Maine woods eco-lodge

The Washington Post reports on a Maine eco-lodge reached only in the winter by skis. Diane Daniel writes about her trip.

We were looking for a silent, snowy and achingly beautiful winter weekend. Five hours north of Boston, in the western Maine woods, we found it.

Even better, we spent two nights in off-the-grid full-service comfort deep in those woods, thanks to one of the most ambitious environmental projects in the state: the Maine Huts & Trails system, a nascent network of year-round hiking, biking and skiing trails connecting alternative-powered, eco-friendly huts where guests can spend the night.

Read the full story: Deep in the Maine woods

Photo from Maine Huts & Trails

Explore Maine's woods

USA Today reports on the new Maine woods campaign to get travelers to explore the states green interior.

A new website at mainewoodsdiscovery.com offers seven moderately priced vacation packages to make outdoor, recreational and cultural experiences around the state more accessible.

Read the full story: Vacation packages make the Maine woods more accessible

Discover Maine's nature through new guidebook

USA Today reports on the new guidebook to Maine's natural areas.

"Wheeling and tromping across thousands of miles of Maine's remotest points, author Tom Hanrahan has been to those pristine patches and plenty more. While he doesn't mind being alone, he doesn't want all million-plus acres of Maine public lands to himself.

At the request of the state Conservation Department, Hanrahan has written a book, Your Maine Lands — Reflections of a Maine Guide, to show Mainers and visitors the wild and breathtakingly scenic preserves that few people — Mainers included — know."

Read the full story: New guidebook uncovers Maine's scenic preserves

Green resort controversy in Maine

The Associated Press reports on the controversy over a newly planned resort development on privately-owned wild lands on Maine's Schoodic Peninsula.

The proposed resort area of 100-1,000 homes will be developed into a green community, said the Winter Harbor Properties investment group. All homes will be powered by solar energy and have green septic systems says project overseer Cecelia Ward.

Conservation groups say the development will bring in more traffic and disturb wildlife habitats.

Read the full story: Some see red over proposed 'green' resort in Maine

Maine corn mazes

Maine's Portland Press Herald had a great article about the popularity of interactive agriculture, that being corn mazes. The mazes are giant works of art that take careful planning and planting but once finished visitors can have fun in the corn. The Herald also points out that the mazes are important as supplemental income for small farms, so visiting also supports local farmers which is always better for the environment than huge faceless agribusinesses.

Read the full story: Get lost

CSM reports on lobster ecotours

The Christian Science Monitor posted this story today with subheadline:

"A twist on ecotourism turns kids into sternmen, adults into foragers, a lobsterman into a floating mentor, and crustaceans into unwitting stars of the show."

It explains how tourists to Maine can go out on a lobster boat with a real lobsterman to learn about the trade and then if there is a good catch eat a lobster for dinner.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines ecotourism as: "Tourism involving travel to areas of natural or ecological interest, typically under the guidance of a naturalist, for the purpose of observing wildlife and learning about the environment."

So according to the dictionary definition, these lobster tourists are traveling to natural areas, under the guidance of the well-informed lobsterman (who doesn't exactly qualify as a naturalist, in my humble opinion), for the purpose of observing and learning about lobsters - but - then eating them for dinner...

A twist on ecotourism indeed!

Read the full story: All claws on deck for lobster tours