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Maine Island Trail Association

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Conservation and preservation group
Maine Island Trail Association
Littlejohn Island, in Yarmouth, Maine, one of the islands maintained by MITA
AbbreviationMITA
Founded1988 (36 years ago) (1988)
FoundersDave Getchell Sr.
TypeNonprofit
Headquarters100 Kensington Street, Portland, Maine
Location
  • U.S.
Area served Coastal Maine
ServicesConservation
Preservation
Executive DirectorBen Dougherty (since 2024)
Key peopleBrian Marcaurelle (program director)
Websitehttps://mita.org/

The Maine Island Trail Association (abbreviated MITA) is a grassroots, volunteer-run conservation and preservation group based in Portland, Maine, United States. It was co-founded by David Getchell Sr. in 1988, following a land survey, conducted by the State of Maine, of the state's uninhabited coastal islands. The survey discovered around 1,300 unclaimed geographical features, including islands and sandbars.

It also manages the Maine Island Trail, a recreational water trail which runs the entire coast of Maine, connecting (as of 2023) 182 island and 76 mainland sites available for day visits or overnight camping. MITA itself does not own any land; it supports land trusts and private landowners in the upkeep of its islands. On private and state-owned properties, public access is provided in exchange for MITA's caretaking.

As of 2023, MITA has almost 10,000 members. Its executive director between 2007 and 2024 was Doug Welch. He was succeeded by Ben Dougherty. Its program director is Brian Marcaurelle.

David Getchell

MITA was co-founded by David R. Getchell Sr., a native of Bangor, Maine. He died in 2018, aged 89.

See also

References

  1. "History". Maine Island Trail Association. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  2. ^ O'Connell, Jenny (2023-06-06). "On Frenchman Bay, An Island Steward Razes the Roof". Down East Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  3. Robichaux, Stephanie (24 May 2010). "Hit Maine's Watery Trail". National Geographic. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  4. ^ Paradysz, Amy (2017-06-04). "Society Notebook: Buoying support for the Maine Island Trail Association". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  5. "10 best things to do in Maine". Travel. 2023-06-09. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  6. Trotter, Bill (2023-08-29). "More than 5,000 pounds of debris cleaned up around Maine islands". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  7. ^ "History". Maine Island Trail Association. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  8. "Staff". Maine Island Trail Association. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  9. Parson, Nick (2024-09-26). "Maine Island Trail Association Names Ben Dougherty as Executive Director - Maine Island Trail Association". mita.org. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  10. Writer, Mary PolsStaff (2017-06-18). "Christina Hassett stewards Little Chebeague Island for the Maine Island Trail Association". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  11. Writer, Peggy GrodinskyStaff (2019-04-21). "The Purifier: Brian Marcaurelle helps to keep wild Maine islands – and the waters around them – clean". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  12. "Remembering the life of David Getchell Sr". obituaries.bangordailynews.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.

External links

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