Earlier this year, the Center awarded more than $40,000 in grants to 5 organizations in the Katahdin region to support projects that help get more people involved in outdoor recreation.

The grant program is part of the Center’s overall outdoor recreation strategy that fosters a regional outdoor recreation economy to support business, help retain and attract people to live in rural communities, honor local culture, and inspire appreciation and stewardship of the forested landscape.

“We’re thrilled to support the amazing work being done by communities and organizations across the region to get people connected outdoors and connected to the Northern Forest,” said Joe Fox, outdoor recreation manager for the Center.

The Town of Island Falls used its $3,000 grant to create a story trail. “We developed the River Walk Story Trail to encourage literacy, outdoor recreation, and community connection by placing a rotating set of storybook panels along the scenic river path,” said Elizabeth Moulton, recreation director for the town.

The project invites visitors of all ages to walk the trail while enjoying a children’s story, fostering both physical activity and a love of reading. “We completed the project in July, just in time for our annual Summerfest,” she said. “It’s been well-received by residents and visitors alike.”

The Outdoor Sport Institute (OSI), used its grant to support a vibrant summer internship program that offered meaningful employment to young people exploring careers in outdoor leadership. The interns collaborated “with several organizations to deliver youth programming, trail stewardship, visitor education, and other services,” said OSI Executive Director Mike Smith.

The summer interns helped advance several projects that align with a regional outdoor recreation investment strategy that the Center coordinated. Interns helped lead trips, worked on in-town trails and trails at the Peavey Brook Outdoor Center, and helped develop a Katahdin region visitor curriculum that provides a high-level perspective on sensory experience, indigenous and industrial history of the area, as well as relevant land management and land use ethics.

The Center also supported the Medway Recreation Department’s  purchase of a fleet of canoes and kayaks for a new youth paddling program; helped the Town of Millinocket  purchase an adaptive friendly swing for a town park; and provided Schenk High School with funds to purchase a cache of trail maintenance tools for upcoming rehabilitation projects on trails abutting the school’s campus. The school and OSI will collaborate on the trail projects.

LL Bean, the RK Mellon Foundation, and contributors to the Center’s Northern Forest Fund provided funding for these community recreation grants. “We’re grateful to LL Bean and the RK Mellon Foundation as well as our dedicated donors for helping to fund these grants,” said Fox. “They’re enabling more people to get involved in outdoor recreation in their communities.”

Fox said that the Center hopes to offer another round of outdoor recreation grants in 2026.

Katahdin Region Projects Funded

Island Falls Recreation Department (Island Falls, ME): $3,000 — Support for the River Walk Trail along the Mattawamkeag River.

Town of Medway (Medway, ME): $4,500 — Funding to help launch a brand-new youth paddling program.

Schenck High School (East Millinocket, ME): $1,270 — Tools for a program to engage students in stewardship of trails abutting the school’s campus.

Town of Millinocket (Millinocket, ME): $2,500 — Support for an adaptive friendly swing for a town park.

Outdoor Sport Institute (Katahdin region): $30,000 — Funding to support for four summer interns advancing numerous educational and stewardship initiatives in the Katahdin region