Ecotourism plan could be a boon to northern Maine

Monday, April 4, 2005

When most people think of tourism in Maine, they imagine rocky coasts, lobsters and ocean surf.

A decade from now, they might also think of magnificent forests, moose and birds, great fishing in crystal-clear rivers that flow through pristine woodland and outstanding hunting in untamed wilderness. With proper development and promotion, Maine can sell sights, smells and experiences seldom encountered by those who live in cities.

Gov. John E. Baldacci's proposed ecotourism initiative is a creative and significant plan that should bring greater prosperity to northern Maine.

George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, calls the idea "the most exciting recreation initiative in decades" and says it would bring new life to sagging outdoors and fishing industries.

We agree.

The governor's proposal makes good economic sense. It recognizes that there is more to our well-known reputation as "Vacationland" than the coast.

The plan includes reasonable tax incentives to encourage development -- not wall-to-wall strip malls but resorts and facilities that would make it possible for nature-loving visitors to see and enjoy the beauty Mainers know. It would also help owners of existing hunting and fishing camps.

The governor calls his plan the Pine Tree Recreation Zone Act. It is patterned on the successful Pine Tree Economic Zones that have helped stimulate industrial development. That is a good model.

The plan offers tax breaks for new or upgraded resorts in the northern part of the state. Tax credits would give developers a refund of up to 20 percent of the cost of approved projects. Construction supplies and equipment would be exempt from sales taxes.

One creative aspect of the plan would be a refund of meals and lodging taxes for the first five years of a development with the requirement that the refund must be used to advertise and market the resort. That highly creative idea might prove to be the most important part of the plan, as it generates greater interest in the kind of ecotourism northern Maine can offer.

Some might object to providing tax incentives to large landowners, especially the Plum Creek Timber Co., which has announced plans for major resorts near Moosehead Lake.

We do not share these concerns. If the governor's proposal stimulates Plum Creek or other developers to move forward with the kind of recreational development the governor seeks, it will be money well spent. The long-term benefits to the economy will more than justify the incentives that get the work started.

No one wants to see northern Maine turned into a rustic version of Disneyland. This plan encourages careful development that preserves and stresses the natural beauty Mainers have long treasured.