BETHEL – The Mahoosuc Way, a new sustainable tourism initiative, was launched today by leading businesses, communities and nonprofits in the Bethel, Maine area. The new group encourages and encourages residents and visitors to “embrace our place” by pledging to work together to protect the environment, the quality of life and the vitality of the community.

The Mahoosuc Way – Embrace Our Place pledge is designed to instill local values ​​to newcomers and visitors, and encourage collective action to protect and maintain the quality of the place that makes the area an attractive place to live and visit. Visitors and local residents are committed to behavior based on five core values: honor this country; Explore wisely; Show respect; Cultivate community; and be climate conscious.

“With the increased demand for outdoor recreation and real estate in our area, it is important to redouble our landscape conservation efforts while embracing the tourism industry,” said Karolyn Castaldo, Sunday River Resort’s communications director. “The Mahoosuc Way promise enables locals and visitors to be part of the solution and empower our community.”

The program is based on the 2019 Community Destination Academy, sponsored by the Northern Forest Center and the Maine Office of Tourism, which has developed a long-term sustainable tourism strategy for the Mahoosuc area, which includes Bethel and the cities of Newry, Greenwood and Woodstock. The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated increased visits and recreations to the countryside only added to the effort.

“The Mahoosuc Way’s focus on sustainability is timely,” said Steve Lyons, director of the Maine Office of Tourism.

“As a result of COVID-19, travelers are looking for experiences that allow for natural social distancing. and outdoor recreation fits in perfectly. We want to get the message across that visitors are welcome to Maine, but we need your help conserving the natural resources that make this a place you and future visitors want to visit, ”he said.

“What I love about the Mahoosuc Way promise is that it relies on the visitor’s essential role as caretaker and protector,” said Kirk Siegel, executive director of the Mahoosuc Land Trust, who was forced to temporarily close a popular local swimming hole in August to close in response to overuse and related concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. “This approach of investing in the user is an absolutely critical part of the way forward. I also think it’s great how it facilitates community conversations between hosts and visitors. “

Vern Maxfield, Woodstock City Manager, was one of those who emphasized the importance of balancing visiting and recreation with local traditions and the interests of longtime residents during the 2019 Community Destination Academy.

“I am aware of the complaint that when people move in they want to change them to be who they came from,” said Maxfield. “Our region is living proof that working with visitors, tourists and ‘people from outside’ can make our lives more interesting, more enjoyable and more enjoyable. The Mahoosuc Way shows what a valuable area and what traditions we have and should give us the desire to keep it and improve it. “

The Mahoosuc Way Sustainable Tourism Strategy is based on a long-term platform for investments in regional coordination, environmental leadership, experience development as well as personnel and housing development. Embrace Our Place’s promise is a first step by local leaders to build broad support and engagement for this strategy among businesses, visitors and residents in the area.

The local work is led by the 15-strong Mahoosuc Sustainable Tourism Committee. The launch of The Mahoosuc Way – Embrace Our Place promise was supported by financial contributions from over 30 business, nonprofit, community and individual stakeholders. A full list of founding partners for sustainability can be found here.

Fundamental support for the Mahoosuc Way was provided by the Maine Rural Objective Development Program and Northern Forest Objective Development Initiative – a Northern Forest Center program funded by the Northern Border Regional Commission.

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