History of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway
A River of Broken Promises
(pdf)
Read the executive summary and timeline of this report about management
of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
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NRCM is a vital partner in Citizens to Protect the Allagash, a coalition of groups working to protect and restore the character of Maine's signature watershed. |
Maine Sunday Telegram op-ed | Jan 04, 2009
Boston Globe news story | Apr 21, 2008
Bangor Daily News news story | Apr 17, 2008
In-Depth Description
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is one of Maine's signature natural areas. Following a multi-year campaign led by NRCM, it was established in 1966 by the Maine State Legislature, with a $1.5 million bond issue overwhelmingly approved by Maine voters, and $1.5 million from the federal government.
As a result of hard work by Senator Edmund Muskie, in 1970, the Allagash was designated a "wild" river area in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This meant that it would be kept generally inaccessible except by trail.
Today, the character of the Waterway is threatened by roads, parking lots, and boat launches, marring the pristine nature of this area's views and peace and quiet.
In 2003, NRCM and its Citizens to Protect the Allagash partners worked out an agreement with state agencies, organizations, and individuals that lays out plans to restore the wild character of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. NRCM will continue to work hard to ensure that this is the first step toward ensuring that the Allagash Wilderness Waterway will be managed as a true wilderness area, as the people of Maine intended.