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Talking about conservation during times of economic stress is difficult, but how to bring more folks to support the future of Maine’s woods, waters, and wildlife assets? Maybe there’s a better way to understand their value.
Working for Maine Audubon on forest issues, I found a resource economist with a concept that really resonated with rural voters (and our southern coastal set, too). It was the outdoors as a “second paycheck.” It’s like this: going duck hunting before breakfast, going skiing or snowmobiling after dark and after work, and maybe wading into most any stream with your kids and fishing it ( public access is legal as long as the water is floatable), etc. We have a very long list of special outdoor sites and opportunities.
In Maine, where wages are often substandard, the idea that we have this precious, invaluable “second paycheck” hits home because people know it from their real lives. It probably needs to get better framed up by the enviro-community as a real-life-asset.
Big money is buying up and posting access to our woods, waters, and wildlife assets; inequality is reaching deep into what matters daily to us. (Graham Platner, perhaps take note: a way to add to your inequality message.) We might create more support for Land for Maine’s Future Program and public lands acquisition if the threat to our “second paycheck” was a clear message. (We’re feeling increasing loss up here at Moosehead Lake.)
Sandra Neily
Greenville
