Background
The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program (LWCF) provides matching funds to states for statewide outdoor recreation planning and for acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. From 1966 through 2019, just under $45 million of LWCF money has been used for non-federal projects in Maine – with projects spread across communities in all of Maine’s counties. LWCF funding does not come from taxpayer revenue, but rather from a portion of federal off-shore oil drilling fees.
LWCF grants can provide up to 50% of the allowable costs for approved acquisition or development projects. Municipalities, schools, the State of Maine, and tribal governments are eligible to apply for local LWCF grants through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry). State participation in LWCF requires preparation of a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), and approval of the plan by the National Park Service. A plan must include analysis of the state’s supply of outdoor recreation resources, discussion of the demand for outdoor recreation activities, a wetlands component, and a program for implementing the plan. Any plan must also include public participation in the planning process. To meet standards for being considered “comprehensive”, a plan needs to identify recreation issues of statewide importance. Maine’s SCORP plan simultaneously meets state outdoor recreation planning mandates.
This version of the Maine SCORP was developed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands with support from a diverse Steering Committee of state agency and non-governmental partners. It relies on a significant public survey component, various data sources detailing the supply of outdoor recreation sites and facilities, academic and other published reports, professional expertise from various sectors, and public input.
Plan Elements
Part I of the plan details planning context and process. Part II discusses outdoor recreation trends and resources. Part III explores five key themes (issues of statewide importance) and lists implementation strategies for each theme. These strategies are further broken down into LWCF funding priorities and broader recommended actions. The implementation strategies are also listed by theme here in the Executive Summary. Finally, the plan appendices include steering committee members and meeting notes, the online survey report and survey instrument, and the wetlands component.
Background
The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program (LWCF) provides matching funds to states for statewide outdoor recreation planning and for acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. From 1966 through 2019, just under $45 million of LWCF money has been used for non-federal projects in Maine – with projects spread across communities in all of Maine’s counties. LWCF funding does not come from taxpayer revenue, but rather from a portion of federal off-shore oil drilling fees.
LWCF grants can provide up to 50% of the allowable costs for approved acquisition or development projects. Municipalities, schools, the State of Maine, and tribal governments are eligible to apply for local LWCF grants through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry). State participation in LWCF requires preparation of a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), and approval of the plan by the National Park Service. A plan must include analysis of the state’s supply of outdoor recreation resources, discussion of the demand for outdoor recreation activities, a wetlands component, and a program for implementing the plan. Any plan must also include public participation in the planning process. To meet standards for being considered “comprehensive”, a plan needs to identify recreation issues of statewide importance. Maine’s SCORP plan simultaneously meets state outdoor recreation planning mandates.
This version of the Maine SCORP was developed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands with support from a diverse Steering Committee of state agency and non-governmental partners. It relies on a significant public survey component, various data sources detailing the supply of outdoor recreation sites and facilities, academic and other published reports, professional expertise from various sectors, and public input.
Plan Elements
Part I of the plan details planning context and process. Part II discusses outdoor recreation trends and resources. Part III explores five key themes (issues of statewide importance) and lists implementation strategies for each theme. These strategies are further broken down into LWCF funding priorities and broader recommended actions. The implementation strategies are also listed by theme here in the Executive Summary. Finally, the plan appendices include steering committee members and meeting notes, the online survey report and survey instrument, and the wetlands component.
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