In light of the environmental problems the community faces today, such as habitat destruction, soil erosion and water and air pollution, conservation of land and natural resources is clearly important. The Androscoggin Land Trust’s plan to expand existing trails into a greenway with access to the river will act as a junction between the environment and community. This is a one-time investment that will benefit both sides well into the future.

Communities function as a system of interconnected parts, just as the natural environment does. Aside from its ecological importance, a greenway will benefit the community in a multitude of ways. Positive results could arise in areas of public health, stimulus to the local economy, community recreation, culture and community identity.

A greenway also increases the opportunity for programs connecting both youth and adults to the outdoors. Positive impacts in one of these components can bring positive responses in related areas, in turn strengthening the system as a whole.

A greenway will reinforce the community because each these focus areas depends on and influences the others to an extent. The natural environment is a system functioning in a similar manner, based on interconnectedness, and preserved, forested areas along the river protect those connections that regulate the watershed ecosystem.

Waste from mills and municipalities made the Androscoggin one of the most heavily polluted rivers in the country. As the effects of this were noticed, it became clear that the human community was affected by the results of its relationship with the local environment.

We should not view our environment and community systems as separate entities. Rather, the functioning of each is dependent on a healthy relationship with the other.

A greenway protects the coherence of ecological connections between land and water, and effectively serves as a discernable interface between the community and environment.

“Land conservation provides opportunity for recreation to occur,” says Wendy Tardif, executive director of the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing.

“In order to see more people recreating on our river and conserved lands, we need to realize, as a community, the great potential held by the river, and our trails and parks to improve community wellness. Our relationship with the river is changing for the better, but visibility and awareness of access points are the keys to their utilization by the community,” she said.

The greenway trail network’s numerous benefits are notable enough to each stand alone, but a benefit in one can augment the positive results seen in related aspects of the community.

Preservation of green space contributes to clean air and water, which are crucial for proper ecological function, but are also important for making outdoor recreation possible — a key component of a healthy community.

Outdoor recreation fosters an appreciation of nature, which promotes a sense of stewardship and understanding of the value of conservation. Trails facilitate environmental education and teaching of stewardship which lends itself to the continued preservation of land and general environmental protection for the future.

The greenway plan includes trails in different settings, which each support their own purposes. Rural trails are used for recreation in nature, such as hiking and paddling; while trails and pathways in central Lewiston-Auburn contribute to a dynamic downtown atmosphere, making the area inviting for businesses to bolster local investment and employment.

The greenway as permanent green space encourages sustainable development. It provides opportunity for recreation-related businesses, such as the canoe and kayak rentals in Auburn, because of new or increased demand from the River Walk.

Trails make for a more coherent and engaged community: they create the opportunity for meaningful community projects, such as ALT’s annual river clean-up and the new volunteer stewards program. Trails can also increase business involvement in the community.

A visible positive relationship between the community and environment can be fostered through trail and river use, while strengthening different components of the community and reversing the notion of the river being unsafe for recreation.

A downtown trail network is accessible to all income levels and provides free or inexpensive recreation opportunities. It would be an asset shared by all community members, and across municipal boundaries.

In his book, “The Wild and Scenic Rivers of America,” Tim Palmer wrote, “When we save a river, we save a major part of an ecosystem, and we save ourselves as well because of our dependence — physical, economic, spiritual — on the water and its community of life.”

A greenway along the river provides a tangible connection between the environment and community which benefits both parties. It promotes coexistence, and represents the fact that the two do not exist separately.

Megan Howes, an Auburn resident and a graduate of Edward Little High School, is currently studying environment and conservation at McGill University. This past summer, she worked as an intern at the Androscoggin land Trust.