Maine state parks had another near-record year for visitation, welcoming over three million visitors, said Andy Cutko, director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands. This marks the third time in four years that the parks have exceeded this milestone. 'That was a challenge,' Cutko said, noting that the bureau was short more than 50 people from its seasonal workforce.
'We were really short more than 50 people from our seasonal workforce, and so we really appreciate the extra effort that our existing park rangers and park managers took on with a heavy visitation of people.' The bureau also obligated $50 million from the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan for improvements and maintenance at state parks. These projects range from new equipment to accessible trails, with construction continuing into the new year. The state is also acquiring new public lands, aligning with the Maine Climate Council's goal of preserving 30% of the state by 2030. Cutko said the state acquired more than 7,000 acres this year in Franklin, Washington, and Aroostook counties. 'Obviously, they're really important for just public access and hiking and fishing and hunting, but they also protect water quality and wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and they can be important for sequestering carbon,' he said. 'Increasingly, I think we're recognizing the importance of our of our forests for acting like a sponge and cleaning the air.' The bureau also has funding commitments to acquire six more properties, making up more than 40,000 acres. Maine has already preserved nearly a quarter of the state, with public lands comprising more than 600,000 acres of conserved land