The mists begin to clear away, revealing a beautiful deserted beach along a rocky shoreline. The only difficulty is the decision of whether to hike up the cliffs for an aerial view of the landscape or to hike down to the shore in lovely Acadia National Park in Maine. Though currently operated by the government, the park was once privately owned land.
The conversion from private to public ownership did not initiate the area’s preservation. Nor did the conversion eliminate the need for private service in the area. Was government involvement necessary for the preservation of Acadia? Could not private individuals have continued their work and done as well as, if not better than, the government? The example provided by Acadia National Park demonstrates the possibility of private protection of natural treasures.
Acadia’s history is replete with private involvement. Originally a vacation spot for the wealthy, its private founders eventually decided to preserve and protect the area that they had grown to love. After the formation of the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations, George B. Dorr (a wealthy Bostonian) led the effort to convert the land accumulated by the Trustees into a national park.
When Acadia became a National Park in 1919 it was the first to be composed exclusively of donated land from individual owners. Dorr maintained his aid with his private wealth, and today the private organization Friends of Acadia continues to provide time and funds to the national park.
So, was government involvement necessary for Acadia’s preservation?
Some common concerns arise when people discuss the advantages of public versus private property in the realm of scarce natural resources. Often there is a fear that private owners will only care about making a profit, not preserving the beauty of an area. Many people also dread hotels and other building projects that will intrude on the natural landscape.
In the case of Acadia, however, the landowners were concerned about encroaching technology and industry. The development of the sawmill was the catalyst for the creation of the Hancock County Trustees by Charles Eliot (president emeritus of Harvard University) and others.
Similarly, rather than welcoming newfangled automobiles, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., built the Carriage Roads as a haven for non-motorized transportation. Rockefeller wanted the simplicity of the area to be appreciated and enjoyed rather than entirely modernized. Though he could have transformed the region, Rockefeller instead preferred maintaining its natural beauty and thus set the example of preserving the area’s rustic character. Turning Acadia into a national park simply continued the tradition established by the early owners of natural preservation.
The other concern people have is that privately owned land will be enjoyed only by a few select individuals. Making land public, the argument goes, allows more people to experience the beauty.
Interestingly enough, Rockefeller and his fellow landowners cared about preserving Acadia not just for themselves, but for everyone. They believed it was their duty to save the land and make it available for everyone to treasure. The private owners had no intention of hoarding the land, but planned to use their own private resources in order to share the land they valued so highly. According to Maine’s Woodlawn Museum, the mission of the Trustees was to “preserve and protect for public use lands that have scenic beauty, historical association, scientific interest, or sanitary advantage.”
From the beginning, Acadia’s lands were to be saved for all, not just the individuals committed to their preservation. Had the owners intended to monopolize the land, they never would have sought national park status. Public access to the land could have been achieved without converting the area into a national park. The principle of conservation benefiting all was already firmly established before the public transformation of Acadia.
Still, some people may be concerned about the maintenance and continued care through the generations had the Park remained under private ownership. This is another unwarranted fear; Acadia’s private supporters still care enough about the area to give freely of their time and money. As an example, in the early 1990s, the distinctive Carriage Roads through the park were in dire need of repair. The funds needed for the restoration came not just from the government, but from private donors as well. Additionally, Friends of Acadia established an endowment for future needs of the Carriage Roads. The tradition of care established from the beginning of the park continues to spur individuals to service.
Such private assistance is not without critics. As many parks become more dependent on their private donors, some are concerned that so much private financial aid harms the government incentive to fully fund the parks. But perhaps it is the government who is providing too much. People may be more inclined to give if the responsibility for maintaining the parks were unquestionably their own. If the government were not involved individuals would have a greater motivation to fulfill the needs of the park rather than assuming the government will handle it. The expectation of government intervention actually discourages private aid. Private parks increase the incentives for individuals to take active responsibility and promotes private involvement.
Acadia National Park has been praised for its “public-private partnership,” but did it need a partnership at all? Its individual contributors, Trustees, and volunteers combined their efforts for the benefit of the beautiful Maine landscape and all those who have the pleasure of visiting it, both before and after Acadia gained the title of a national park.
Becoming government property did not eliminate the need for private efforts, but merely inserted a middleman into the preservation process. As wonderful as Acadia National Park is, Acadia Private Park would be even better.
