MAINE MONITOR • June 25, 2023
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is exploring the creation of a new national wildlife refuge in the High Peaks area of the western Maine mountains, a proposal aimed at protecting wildlife and preserving access to recreational areas — but also one raising concerns among some area residents. The agency is studying roughly 200,000 acres straddling the Appalachian Trail, with an eye toward creating a refuge of between 5,000 and 15,000 acres. The refuge would not necessarily be made up of contiguous property, but instead could be made up of individual tracts of land whose owners would be “willing sellers.” Bob Carlton, one of the county commissioners, has been an outspoken critic. He said much of the land is already protected by the state and various land trusts, and he doesn’t want an additional layer of federal control.