Place

Oldfarm 4: Early Preservation of Mount Desert Island

A man in a suit stands in a cliff edge facing a forested landscape. — .
NPS Photo

Early Preservation of Mount Desert Island

Dorr and other residents grew increasingly concerned as private landowners and developers began restricting access to some of Mount Desert Island’s most beautiful and ecologically important landscapes. They feared that the island’s natural treasures were slowly disappearing under the pressures of privatization and development.

In response, Dorr passionately advocated for preservation, writing, “The need is now to preserve these places in their openness, in their unspoiled beauty and in the interest of their wildlife, of their native trees and plants, their birds and animals, the places where the influence of Nature may be felt the most, or observed and studied to its fullest.”

His words reflected a deep commitment not only to protecting the land but also to ensuring that future generations could experience and learn from the island’s natural beauty.