Planning

 

Planning for Our Parks

The National Park Service (NPS) plans to ensure that the decisions it makes will be carried out as effectively and efficiently as possible. The National Park Service prepares a variety of planning and environmental documents to help guide management of park resources. Planning provides methods and tools for resolving issues in ways that minimize conflicts and promotes mutually beneficial solutions - solutions that articulate how public enjoyment of the parks can be part of a strategy for ensuring that resources are protected unimpaired for future generations.

Planning Portfolio

Park managers are guided by a variety of plans and studies, covering many topics. The totality of a park’s plans is referred to as the Portfolio of Management Plans. The portfolio is a dynamic compilation of planning guidance in which certain planning elements are removed and updated, or new elements added as needed. The portfolio may consist of basic descriptions of a park’s purpose, such as the Foundation Statement; comprehensive plans, such as a General Management Plan and Master Plan; implementation plans, such as a site management plan and transportation plan; and strategic program plans, such as a long-range interpretive plan. The above lists are examples of the types of planning elements that could be found in a portfolio. Each park’s portfolio of management plans will be composed of a unique set of plans designed specifically to help manage that particular unit.

Foundation Document

Each unit of the National Park System is required to have a formal statement of its core mission that will provide basic guidance for all planning and management decisions—a foundation for planning and management.

A foundation document describes the core mission of the park unit by identifying the purpose, significance, fundamental and other important resources and values, interpretive themes, special mandates and administrative commitments, and the unit’s setting in the regional context. It also presents an assessment of planning and data needs that will guide future planning efforts for the park unit.

Foundation Document, full version (2023, 12.9 MB PDF)
Foundation Document, overview (2023, 3.4 MB PDF)

Management Framework

The National Park Service initiated the process to develop a management framework for Katahdin Woods and Waters shortly after the monument was designated in 2016. A framework for management establishes the overarching vision for the public lands and guide the direction for future work and activities.

2016

In the fall of 2016, a series of community listening sessions were held in Stacyville, Medway, Millinocket, and Bangor. Over 550 interested citizens attended these sessions and numerous others shared written comments by e-mail and mail, and in person.

These listening sessions were held to hear directly from interested citizens in communities surrounding the monument. The goal of these sessions was to gain a greater understanding of the diverse perspectives held by the communities and interested groups about the future planning of the monument. These discussions helped to identify the issues and opportunities that need to be addressed through continued public engagement during planning process.

September 15, 2016 Stacyville, Maine
September 20, 2016 Medway, Maine
September 22, 2016 Millinocket, Maine
September 29, 2016 Orono, Maine

2017

On August 8, 2017, a workshop was held at Shin Pond Village in Mount Chase. The workshop was an opportunity for the National Park Service to hear more from the community about potential infrastructure connected to Lower Shin Pond and road access within the monument. Nearly 50 people attended and others shared input in writing.

2018

In 2018, the National Park Service hosted a series of public meetings to inform the development of a draft management plan for the monument. Meetings were held on the following dates and locations:

January 24, 2018 East Millinocket, Maine
April 11, 2018 Stacyville, Maine
October 17, 2018 Presque Isle, Maine
October 30, 2018 Brewer, Maine
November 14, 2018 South Portland, Maine

The January 24 meeting focused on winter use in the monument and was attended by more than 60 people.

2019

In June 2019, public meetings were held to share initial thinking on potential management areas and descriptions of the experiences within those areas. The following meetings were held:

June 11, 2019 Soldiertown Township, Maine
June 13, 2019 Brewer, Maine
June 26, 2019 Portland, Maine

Reports

For copies of the reports from the listening sessions and planning meetings, contact us.