Vandalism at the Orono Bog Boardwalk in the City Forest- Bangor Daily News Article

Photographs NOT by me:   

See below for credits...  Click on the title above to be forwarded to The Bangor Daily News site and article.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY JOHN CLARKE RUSS Orono Bog Boardwalk director Jim Bird, right, conferred with volunteer Jerry Ledwith, center, of Bangor and boardwalk maintenance supervisor Phil Locke, left, of Bangor as they retrieved a broken bench that was removed and thrown from its footing near the north end of the boardwalk. They learned Monday morning that various sections the boardwalk were vandalized sometime after it closed for the evening Sunday. Buy Photo:

http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Greater-Bangor/Vandalism-closes-Orono-Bog-Boardwalk,153084

9/6/10 11:23 am Updated: 9/7/10 01:36 pm

By Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN Staff

ORONO, Maine — A group of criminals raised havoc at the Orono Bog Boardwalk on Sunday night, causing so much damage that the mile-long boardwalk was forced to close. director Jim Bird said Monday morning.   “It’s a real mess,” he said. “We have to close today and maybe tomorrow.”  The damage was discovered just after 7 a.m. by Wendall Trembley, who was opening the boardwalk for the day. Bird estimated it will cost “hundreds, maybe thousands” to repair.  “They basically ripped off 20-25 benches,” which are placed every 200 feet along the boardwalk", he said. “They smashed about 20 deck boards with their boots.” They also broke into the cabin, ripping the door off its hinges and stealing at least one item from inside, damaged railings and destroyed nearly half of the interpretive signs.  “They ripped off six and threw them into the bog,” Bird said.  To get to the boardwalk, the group also broke the lock on the gate. 

 The bog walk allows visitors to walk or use wheelchairs to make their way through a northern peat bog. It is located in the Bangor City Forest and on adjacent University of Maine property and last year had more than 30,000 visitors. Visitors on Labor Day were stopped at the broken gate. “We’ve had to turn away about 25 people so far since 8 a.m.,” Bird said around 10 a.m. Monday.  Two of those turned away on Monday were Bangor resident Amanda Turcotte who brought along Matthew Parks of Milford, who had never seen the boardwalk. “There is no other ecological system like a bog,” she said. “It’s beautiful here.”  The two were saddened to hear about the vandalism. “I’ve heard quite a bit about the place,” Parks said.“There are few places like this that are relatively untouched.  It’s frustrating  that someone would damage it," he said.

Bangor police were called to the scene and are investigating the crime, he said.

Those with information about the investigation may call the Bangor Police Department at 947-7385. The department’s anonymous tip line may be reached by pressing extension 6.

2010 Update

Brewer, Maine from the Bangor Waterfront

Well, last week my external disk drive died.  I am really  hoping that it is something that can be fixed.  My husband heard that it might be very expensive, but I think getting back over half a computer's worth of photos from the past year it is worth it.  Fortunately I still had some photos on some of my memory cards.  I need to reprocess them and burn them to disk before something happens to the memory cards.  There are so many photos that may be lost forever it really saddens me.

This deer was a real thrill... He looks like an awkward teenager who hasn't quite grown into his body.

In April, Rosie and I began taking the bus way out on Stillwater where we would walk the mile and a half to the beginning of the City Forest in Bangor.  Then we'd walk out and take the bus back into town.  When we go, we leave late in the morning or very early in the afternoon and hike around (and I take photos along the way)  for a few hours or so.  Many times we would get out in time to take one of the last three busses back to town, the latest one at 6:15 pm I believe?  We did this on a regular basis.  It did seem like the more we walked around town, even that far out, the more dogs would charge us.  Rosie and I started to startle quite easily and I began to bring my pepper spray along in a quicker to access area on my body.  After one attack at Saxl Park (the dog actually had contact) we stopped going to the woods on a regular basis.  My dog who is also my service dog was so traumatized that she will no longer alert in an appropriate way.  I realized that I really can't protect either one of us. 

Bobolink in Saxl Park

Anyway, we would head into the forest and begin on the West trail.  Upon entering the woods I could hear one Robin who had his own way of arranging his music, and it was getting easy to recognise from the Robins downtown. 

My little trail runner giving me a speedy recall

This past spring and summer brought about some beautiful flowers, but the rain was sparse and rare so that everything (including grass) dried out and died early in the season.  Actually I have never seen it this dry before.  There are regular vernal pools that have at least a little water left where as right now there is not even mud in the water holes.  My dog will go to where the water is supposed to be and I can see she is frustrated.  She likes to lay down to cool off in the water (or muck depending on the water hole), and also enjoys a small game of fetch as well.  Some people started off really well, got to start haying early, some twice.  I am unsure how the lack of rain affected the haying season later on.  I would guess not much happened as summer progressed in a hot and dry manner.

Very large and handsome Grackle.

Along with hiking solo with my dog I have been trying to prepare to move cross country to live in Oregon.  When I do relocate I suppose I will have to change some of the information on the page of my blog.  My husband has been living in Oakridge since November.  Don't even get me started with that one.

Rosie and I spent one hot day walking up Kenduskeag Stream.  She enjoys "cliff" diving for her water Wubba.

This year brought about some nice photographs, both of my dog and of nature or whatever tickled my fancy.  All though I hate to leave Maine because it is my birthplace and my family is here, I look forward to finally joining my husband again.  I am also looking forward to checking out the wildlife on the other coastline.

Sunset in the City Forest

Sparrow on Lupine seed pods.  Not ready to harvest yet!

Update:  In Winter (January) of 2012, my husband finally came back to the East coast, and home to Bangor, Maine.  Things in Oregon didn't pan out.  Though I am extremely happy he is home with me again, I know that his 2 years there was extremely difficult on him.  I hope he can find some peace here again and that we can get back into the swing of things again with out the anxiety of a major move on our minds all the time.  I am so happy I am able to stay here in Maine where I truly belong... with my family near, things familiar, and everything I love around me.  I would cry when I was out watching a sunset or something as it was going to be one of a few more I would experience from that spot.  I never wanted to go.  I was only going to go for my husband.