Road gates are open, advocacy updates, Leave No Trace Trainer course, a month of celebrating members, and much more…
Career exploration at UMaine with Katahdin Learning Project. Photo: FKWW
Have you heard? The gates are open! Visitors to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument may now enjoy access to Loop Road from the Swift Brook Road in Sherman and at the northern end, along the Old River Road to campsites and points of interest along the East Branch Penobscot River. Caring for hundreds of miles of remote gravel road is a job that never ends, but easy to take for granted. Waiting until the frost is out and heavy spring rains have passed before cars and trucks are allowed to enter prevents the most severe damage and roadside erosion. During the summer season, the National Park Service maintenance crew will grow to 12 people, keeping bridges safe, roads graded, and facilities clean and well-stocked.
You, our members, have helped make so much possible in Katahdin Woods and Waters – from Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, to bringing local classrooms into the monument for ranger-led programs, to endangered species monitoring. All month, we have been celebrating your accomplishments and the start to an exciting summer season, while answering your questions about new challenges that the park service is facing in 2025. We just wrapped up our statewide Membership May in Patten, but we are ALWAYS happy to reply to your emails and phone calls when you want information. (And in case you were wondering, yup, the black flies are out.)
Advocacy updates & trip to Washington, D.C.
Hill Day 2025! Photo credit: FKWW
On April 30th, Executive Director Brian Hinrichs (above center) joined over 75 park partners from around the country in Washington, D.C. for the National Park Foundation’s Hill Day, including Maine colleagues Eric Stiles of Friends of Acadia (right) and Nicholas Fisichelli of Schoodic Institute (left). Hill Day is an annual opportunity for park advocates to meet with legislators and discuss the policies that impact our national parks, public lands, and the people who care for them. Closer to home, Brian joined the National Parks Conservation Association for a meeting in Bangor on May 15th with local staff for Senator Angus King, Senator Susan Collins, and Congressman Jared Golden. In both instances, Brian discussed the successes and challenges we’re seeing on the ground in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and highlighted the need to adequately fund and staff our parks for the sake of visitor enjoyment and resource protection.
Friends organizations nationwide share our deep concern that as much as 12.5% of NPS staff across the country have been lost since January 20th while a further reduction in force is underway. The loss of these full-time positions combined with delays in seasonal hiring could create significant challenges in the field this summer. How can you help? Speak up now on behalf of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and sites across the country!
Finally, for some good news – we were encouraged to see the recent reintroduction of the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Steve Daines (R-MT). This bill would reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund, which previously brought a Maintenance Action Team to the national monument for critical projects.
Tekαkαpimək exterior curve clad in eastern white cedar. Photo credit: James Florio
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is not open for its inaugural season quite yet. The NPS team will soon announce the official opening date and initial schedule of operationg hours via their webiste and social media outlets. While NPS gets this new faciility ready to welcome the public, learn more about how the building will orient visitors to the land through the lens of a Wabanaki worldview. In case you missed it in April, this episode of MainePublic’s Borealis features a tour through the building with Friends’ Executive Director Brian Hinrichs. Or, watch this short video to learn about the clay tiles that serve as a testament to the vibrant and enduring culture of the Wabanaki tribes, honoring and preserving indigenous cultures and traditions.
Friends’ News
April Vacation Campers exploring a trail in Millinocket. Photo credit: FKWW
Katahdin Learning Project’s April 2025 Vacation Camp was one for the books! We were thrilled to welcome back several returning youth leaders and ambassadors who took on bigger roles this year—including leading their own creative and engaging lessons! Campers participated in an Earth Day cleanup and learned about Leave No Trace principles, as well as the importance of caring for our local trails. We had a fantastic lineup of guest speakers: Doug Kranich wowed the kids with several live snakes and demonstrated that they’re not so scary after all. Northern Stars Planetarium took us on a journey through the night sky, Ranger Clare from Katahdin Woods and Waters taught us about nocturnal animals and light pollution, and Ranger Cassandra from Baxter State Park introduced us to the fascinating world of amphibians. Camp just keeps getting better, and it was wonderful to see so many returning faces and new campers already excited to return as Camp Ambassadors when they reach middle school!
