Connect the Dots 101

In the early 2000s, 6 million acres of forest — more than a quarter of Maine’s land — was put up for sale by timber companies.

The future of the largest forest ecosystem east of the Mississippi River was in jeopardy. In 2003, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) launched the Maine Woods Initiative, which works with local communities to promote outdoor recreation, conservation, sustainable forestry and carbon sequestration….

They conserved 75,000 acres north and east of Greenville, developed 130 miles of recreation trails and acquired three historic sporting camps….This is part of a broader conservation effort that now covers 750,000 acres extending from Greenville to Baxter State Park, which is home to Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak.

This shift in the Maine Woods from forest exploitation to recreation has yielded an immediate byproduct: one of the best lodge-to-lodge ski routes in the United States. The route showcases both the past and future of Maine, from clear-cuts visible on distant hillsides to the bright green of new growth, a reassuring sign of nature’s resilience.

www.nytimes.com/2021/11/16/travel/maine-cross-country-skiing.html