Friends of Acadia is a nonprofit membership organization that helps preserve and protect

Acadia National Park Acadia National Park is an American national park located along the mid-section of the Maine coast, southwest of Bar Harbor. The park preserves about half of Mount Desert Island, part of the Isle au Haut, the tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, and ...

and its surrounding communities. Based in

Bar Harbor, Maine Bar Harbor is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. During the summer and fall seasons, it is a popular tourist destination and, until a catastrophic fire i ...

, the organization works with Acadia to identify areas where its advocacy can benefit the park's critical needs, such as protecting natural resources and engaging youth volunteers. In March 2020, Friends of Acadia backed legislation that was sponsored by Sen. Angus King (I-ME) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), granting Gold Star families free access to all national parks. The organization claimed the bill would “increase access to the restorative powers of nature.” FOA's "Wild Acadia" initiative supports conservation-related programs and research, including the restoration of watersheds impacted by invasive species, reduction of threats to water quality, and improvement to stream flow for fish passage. Donors like

Martha Stewart Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing pub ...

and

Dick Wolf Richard Anthony Wolf (born December 20, 1946) is an American film and television producer, best known for his Law & Order (franchise), ''Law & Order'' franchise. Since 1990, the franchise has included six police/courtroom dramas and four internat ...

have supported the initiative in the past. Friends of Acadia contributes funding to the

Island Explorer The Island Explorer is a seasonal bus system that provides fare-free transportation on and near Mount Desert Island in the U.S. state of Maine. It is operated by Downeast Transportation, and largely intended to serve visitors to Acadia National Pa ...

bus system.

Leadership

Friends of Acadia's former president and CEO is David MacDonald, who had previously worked at Maine Coast Heritage Trust. He is often cited in news stories relating to Acadia and other national parks, in addition to publishing op-ed columns on park-related issues. In 2021, MacDonald announced his intention to leave Friends of Acadia in 2022, after ten years in the role."MacDonald leaving Friends of Acadia"
– '' Mount Desert Islander'', November 3, 2021

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://friendsofacadia.org/ Acadia National Park Non-profit organizations based in Maine