MAINE PUBLIC • January 17, 2023
Downeast Maine is officially a National Heritage Area, the first in the state. The designation means that the region is now considered a nationally significant landscape. President Biden made it official when he signed legislation into law late last year. The idea started with Downeast farmers who wanted to raise the profile of the wild blueberry industry, said Crystal Hitchings of the Sunrise County Economic Council. The proposal expanded to include all of Hancock and Washington Counties, which will eventually receive federal funds to kick-start outdoor recreation and cultural preservation projects.