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Brian Hinrichs is the executive director for Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument marks its 10th anniversary as a federally protected site on Aug. 24. Many recall the debate surrounding the donation of these 87,500 acres in Penobscot County to the National Park Service and President Barack Obama’s establishment of the monument in 2016. It is understandable that the press is eager to revisit this origin story.
However, those of us working to partner with the monument and lift up Katahdin region communities have long since turned our focus toward making the most of the generational opportunity at hand. What has the impact been so far?
The monument has averaged between 35,000 and 40,000 visitors in recent years, and visitation for 2026 is trending significantly upward, with nearly 29,000 visitors through June alone. The most recent analysis by NPS estimates $2.7 million in annual visitor spending effects, and hiring and contracting by NPS and Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters adds substantially to that figure; during the five-year design and construction period for the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, over $26 million was spent with Maine-based businesses and individuals. The Department of the Interior also makes payments in lieu of taxes to Penobscot County based on the monument’s acreage. For 2026, that payment is $310,622, the highest federal payment in lieu of taxes in Maine; the total since 2016 is almost $3 million.
These numbers demonstrate the monument’s growing role in the outdoor economy, and also show more work needs to be done. The opening of accessible attractions like Tekαkαpimək in 2025 and a renovated overlook this summer is fueling new interest. Getting the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Access Act across the finish line would open the door to greater connectivity with Millinocket. And full funding and staffing of the National Park Service would go a long way toward ensuring that key projects do not face further delay.
But the monument is also just one piece of the puzzle for the Katahdin region, adding to the diversified portfolio visitors and investors look for in rural communities. The Katahdin Gazetteer remains a relevant roadmap for the region, and it will take continued and increased collaboration among stakeholders to move the needle in the coming years.
While much ink has been spilled on the economic questions, less has been made of the intrinsic benefits to the environment and the many meaningful human connections that have grown around the monument.
At Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters, the Katahdin Learning Project has for 10 years inspired young learners to connect with nature in their own backyard. Every school in the Katahdin region has benefited from these free programs, which also include school vacation camps and summer expeditions.
The National Park Service and Friends have both invested in night sky programs celebrating this International Dark Sky Sanctuary, with Stars Over Katahdin coming up on Oct. 3. And during the creation of Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, thanks to landmark Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property agreements, a Wabanaki advisory board worked hand in hand with NPS and the Elliotsville Foundation to illuminate the stories of this place, the present and traditional homelands of the Penobscot Nation.
NPS maintains nation-to-nation relationships with all Wabanaki Nations through co-stewardship agreements, and important landback efforts bordering the monument could open new possibilities for the future. Tribal collaboration has already been critical to documenting archaeology in the park. And in 2023, the Penobscot Nation, NPS, and other agencies released thousands of hatchery-spawned Atlantic salmon into the East Branch of the Penobscot River. Improving aquatic passage throughout the watershed is a priority for NPS, with 25 successful bridge and culvert projects since 2020. The future for science in the park is bright, with private and public funding still arriving for inventory and monitoring efforts.
At Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters, we have been heartened to see thousands of supporters follow in Roxanne Quimby’s example of generosity. Donations of all sizes are fueling robust community programs and a powerful public-private partnership that ensures key improvements can move forward in the monument’s early years, like needed wayfinding and interpretive signage that will be installed in 2027.
In the face of increased threats to public lands, I hope Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument remains a beacon of hope for what can happen when communities come together to invest in a brighter future. Attend enough Katahdin Collaborative meetings, and you’ll quickly learn that while many miles from the coast, the saying remains the same: “A rising tide lifts all boats.”