An important part of the Katahdin Learning Project is opening the door to new pathways and experiences for area youth, right in their own backyard! One week in early May, KLP educators Kala and Maggie headed to Stearns High School’s Career Fair to talk about non-profit organizations, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and the purpose of and need for “friends of” organizations. Students were quizzed on the presentation, earning a chance to win a new hammock. It was great way to learn about various career paths and have a little fun too! Then, along with the Katahdin Region Outdoor Collective (KROC) and Outdoor Sport Institute, students signed up to head south with KLP to the Maine Bound Adventure Center at UMaine in Orono. They got warm and loose playing a few team building games, and then it was off to the challenge course! Every student had the chance to walk catwalks, take on obstacle courses, and finally, sail through the air on a giant swing. You can see the smiling faces from that day at the top of this email! These programs are possible with funds from GEAR UP Maine, administered by Syntiro, and you, our members. Thank you.
*KROC Summer Programs are now open for registration! Learn more and sign up for these free programs for Katahdin region 6th-12th graders.
Thanks for joining us! All photos credit: FKWW
Leave No Trace Trainer Course – Member opportunity! This two-day course, June 19th-20th at Lunksoos Campground, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, is designed to enhance participants’ understanding of minimal impact recreation and outdoor ethics. In this course you will learn the skills and techniques essential to practicing Leave No Trace. This course is also for individuals who will be teaching Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics and those who are familiar with Leave No Trace but want to deepen their understanding of the science behind the Seven Principles. Through lectures, discussion, activities, student-led lessons and one night out in the field, participants will gain tools to further define their outdoor ethic and learn teaching skills to pass the principles on to others. Participants leave with practical teaching tools and a Level I Trainer Certificate. Registration closes on June 6th and there are just a few spots left. Friends members get 50% off! Reach out to elise@friendsofkww.org with questions or register here.
Membership May – We wrapped up a busy month of meeting Friends old and new at four breweries around the state with our final stop yesterday Katahdin Brew Works in Patten! Now in its second year, Membership May has become a great way to connect with members and highlight our corporate sponsors. Thanks for coming togther to learn about and support this special place! Clockwise from top right: Rising Tide Brewing Co, Portland; Knife Edge Brewing, Millinocket; Fogtown Brewing Co, Ellsworth.
Behind the Signs
News from the National Park Service and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Reminder – access to the Loop Road’s Katahdin Overlook will be closed until spring 2026! However, a detour is in place so visitors can travel around the Loop Road to all other points of interest.
Need a little more info-tainment in your social media feed? Be sure to follow KAWW on Facebook for timely bits of nature trivia delivered with that (in)famous park service humor.
Ripple Effect
News and notes from the Katahdin region, the Friends community, and beyond
If you’ll be in the Katahdin region this summer, take in a show at the Boreal Theater in downtown Millinocket – from chamber music to art talks to independent film.
How do we keep up with the news from and impacts on our country’s national parks these days? By reading National Parks Traveler, an independent journalistic outlet with a mission to inform the public of environmental, scientific, and newsworthy developments.
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on May 30, 2025. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
May is for Members – May eNewsletter
Posted: June 3, 2025 by Sarah Andre
Road gates are open, advocacy updates, Leave No Trace Trainer course, a month of celebrating members, and much more…
Have you heard? The gates are open! Visitors to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument may now enjoy access to Loop Road from the Swift Brook Road in Sherman and at the northern end, along the Old River Road to campsites and points of interest along the East Branch Penobscot River. Caring for hundreds of miles of remote gravel road is a job that never ends, but easy to take for granted. Waiting until the frost is out and heavy spring rains have passed before cars and trucks are allowed to enter prevents the most severe damage and roadside erosion. During the summer season, the National Park Service maintenance crew will grow to 12 people, keeping bridges safe, roads graded, and facilities clean and well-stocked.
You, our members, have helped make so much possible in Katahdin Woods and Waters – from Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, to bringing local classrooms into the monument for ranger-led programs, to endangered species monitoring. All month, we have been celebrating your accomplishments and the start to an exciting summer season, while answering your questions about new challenges that the park service is facing in 2025. We just wrapped up our statewide Membership May in Patten, but we are ALWAYS happy to reply to your emails and phone calls when you want information. (And in case you were wondering, yup, the black flies are out.)
Advocacy updates & trip to Washington, D.C.
On April 30th, Executive Director Brian Hinrichs (above center) joined over 75 park partners from around the country in Washington, D.C. for the National Park Foundation’s Hill Day, including Maine colleagues Eric Stiles of Friends of Acadia (right) and Nicholas Fisichelli of Schoodic Institute (left). Hill Day is an annual opportunity for park advocates to meet with legislators and discuss the policies that impact our national parks, public lands, and the people who care for them. Closer to home, Brian joined the National Parks Conservation Association for a meeting in Bangor on May 15th with local staff for Senator Angus King, Senator Susan Collins, and Congressman Jared Golden. In both instances, Brian discussed the successes and challenges we’re seeing on the ground in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and highlighted the need to adequately fund and staff our parks for the sake of visitor enjoyment and resource protection.
