New for 2020: On my Events page is a new talk (along with book on my store page) which discusses at length the reasons for creating new national parks in the Northeast. At the bottom of this page is a sample letter that can be used to send to your politicians to ask them to create these parks:
Northeastern U.S. National Parks: What is and What Could be – This talk (and associated book) focuses on expanding the National Park (NP) System in the Northeast, beyond just having Acadia National Park as its only large “natural” park, by adding 3 units: Cape Cod NP, Kancamagus NP in NH, and Maine Woods NP and Preserve. These 3 units are already existing federal land and could immediately be added to the NP Service by an Act of Congress. It is significant because all areas are relatively large (~45,000 acres or bigger) which would offer ecosystem level protection not currently enjoyed on most of these federal lands. Demographic trends and the large number of people who spend millions of dollars on wildlife watching clearly support such designations where all resources are ‘protected unimpaired for future generations’. Giving National Park status to these areas would provide an important, higher level of protection to better safeguard these areas especially during politically volatile times. This talk will make a plea to politicians that this is “America’s Best Idea” and is worth accomplishing here in the urbanized Northeast. It is my hope that the pictures, stories, and ideas in this 250 slide, 500 picture hour-long talk will inspire bipartisan support and legislation for this idea (click on link for sample letter to politicians).
Please contact the following elected officials to support creating more National Parks in the Northeast using the form letter below:
To: State Senator of MA:
Julian Cyr: Julian.Cyr@masenate.gov
U.S. Rep Bill Keating (MA)
To U.S. Senators of MA and NH:
http://maggiehassan.com/contact/
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/contact/contact-jeanne
https://www.warren.senate.gov/EmailElizabeth/
https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact
CC: Interior secretary click here (email: feedback@ios.doi.gov)
RE: More National Parks in the Northeast
Sample Letter to send:
Dear Senators,
I recently read the following book and am inspired to have more national parks in the Northeast U.S.:
Way, J.G. 2020. E-book (Revised, 2021). Northeastern U.S. National Parks: What Is and What Could Be. Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research, Barnstable, Massachusetts. 268 pages. Open Access URL: http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/northeasternusnationalparks/
I am a big fan of wildlife watching and the numbers support it as a very important economic contributor to the economy of many states. For instance, in my home state of Massachusetts in 2006 Wildlife Watchers outspent hunters $755 million to $71 million and are over 30% of the population compared to less than 1% for hunters. Despite these statistics, there are virtually no designated non-hunting public wildlife watching areas in my state nor throughout most of the Northeast that are large in size. This is undemocratic and ignores the fact that National Parks like Yellowstone are famous for their viewable (i.e., non-hunted) wildlife.
The nation needs to seriously consider making portions of the Northeast as National Parks so wildlife lovers (many hunters included) can watch wildlife unmolested and unimpaired for future generations. Giving National Park status to these areas would provide an important, higher level of protection to better safeguard these areas especially during politically volatile times. I believe that Cape Cod National Seashore should be made a National Park. Within newly recreated Cape Cod National Park I strongly suggest that all public lands in the town of Barnstable or the Otis Air Force Base woodlands also be included in the new national park as well as the current National Seashore on the outer Cape. Adding Barnstable to the park system will recognize the location where eastern coyotes/coywolves have been studied for over 12 years and where research took place to recognize the hybrid nature of the eastern coyote.
The Kancamagus scenic byway in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest should also be made a National Park within the existing National Forest system. This would give wildlife fanatics another place to observe wildlife in a natural state. I would suggest that the entire 32 mile stretch of the “Kanc” (Route 112) and the valley and mountainous corridor on both sides of the by-way be declared a National Park and be buffered by the existing National Forest. Specifically the Southern boundary could be south of Route 112 (going West to East) to Black Mountain, Scar Ridge, Mt. Osceola, Mt. Kancamagus, Flume Peak, Tripyramid Mtns, Potash Mtn, Mt. Passaconaway, Hedgehog Mtn, Mt. Chocorua, Blue Mtn, White Ledge, and Sugarloaf. The Northern boundary of the proposed park would be from north of Route 112 to (going West to East) Big Coolidge Mtn, Potash Knob, Mount Hitchcock, South and North Hancock, Sawyer Pond Scenic Area and Mount Tremont, Bear Mtn, Table Mtn, Big Attitash Mtn, North Moat Mtn and South Moat Mtn.
Finally, the creation of Maine Woods National Park (see: restore.org), a proposed 3.2 million acre park and preserve touted by many conservationists as America’s next great National Park should be seriously considered. Restore.org has a detailed description of this last great national park waiting to be created. I fully back it and the 2.2 million acre portion to be made a national park. However, in short order this park could be initiated with re-designating Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument as a national park and preserve and then adding on to in the future to make the park an ecosystem-sized reserve.
All of these parks could be easily established using (and perhaps adding on to) existing federal lands. I urge Congress to establish these national parks in the Northeast, which would be a wonderful gift to the American people. Please review Jonathan Way’s book and be inspired as well: http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/northeasternusnationalparks/.