best practices we look forward to implementing here at KAWW! Particularly memorable and meaningful were remarks from Dorothy FireCloud (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) from the Office of Native American Affairs, and Yosemite ranger Shelton Johnson. The takeaways: we must be consistent in showing up for our Wabanaki friends and partners, and there is no shortage of hidden stories to be told from these lands. Let Tekαkαpimək be the starting point for our collaboration and discovery, but not the end.
Southern Access Legislation Update
On November 19th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee (ENR) advanced a bipartisan package including legislation to improve access to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. This is an exciting and necessary step as the 118th Congressional session winds down. We thank Senator Angus King for championing this bill, which would allow the National Park Service to acquire road access from willing landowners to create a new public route along the Stacyville, Huber, and Roberts Roads into KAWW. Better connectivity with Millinocket has been a priority from the start for Friends, and we remain optimistic about the next steps Congress might take to adopt this legislation.
Katahdin Learning Project Connects to Community
What a fall KLP had with our local kids and teachers! Our staff delivered programs from Nature Art with Ashland Middle School to Maine Wildlife with Katahdin Elementary, and so much in between! We even brought Stearns High School students to Maine Bound at the University of Maine for rock climbing and to learn about college opportunities. While programs may take place deep in the wilderness or on a college campus, and cover diverse topics, every experience we provide is rooted in KLP’s core mission of connecting youth with nature, community, and the monument. Marking a seasonal transition, staff are now busy preparing for outdoor winter programs. To request a visit to your school or group, send a message to KLP@friendsofkww.org.
The Katahdin Learning Project is dedicated to honoring truth telling and integrating Wabanaki studies into our educational programs. This month, Education Coordinator Elise Goplerud attended a Wabanaki studies workshop presented by Brianne Lolar and Kaya Lolar and supported by Maine Environmental Education Association where she joined a group of passionate educators from across the state. Elise shared, “It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, exchange success stories, discuss challenges, and support one another in this important work.” She’s excited to bring new perspectives to KLP’s programs and more meaningfully incorporate Wabanaki studies into curriculum. In December, KLP will bring Shantel Neptune, water quality scientist for Penobscot Nation Natural Resources to participate in co-leading our water quality testing lesson. You can learn more about MEEA’s work to expand access to Wabanaki studies here.
Sharing the Story of Tekαkαpimək
Although Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is now fully closed to any visitation until the 2025 summer season, the stories of how the building and exhibits were shaped and created, and the lasting impacts and relationships formed, are being told. Friends is honored to be a part of the story through the A Monumental Welcome campaign, and even more so to pass the podium to the artists and architects of this special place. Keep an eye on our social media channels in the weeks and months ahead as we share links to articles, webinars, and presentations. *In case you missed it, Maine Conservation Voters hosted a Lunch and Learn panel discussion in September that explored how “interpretation…through a Wabanaki lens in a contemporary context…honor[s] the past and show[s] vibrant communities moving sustainably into the future.”
Behind the Signs
News from the National Park Service and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Ripple Effect
News and notes from the Katahdin region, the Friends community, and beyond
Sponsor Spotlight
Thank you to our Lookout sponsor Ktaadn Resorts – New England Outdoor Center! Whether hosting our Woods and Waters Day celebration, supporting Friends, or providing top notch accomodations for outdoor enthusiasts in all seasons, NEOC is a true champion of the Katahdin region.
And thank you to fellow nonprofit Maine Audubon for their Hathorn sponsorship as well as their deep care for the national monument’s flora and fauna.
Sponsors provide crucial funding that supports Friends’ mission and work. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, visit friendsofkww.org/sponsorship or contact sarah@friendsofkww.org.
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on November 26, 2024. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
Category: Uncategorized