Friends organizations nationwide share our deep concern that as much as 12.5% of NPS staff across the country have been lost since January 20th while a further reduction in force is underway. The loss of these full-time positions combined with delays in seasonal hiring could create significant challenges in the field this summer. How can you help? Speak up now on behalf of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and sites across the country!
Finally, for some good news – we were encouraged to see the recent reintroduction of the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Steve Daines (R-MT). This bill would reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund, which previously brought a Maintenance Action Team to the national monument for critical projects.
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is not open for its inaugural season quite yet. The NPS team will soon announce the official opening date and initial schedule of operationg hours via their webiste and social media outlets. While NPS gets this new faciility ready to welcome the public, learn more about how the building will orient visitors to the land through the lens of a Wabanaki worldview. In case you missed it in April, this episode of MainePublic’s Borealis features a tour through the building with Friends’ Executive Director Brian Hinrichs. Or, watch this short video to learn about the clay tiles that serve as a testament to the vibrant and enduring culture of the Wabanaki tribes, honoring and preserving indigenous cultures and traditions.
Friends’ News
Katahdin Learning Project’s April 2025 Vacation Camp was one for the books! We were thrilled to welcome back several returning youth leaders and ambassadors who took on bigger roles this year—including leading their own creative and engaging lessons! Campers participated in an Earth Day cleanup and learned about Leave No Trace principles, as well as the importance of caring for our local trails. We had a fantastic lineup of guest speakers: Doug Kranich wowed the kids with several live snakes and demonstrated that they’re not so scary after all. Northern Stars Planetarium took us on a journey through the night sky, Ranger Clare from Katahdin Woods and Waters taught us about nocturnal animals and light pollution, and Ranger Cassandra from Baxter State Park introduced us to the fascinating world of amphibians. Camp just keeps getting better, and it was wonderful to see so many returning faces and new campers already excited to return as Camp Ambassadors when they reach middle school!
An important part of the Katahdin Learning Project is opening the door to new pathways and experiences for area youth, right in their own backyard! One week in early May, KLP educators Kala and Maggie headed to Stearns High School’s Career Fair to talk about non-profit organizations, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and the purpose of and need for “friends of” organizations. Students were quizzed on the presentation, earning a chance to win a new hammock. It was great way to learn about various career paths and have a little fun too! Then, along with the Katahdin Region Outdoor Collective (KROC) and Outdoor Sport Institute, students signed up to head south with KLP to the Maine Bound Adventure Center at UMaine in Orono. They got warm and loose playing a few team building games, and then it was off to the challenge course! Every student had the chance to walk catwalks, take on obstacle courses, and finally, sail through the air on a giant swing. You can see the smiling faces from that day at the top of this email! These programs are possible with funds from GEAR UP Maine, administered by Syntiro, and you, our members. Thank you.
*KROC Summer Programs are now open for registration! Learn more and sign up for these free programs for Katahdin region 6th-12th graders.
Leave No Trace Trainer Course – Member opportunity! This two-day course, June 19th-20th at Lunksoos Campground, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, is designed to enhance participants’ understanding of minimal impact recreation and outdoor ethics. In this course you will learn the skills and techniques essential to practicing Leave No Trace. This course is also for individuals who will be teaching Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics and those who are familiar with Leave No Trace but want to deepen their understanding of the science behind the Seven Principles. Through lectures, discussion, activities, student-led lessons and one night out in the field, participants will gain tools to further define their outdoor ethic and learn teaching skills to pass the principles on to others. Participants leave with practical teaching tools and a Level I Trainer Certificate. Registration closes on June 6th and there are just a few spots left. Friends members get 50% off! Reach out to elise@friendsofkww.org with questions or register here.
Membership May – We wrapped up a busy month of meeting Friends old and new at four breweries around the state with our final stop yesterday Katahdin Brew Works in Patten! Now in its second year, Membership May has become a great way to connect with members and highlight our corporate sponsors. Thanks for coming togther to learn about and support this special place! Clockwise from top right: Rising Tide Brewing Co, Portland; Knife Edge Brewing, Millinocket; Fogtown Brewing Co, Ellsworth.
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
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on May 30, 2025. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
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