Maine Island Trail Association

Last updated
Maine Island Trail Association
AbbreviationMITA
Founded1988(37 years ago) (1988)
FoundersDave Getchell Sr.
Type Nonprofit
Headquarters100 Kensington Street, Portland, Maine
Location
  • U.S.
Area served
Coastal Maine
ServicesConservation
Preservation
Executive Director
Ben Dougherty (since 2024)
Key people
Brian Marcaurelle (program director)
Website https://mita.org/

The Maine Island Trail Association (abbreviated MITA) is a grassroots, volunteer-run conservation and preservation group based in Portland, Maine, United States. It was co-founded by David Getchell Sr. in 1988, following a land survey, conducted by the State of Maine, of the state's uninhabited coastal islands. The survey discovered around 1,300 unclaimed geographical features, including islands and sandbars. [1]

Contents

It also manages the Maine Island Trail, a recreational water trail which runs the entire coast of Maine, [2] connecting (as of 2023) 182 island and 76 mainland sites available for day visits or overnight camping. [3] MITA itself does not own any land; [4] it supports land trusts and private landowners in the upkeep of its islands. [2] [5] [6] On private and state-owned properties, public access is provided in exchange for MITA's caretaking. [4]

As of 2023, MITA has almost 10,000 members. [7] Its executive director between 2007 and 2024 was Doug Welch. [8] He was succeeded by Ben Dougherty. [9] Its program director is Brian Marcaurelle. [10] [11]

David Getchell

MITA was co-founded by David R. Getchell Sr., [7] a native of Bangor, Maine. He died in 2018, aged 89. [12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "History". Maine Island Trail Association. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  2. 1 2 O'Connell, Jenny (2023-06-06). "On Frenchman Bay, An Island Steward Razes the Roof". Down East Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  3. ↑ Robichaux, Stephanie (24 May 2010). "Hit Maine's Watery Trail". National Geographic. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 Paradysz, Amy (2017-06-04). "Society Notebook: Buoying support for the Maine Island Trail Association". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  5. ↑ "10 best things to do in Maine". Travel. 2023-06-09. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  6. ↑ Trotter, Bill (2023-08-29). "More than 5,000 pounds of debris cleaned up around Maine islands". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  7. 1 2 "History". Maine Island Trail Association. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  8. ↑ "Staff". Maine Island Trail Association. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  9. ↑ Parson, Nick (2024-09-26). "Maine Island Trail Association Names Ben Dougherty as Executive Director - Maine Island Trail Association". mita.org. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  10. ↑ Writer, Mary PolsStaff (2017-06-18). "Christina Hassett stewards Little Chebeague Island for the Maine Island Trail Association". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  11. ↑ Writer, Peggy GrodinskyStaff (2019-04-21). "The Purifier: Brian Marcaurelle helps to keep wild Maine islands – and the waters around them – clean". Press Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  12. ↑ "Remembering the life of David Getchell Sr". obituaries.bangordailynews.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
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