Maine’s fall color a huge tourist draw

by Staff Pioneer Times
16 years ago

ImagePhotograph courtesy of Maine Department of Conservation
A WORLD OF BEAUTY – Brilliant foliage is displayed at Peasley Brook in Patten in a photo taken by Forest Ranger Chris Beyer of the Maine Forest Service, Maine Department of Conservation.     AUGUSTA — The prediction bore out – Maine’s autumn foliage this year was magnificent, and numerous visitors took advantage of all the fall glory to leaf-peep to their hearts’ content.
    “People thought it was spectacular,” Gale Ross, Maine Department of Conservation spokeswoman, reported last Thursday. “The fact that the forests are healthy and we did get a substantial amount of rainfall made the foliage very vibrant this year.”
    Most of the color season is over in Maine, with only a small section in the very southern part of Maine retaining any color and leaves on the trees. Recent rain and wind also have caused a great deal of leaf drop, bringing the season to an end.
    The DOC operates a Web site – www.mainefoliage.com — that reports the foliage conditions throughout the state, which Ross manages. The site also allows visitors to make their own reports and comments. The site, which closes after the season is over, received 121,962 visits this year, about the same as last year.
    According to Ross, more than 900 e-mail requests for information this year began on Saturday, Jan. 5.  Those e-mails, which were up from 650 the previous year, came from as far away as Australia, Israel, England and Italy.
    “I’m generally a trip planner,” Ross said, adding that she directed a number of groups to Maine airports and parks so they could see the fall foliage. Several people have stated how much they enjoyed their visits, using the website’s forum to post their remarks.
    The last day of the Web site officially was Oct. 15, though it remains up. The site will be launched again on Sept. 16, 2009. Interested people still can email Ross for help with their travel plans for a visit next year.
    “I’ve already received two requests for the 2009 season,” she said.
    For more information, call Gale Ross at (207) 287-5266 or e-mail at gale.ross@maine.gov,  or Jeanne Curran at (207)287-3157 or e-mail at jeanne.curran@maine.gov.