We’re coming up on a double celebration in 2016: the 100th anniversary of both Acadia National Park and the National Park Service. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the great ideas and dedicated efforts that created the Acadia we know and love today, and to look ahead to the future of Acadia in its second century. Volunteers, donors, and Friends of Acadia have been instrumental in the great success of this park. Innumerable private contributions throughout Acadia’s history have protected important land and natural and cultural resources, have built and maintained essential park facilities, and allowed us to offer meaningful visitor services for the millions of people who love Acadia National Park.

Charles Eliot and George B. Dorr paved the way, preserving and protecting the best of Mount Desert Island and Schoodic. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. also preserved thousands of acres, and developed the incomparable system of carriage roads and scenic Park Loop Road. Early volunteers formed village improvement societies, building marvelous and unique trails like the Precipice, Jordan Cliffs, and the Perpendicular Trail, now maintained as historic resources.

Over the last 25 years, Friends of Acadia led the way to restore the carriage roads to their former glory and establish an endowment to maintain them. A similar approach focused on the 130 miles of renowned hiking trails with the Acadia Trails Forever campaign. The artistry and craftsmanship of the stonework and the challenge of the iron rungs and hand holds continue to impress and inspire visitors today. Without FOA’s commitment and contributions, the trails and carriage roads would likely be deteriorating for lack of attention (and funding).

With more than 3,000 individuals annually volunteering more than 40,000 hours to park improvements, we are indeed the envy of parks everywhere. A program of this magnitude requires considerable time and attention for volunteers to feel useful and the results to be meaningful—as they certainly are in Acadia. FOA funds two paid crew leaders and supports numerous volunteer crew leaders. Volunteers also assist with visitor programs, visitor orientation, and small maintenance projects. Other examples of programs that likely would be reduced or eliminated without FOA support include the Wild Gardens of Acadia, the Island Explorer, educational efforts for Maine schools and students, the accessible carriages at Wildwood, and the Village Connector Trail program.

As we approach our second century at Acadia, we must identify and address critical issues affecting our future. Certainly the need to engage youth in the national parks and the great outdoors is of growing concern to me as a conservationist and park manager. Young people seem to have less time and interest in nature, and they are missing wonderful experiences that can shape their lives in many positive ways. FOA helped us enlist local youth for a new “Acadia Youth Tech Team” and with grant funding this team spent the summer developing some new approaches to engaging youth in Acadia.

The key to the continuing success of Acadia National Park is strengthening our shared common goals and programs with FOA. Solutions are created and implemented with the people and communities that most care about our parks. The National Park Service Director John Jarvis has released a “Call to Action,” identifying the many ways he sees this to be possible. He reinforced the need to build our future on the legacies of our past and create excitement and enthusiasm across all generations including those yet unborn. In Acadia, I see this being achieved by continuing our resource protection efforts, focusing on ways to assure that park visitors have quality experiences across the park, and assuring that Acadia becomes the most youth-friendly and engaging national park in the country. Private funding will continue to be essential to provide the margin of excellence we enjoy today and develop innovative new efforts to engage Americans of all ages. I also think a new endowment to support education, traditional ranger guided activities, and interpretation will be necessary to continue to provide meaningful experiences that help create an emotional bond with this very special place.

As we approach 2016, join me and Friends of Acadia as we create opportunities for area residents and visitors to discover the many things that make Acadia so special, to be inspired by its beauty and history of personal dedication, and to be a true friend of Acadia, sharing in the commitment to care for Acadia now and into the future.

- Sheridan Steele, Superintendent