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Honorable Shawn Graham, Premier, New Brunswick ,Canada; Dick Anderson, IAT/SIA Founder; Steve Paradis, Chief Operating Officer, Appalachian Trail Conservancy;Honorable John Baldacci,Governor, Maine, United States
Historic support for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the International Appalachian Trail/Sentier International des Appalaches by New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers was approved by unanimous vote on September, 16, 2008 in Bar Harbor, Maine. Please see attached copies of the resolution in both French and English.
The governors of the New England states and premiers of the eastern Canadian provinces pledged continued support of the organizations that oversee the Appalachian Trail, a U.S. national scenic trail, and the binational International Appalachian Trail/Sentier International des Appalaches.
Concluding a conference here, the officials adopted a resolution to work closely with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and the International Appalachian Trail (IAT/SIA) "to maximize their positive impact on our tourism industry and further promote the feeling of connectiveness that exists between our respective jurisdictions."
The 2,176 mile Appalachian Trail (A.T.), first open from central Maine to northern Georgia in 1937, is managed by the private, volunteer-based, nonprofit ATC - with central offices in Harpers Ferry, W. Va. - under agreements with the National Park Service, the USDA Forest Service, and the 14 states through which the footpath winds. All New England states except Rhode Island have sections of the A.T.
The 1,400 mile International Appalachian Trial/Sentier International des Appalaches, initiated in 1995, connects to the U.S. trail at the boundary of Maine's Baxter State Park and now goes north to Crow's Head on the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The IAT's six chapters maintain trail sections and facilities and continue to improve footpath locations.
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