(Christian Science Monitor) One day before the centennial anniversary of America’s National Parks Service, President Obama has kicked off the celebration by adding one more national park.
Approximately 87,500 acres of land in Maine’s North Woods will be protected under the new designation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. The land was donated to the government on Tuesday by Roxanne Quimby, the co-founder of Burt’s Bees, and officially made a national monument Wednesday after a years-long push full of obstacles and controversy.
“In addition to protecting spectacular geology, significant biodiversity and recreational opportunities, the new monument will help support climate resiliency in the region,” the White House said in a statement Wednesday. “The protected area — together with the neighboring Baxter State Park to the west — will ensure that this large landscape remains intact, bolstering the forest’s resilience against the impacts of climate change.”
