Celebrating Maine’s outdoor economy
Hello friends. This is Sen. Stacey Guerin, coming to you from Glenburn in beautiful Penobscot County. I have the honor of representing the citizens of Senate District 4, which includes all of Piscataquis County and 11 communities in Penobscot County.
When summer arrives in Maine, our state comes alive.
Boats head out across our lakes before sunrise. Families pull into campgrounds for a weekend away. Hikers set off down wooded trails, anglers cast their lines and visitors shop at local stores to gather supplies for the day ahead.
These activities are part of what makes summer in Maine so special, but they also represent something much larger. Maine’s woods, waters, mountains and trails are among our greatest economic assets.
Our outdoor heritage supports thousands of people who work hard to make a living here. It supports Maine guides, sporting camps, outfitters, campground owners and seasonal workers. It brings customers to restaurants, inns, bait shops, general stores and gas stations. It creates opportunities for entrepreneurs and helps sustain rural communities where every job and every customer make a difference.
When visitors come to hike, camp, fish, paddle or simply enjoy the scenery, the money they spend circulates through our communities. It helps local businesses keep their doors open, employ our neighbors and contribute to the towns we call home.
That is especially true in Piscataquis and Penobscot counties, where the outdoors is not merely a backdrop. It is part of our way of life and an important part of our economic future.
From the ridges of Katahdin to Moosehead Lake and the many trails, ponds and forests throughout our district, we are surrounded by places that people travel great distances to experience. For those of us who live here, it can be easy to take that beauty for granted. Yet it is one of the qualities that makes Maine unlike anywhere else.
Our state parks and public lands give people of all ages the opportunity to experience Maine’s natural beauty. They are places where children catch their first fish, families gather around campfires and people step away from the demands of everyday life. They also introduce visitors to communities they might otherwise never discover.
This summer, I hope you will make time to enjoy what our state has to offer. Take your children or grandchildren to a favorite fishing spot. Spend a day at a state park. Try a trail you have never explored. Visit a local sporting camp or hire a registered Maine guide. Stop for lunch at a small-town restaurant and pick up your supplies at a locally owned store.
Every outdoor adventure can also be an opportunity to support the people and businesses that keep Maine’s communities strong.
Maine’s outdoors give us places to explore, traditions to pass down and moments of peace we cannot find anywhere else. They also provide jobs, support local businesses and help communities across our state build a stronger future.
That is something worth enjoying, protecting and celebrating.
Thank you for listening. I’m Sen. Stacey Guerin, wishing you and your family a safe and memorable Maine summer.
Sen. Stacey Guerin represents District 4, which includes all of Piscataquis County and 11 communities in Penobscot County. She is the Senate Republican lead for the Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and a member of the Government Oversight Committee.
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