Unplugged summer fun awaits. Photo credit: Nolan Altvater
The warm days and long evenings are perfect for exploring the landscapes of Katahdin Woods and Waters. Whether you’re hitting the trails, paddling the waterways, or simply enjoying the serenity of the woods, we hope you find inspiration and joy in these summer months. Thank you for being a part of our community and for your continued dedication to the preservation and celebration of Katahdin Woods and Waters.
As we dive into the heart of summer, we are thrilled to bring you the latest updates from our vibrant Friends community. And if you find yourself sleeping in the monument on a clear night, consider pulling the rain fly off your tent to enjoy the cool breezes and stellar views.
Management plan will consider all stakeholders. Photo credit: Ross Knowlton
Priority Park Progress
Last year, you heard from Friends about the A Monumental Welcome campaign. The campaign is funding a variety of efforts to improve and enhance the visitor experience in the monument, and we’re excited to begin sharing campaign success stories with you as these projects get underway.
Next in the spotlight, we are pleased to share that Friends will be supporting a General Management Plan (GMP) for the National Park Service (NPS) at Katahdin Woods and Waters. A GMP is a long-term strategic plan that NPS is required to create for each unit of the National Park System. The plan guides the management and use of park lands for the next 15–20 years, and is updated as conditions change. The feedback from the public from these early meetings is helping to bridge that work to the work in the GMP. The GMP’s primary purpose is to protect park resources while providing meaningful visitor experiences. The planning process will have an extensive public process to capture visitor feedback – stay tuned for how you can participate!
Friends’ News
Woods & Waters Day is August 17th! You’ve heard by now about the extraordinary weekend we have planned to celebrate Tekαkαpimək and Woods and Waters Day this August. But we’re so excited about what we have planned we’re going to keep reminding you! Delicious buffet dinner at the award-winning Ktaadn Resorts/New England Outdoor Center, funky, get-up-and-dance live music performed by the Fogtown Family Band, and the opportunity to win amazing prizes donated by artists, outdoor outfitters, Maine businesses, and more. If you haven’t RSVPd to get a first look at Tekαkαpimək (free, but registration is required) or purchased your tickets for our Woods and Waters Day Celebration, what are you waiting for? Click here, and keep in mind that you must register for each event separately.
Wabanaki double curve design bronze door handles at Tekαkαpimək Contact Station. Photo credit: Martin Pierce
Teacher Camp
Across the nation, educators are finding that rooting their educational programming deeply in the local community, both physically and thematically, is an effective strategy for achieving many of their highest priority goals.
Ranger Crystal conducts a phenology lesson. Photo credit: Hannah Boone
In schools, neighborhoods, forests, and parks, when students are studying and responsibly addressing relevant local issues the results can be increased engagement, stronger community support for education and conservation, and a renewed pride of place.
Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters presents Teacher Camp annually as a professional development opportunity and a supportive gathering that helps educators add relevancy to their instruction to enrich their school communities. A fresh theme is developed each year in response to teachers’ needs.
On June 25th, Friends’ 2024 Teacher Camp focused on Community Science! Participants enjoyed presentations and hands-on activities from Elise Goplerud (Friends of KWW), Crystal Lewis (Katahdin Woods & Waters NM) and Lauren Ouellette (Maine Forest Service).
Katahdin Learning Project
Home for a day – the Wassataquoik lean-to. Photo credit: Ross Knowlton
Friends believes that when you’re a kid, summer is best outside–on trails, bikes, and on the water. That’s exactly what the Katahdin Learning Project aims to support this summer. With our Katahdin Region Outdoor Collective (KROC) collaborators, we co-led a day hike to Gulf Hagas, introduced paddle sports, and organized a 3-day overnight hiking trip in Katahdin Woods and Waters! July will bring more great adventures; including biking, canoeing, and additional overnights.
To keep up with demand we added several more ongoing KROC programs!
These special programs stay local and families need only fill out the waiver once to participate in any/all of them. KROC programs are open to youth in grades 6-12. Learn more and sign up here.
