Restoring Recreational Access after the December 2023 Storm
August 21, 2024
On December 17th, 2023, the residents of Maine went to bed knowing two things for sure, Christmas was just around the corner and the forecast called for little bit of blustery weather the next day. However, over the next 36 hours, Maine would face one of the worst storms of the century.
The residents of Grand Lake Stream woke on the morning of December 19th to an almost unrecognizable village. Hundreds of trees were uprooted and snapped in half. Multiple power lines were down and debris littered the road. Roofs were ripped open and massive trees lay across homes and garages. For a whole night and day, the entire state was battered by hurricane force winds and several inches of rainfall. Thousands would be without power for days and some even spent Christmas in the dark.
The Downeast Lakes Land Trust had severe damage to over 100 acres of forested land. Trees lay crisscrossed over every road and hiking trail. Branches and downed trees covered the grounds at the new office building. The DLLT would need additional help from seasonal staff. I was hired in April of 2023 and it was clear that cleaning up storm damage was priority number one. As I assessed the trails, the true extent of the damage began to unfold. This would not be an easy task for one intern. Cyrus joined the team at the end of May and storm cleanup began in earnest.
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Lots of debris was removed from the office grounds and many large trees were cut and their stumps removed from the lawn. Cyrus and I spent weeks hiking trails with power tools and pole saws, clearing small trees and brush. Some of the damage to our trails was so severe that a team of professional arborists were brought in to tackle the dangerous blow downs. Although we were chainsaw safety certified, this type of damage called for experts. The worst part was a tangled mess of giant hemlocks and spruce that lay on the steep side of Pineo mountain, directly on top of a hiking trail. We spent days working with the arborists, learning the tricks of the trade and carrying supplies. Both of the arborists were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They didn’t mind taking the extra time to teach us why or how they were doing certain things. Cyrus and I learned how to read and assess the trees in order to predict their movement. We learned how to notch trees and practiced dropping them under direct supervision. It was a privilege to work with the arborists and the skills we learned will stay with us forever.
It is now the end of August and the trails are clear and campsites picked up, but if you look closely, evidence of the December 2023 storm can still be found. Although the storm damage was devastating, new growth is already filling in the empty places in the forest. The summer is slowly coming to an end and our time at Downeast Lakes Land Trust has been invaluable. Cyrus and I are both finishing the summer with more skills than what we started with and the public are able to safely access the land and trails. We are so grateful to all that made this experience possible.
Haleigh
