Deep in the heart of northern Maine, the wild landscape of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument offers an escape for hikers, kayakers and thrill-seeking white water rafters. It has also been an economic boon to Maine’s Penobscot County. Since former President Obama designated Katahdin Woods and Waters as a monument in 2016, the new status has significantly increased tourism and bolstered local business. But all is not well in Penobscot County. President Trump’s April executive order to review—and potentially repeal or reduce—all national monuments created between 1996 and 2017 seriously threatens northern Maine’s economic gem.

Matt Polstein Regis Tremblay/YouTube

Local business owner Matthew Polstein has seen the monument’s benefits firsthand. An avid outdoorsman, Maine native and owner of the New England Outdoor Center, Twin Pine Camps and River Drivers Restaurant in the nearby town of Millinocket, Polstein was a key player in the monument’s initial designation. He has continued to advocate for the monument by meeting with Interior Secretary Zinke at the local chamber of commerce and traveling to Washington, D.C., to speak with Maine’s congressional delegation.

I spoke with Polstein to find out why he’s fighting to protect Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

Caeleigh MacNeil: How do people in the Katahdin area, especially business owners, feel about the national monument? Is there strong support for keeping the designation in place?

Matthew Polstein: Absolutely. The chamber of commerce was almost unanimously for it, prior to the designation. And plenty of people who weren’t supporters prior to the designation have since become supporters because they’ve seen aspects of the economy improve, they’ve seen people make investments and they’ve seen people show a greater interest in our town. I think they’ve also seen the community come together around this issue. People here are united in support of the monument.