Thank you to the Maine Department of Education for the generous grant that helps us keep these programs free for participants. *
Superintendent Mark Wimmer is the winner of the Director’s Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management & Stewardship for his leadership and commitment to developing trust and strong relationships between KAWW and the federally recognized Tribes in Maine by working to protect Tribal interests and further nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous partners.
Facility Manager Christopher (Dewey) Loft received the Director’s Award for Excellence in Natural Resource Management in Maintenance. By working with the Monument’s Interdisciplinary team, Tribes, and state partners to develop bridge and culvert improvement projects, Dewey has been instrumental in improving infrastructure for fish passage for endangered Atlantic salmon.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is going social! Follow and Like them on their *new* official Facebook page!
The KAWW website also has fresh updates. One of our favorite new features is the hiking page which details all of the great trails in the monument–so you can choose the perfect one for you!
Sometimes it is just nice to talk with a person. The KAWW information desk at the Lumberman’s Museum (61 Shin Pond Rd, Patten) is open Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Stop in or call 207-465-6001.
The Deasey Trail hike is perfect for families. Photo credit: Taylor Walker
Ripple Effect – News and notes from the Katahdin region, the Friends community, and beyond
Tuesday nights are trail nights this summer at Hammond Ridge! Meet at 5:30 p.m. at Knife Edge Brewing to join a group mountain bike ride with Katahdin Area Trails. For all ages and abilities (no instruction provided).
Friends’ Executive Director Brian Hinrichs joined the Katahdin Collaborative’s quarterly meeting on July 10th, a “great meeting of the minds.”
Thank you to our Lookout level sponsor Haley Ward, a 100% employee-owned technical consulting firm headquartered in Bangor. Haley Ward has been a crucial part of the Tekαkαpimək construction team and a longtime supporter of Friends!
And thank you to NEMO Equipment for their Deasey level sponsorship! NEMO is a New England company committed to innovation, sustainability, and making the outdoors accessible to all–we even caught the team camping out in the monument recently!
Sponsors provide crucial funding that supports Friends mission and work. To learn more about becoming sponsor in 2024, visit friendsofkww.org/sponsorship or contact sarah@friendsofkww.org.
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on July 23, 2024. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
*American Rescue Plan Act GEER, Reverted EANS Funding received from the USDOE support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $6.6 million dollars of which 100% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the USDOE or the U.S. Government. The USDOE provided the Katahdin Learning Project (KLP) with $105,876.19, 42% of KLP’s annual budget, to support grade 6-12 programming. This grant finances 100% of grade 6-12 programming March-September 2024.
Screen⛺Time- July eNewsletter
Posted: July 24, 2024 by Sarah Andre
Camping season, youth adventures, Woods & Waters Day, NPS Director’s Awards, and more…
The warm days and long evenings are perfect for exploring the landscapes of Katahdin Woods and Waters. Whether you’re hitting the trails, paddling the waterways, or simply enjoying the serenity of the woods, we hope you find inspiration and joy in these summer months. Thank you for being a part of our community and for your continued dedication to the preservation and celebration of Katahdin Woods and Waters.
As we dive into the heart of summer, we are thrilled to bring you the latest updates from our vibrant Friends community. And if you find yourself sleeping in the monument on a clear night, consider pulling the rain fly off your tent to enjoy the cool breezes and stellar views.
Priority Park Progress
Last year, you heard from Friends about the A Monumental Welcome campaign. The campaign is funding a variety of efforts to improve and enhance the visitor experience in the monument, and we’re excited to begin sharing campaign success stories with you as these projects get underway.
Next in the spotlight, we are pleased to share that Friends will be supporting a General Management Plan (GMP) for the National Park Service (NPS) at Katahdin Woods and Waters. A GMP is a long-term strategic plan that NPS is required to create for each unit of the National Park System. The plan guides the management and use of park lands for the next 15–20 years, and is updated as conditions change. The feedback from the public from these early meetings is helping to bridge that work to the work in the GMP. The GMP’s primary purpose is to protect park resources while providing meaningful visitor experiences. The planning process will have an extensive public process to capture visitor feedback – stay tuned for how you can participate!
