The relationship between the economics of logging and the economics of recreation has not always been a comfortable one.
The woods provide an important part of Maine's economy - for timber harvesting and tourism. The dual, and often conflicting, value of the woods has been in evidence since Maine became a state in 1820. It was about the same time that hunters, fishermen, and hikers began exploring Maine's wilderness regions.
The romance of the wilderness remains as an image of Maine. The strains and tensions underlying that romance are many.
