BAR HARBOR, Maine — When the federal government shut down, Acadia National Park staff were told not to come to work, and park volunteers were told the same. Now, Acadia has reached a special agreement with the federal government to welcome some volunteers back to the park.
The National Parks Service is allowing the Acadia Winter Trails Association, which is run by the non-profit group Friends of Acadia, to groom trails during the shutdown.
When the park gets enough snow, the association grooms nearly 30 miles of trails for skiers, snowshoers and walkers.
The President of Friends of Acadia David MacDonald tells News Center Maine, the National Parks Service agreed to allow the Acadia Winter Trails Association to operate during the shutdown because it is generally self-sufficient.
"The Acadia Winter Trail groomers are very low maintenance. They're very independent, they know what they're doing. The park felt comfortable that this level of volunteerism would not expose the public or the volunteers to any risk," according to MacDonald.
However, the groomers are operating under strict conditions. Paige Steele, the conservation projects manager for Friends of Acadia says, "While the groomers are out here they can't do any other grooming activity except for riding the sleds and taking the drags out. They can't take care of hazard trees that are down; they can't do work on any new trails."
The volunteers work hand in hand with the park staff, and Acadia National Park actually owns and maintains the equipment they work on. That means if a snowmobile breaks down or needs maintenance, it will be out of commission until the government and ultimately the park reopens.