Decision for Rehabilitating and Changing Policies at Blackwoods Campground Now Available

Date: August 26, 2003
Contact: Judy Hazen Connery, [phone]
Contact: Jim Vekasi, [phone]

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a decision about rehabilitating historic Blackwoods Campground in Acadia National Park, Maine. In addition, the NPS will make changes in policies for managing Blackwoods. The purpose of the rehabilitation and changes in management is to rehabilitate failing visitor facilities, protect natural and cultural resources, improve visitor experiences, and reduce long-term maintenance costs. Decisions were based on NPS Management Policies, the park's General Management Plan, four public comments received, recommendations from the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission, and professional judgment.

Specific decisions include:

1. Changing management policies in Blackwoods to:
   -reduce the hours that generators can be used in the campground;
   -limit the width of recreational vehicles (RVs) allowed in the campground to 12 feet (length would remain limited to a maximum of 35 feet); and,
   -restrict the collection of dead and down wood in the campground, but allow it elsewhere in the park within 100 feet of auto roads.
2. Rehabilitate Blackwoods Campground according to Alternative B in the Blackwoods Campground Rehabilitation and Policy Changes Environmental Assessment. Most importantly utilities, roads, and structures would be rehabilitated while leaving the campground rustic and as natural as possible. Electric hookups would not be added to the campground; nor would hot water, showers, or other amenities. A small, six-bedroom apartment building and two campground host sites would be added for employee housing.
3. To keep one loop open from mid-May until early October while the campground is being rehabilitated.

Rehabilitation is expected to begin in the fall of 2004, and will probably take one and a half to two years to complete.