We have lost our focus here in Maine, we pretend that economic development involves getting some big business to come and provide jobs for our workers. Today any large business shows up with a long list of demands; from training workers to tax breaks. That scenario is limited in its success and we have the empty commercial property and homes to prove it, I can only guess about the cost of those breaks after the business leaves.
I have been writing about how fortunate I am to work as a guide and what I see as a real need for guides in the future. There is another side that needs to be considered and that is what will the guide of the future need to know besides “how to” and “where to” outdoors.
When I presented to the Forest Resources class at the University of Maine a couple of weeks ago. One of the things I mentioned was that as or society becomes more urban, electronic and fast paced there is a need to connect to the outdoors. As most in our society are not aware of the details of not only getting outdoors but appreciating what is there when they arrive. Someone needs to help them. A prefect description of what a guide offers!
