Land Trust Lands Lewiston-Auburn spot in National Park Service Video Project
July 12, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Jonathan P. LaBonte
Androscoggin Land Trust
info@androscogginlandtrust.org
(207) 782-2302
National Park Service Video on Youth Expeditions to Feature Androscoggin River
Lewiston-Auburn joins Holyoke, MA and Providence, RI in feature on recreation in the Northeast US
Auburn, ME - The Androscoggin Land Trust (ALT) has been selected by the National Park Service to launch a creative summer program designed to connect Lewiston-Auburn’s young people to the region's diverse parks. The program includes two other New England cities, Holyoke, MA and Providence, RI and will result in a video feature that will be promoted nationally showing the connections between parks and communities, with a focus on youth.
In partnership with the Tree Street Youth program based in Lewiston, ALT is organizing a series of “Park Expeditions” for young people— visits to local parks, as well as Androscoggin Riverlands State Park and Acadia National Park—that will highlight a broad range of recreational activities. As part of the program, ALT will also develop a youth-oriented video featuring the Park Expeditions to further promote the values of parks and recreation through social media outlets.
“The Androscoggin Land Trust is excited to be an active partner with the National Park Service and other New England cities in exploring, celebrating and promoting local, state and national parks. Through the Park Expeditions and accompanying video, not only will local youth experience the Androscoggin and Maine’s national treasure at Acadia, but our community’s parks, trails and river will be on display to a national audience ,” said Jonathan LaBonte, the Androscoggin Land Trust's executive director.
"We're pleased to be working again with the Androscoggin Land Trust in this new venture,” said Julie Isbill of the National Park Service office in Brunswick, “Their Park Expeditions is a wonderful example of nurturing lifelong connections with parks for young people through recreational and education.”
Park Expeditions is part of a national youth engagement initiative supported by the National Park Service and its partners at the Appalachian Mountain Club.
The first outing, a “learn to fish” event will be held Friday July 13th in the morning at Lewiston’s Simard-Payne Railroad Park. A second outing is planned for a visit to explore Maine’s newest state park, the Androscoggin Riverlands, which is just 20 miles north of downtown Lewiston-Auburn. And finally, members of Tree Street Youth will embark on an end of summer camping trip to experience Maine’s Acadia National Park.
The Androscoggin Land Trust is a membership supported organization dedicated to protecting, through land conservation and stewardship, important natural areas, traditional landscapes and outdoor experiences in the Androscoggin River watershed. ALT offers recreational programs in the region include LA Trails, serving Lewiston-Auburn, Chisholm Trails, serving Jay and Livermore Falls, and the Great Falls Paddling Society, offering seasonal outings on the Androscoggin River.
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Additional Photos : ( Click for full size )
Video Project Team