Friends’ News
Woods & Waters Day is August 17th! You’ve heard by now about the extraordinary weekend we have planned to celebrate Tekαkαpimək and Woods and Waters Day this August. But we’re so excited about what we have planned we’re going to keep reminding you! Delicious buffet dinner at the award-winning Ktaadn Resorts/New England Outdoor Center, funky, get-up-and-dance live music performed by the Fogtown Family Band, and the opportunity to win amazing prizes donated by artists, outdoor outfitters, Maine businesses, and more. If you haven’t RSVPd to get a first look at Tekαkαpimək (free, but registration is required) or purchased your tickets for our Woods and Waters Day Celebration, what are you waiting for? Click here, and keep in mind that you must register for each event separately.
Teacher Camp
Across the nation, educators are finding that rooting their educational programming deeply in the local community, both physically and thematically, is an effective strategy for achieving many of their highest priority goals.
In schools, neighborhoods, forests, and parks, when students are studying and responsibly addressing relevant local issues the results can be increased engagement, stronger community support for education and conservation, and a renewed pride of place.
Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters presents Teacher Camp annually as a professional development opportunity and a supportive gathering that helps educators add relevancy to their instruction to enrich their school communities. A fresh theme is developed each year in response to teachers’ needs.
On June 25th, Friends’ 2024 Teacher Camp focused on Community Science! Participants enjoyed presentations and hands-on activities from Elise Goplerud (Friends of KWW), Crystal Lewis (Katahdin Woods & Waters NM) and Lauren Ouellette (Maine Forest Service).
Katahdin Learning Project
Friends believes that when you’re a kid, summer is best outside–on trails, bikes, and on the water. That’s exactly what the Katahdin Learning Project aims to support this summer. With our Katahdin Region Outdoor Collective (KROC) collaborators, we co-led a day hike to Gulf Hagas, introduced paddle sports, and organized a 3-day overnight hiking trip in Katahdin Woods and Waters! July will bring more great adventures; including biking, canoeing, and additional overnights.
To keep up with demand we added several more ongoing KROC programs!
These special programs stay local and families need only fill out the waiver once to participate in any/all of them. KROC programs are open to youth in grades 6-12. Learn more and sign up here.
Thank you to the Maine Department of Education for the generous grant that helps us keep these programs free for participants. *
Behind the Signs
Congratulations to KAWW leadership for receiving two Director’s Awards for Natural and Cultural Resources! These awards recognize employees who go above and beyond to solve problems or create new opportunities with creative thinking and action.
Superintendent Mark Wimmer is the winner of the Director’s Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management & Stewardship for his leadership and commitment to developing trust and strong relationships between KAWW and the federally recognized Tribes in Maine by working to protect Tribal interests and further nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous partners.
Facility Manager Christopher (Dewey) Loft received the Director’s Award for Excellence in Natural Resource Management in Maintenance. By working with the Monument’s Interdisciplinary team, Tribes, and state partners to develop bridge and culvert improvement projects, Dewey has been instrumental in improving infrastructure for fish passage for endangered Atlantic salmon.
Ripple Effect – News and notes from the Katahdin region, the Friends community, and beyond
Sponsor Spotlight
Thank you to our Lookout level sponsor Haley Ward, a 100% employee-owned technical consulting firm headquartered in Bangor. Haley Ward has been a crucial part of the Tekαkαpimək construction team and a longtime supporter of Friends!
And thank you to NEMO Equipment for their Deasey level sponsorship! NEMO is a New England company committed to innovation, sustainability, and making the outdoors accessible to all–we even caught the team camping out in the monument recently!
Sponsors provide crucial funding that supports Friends mission and work. To learn more about becoming sponsor in 2024, visit friendsofkww.org/sponsorship or contact sarah@friendsofkww.org.
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on July 23, 2024. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
*American Rescue Plan Act GEER, Reverted EANS Funding received from the USDOE support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $6.6 million dollars of which 100% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the USDOE or the U.S. Government. The USDOE provided the Katahdin Learning Project (KLP) with $105,876.19, 42% of KLP’s annual budget, to support grade 6-12 programming. This grant finances 100% of grade 6-12 programming March-September 2024.
Category: Uncategorized