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Littlejohn Island, in
Yarmouth, Maine, one of the islands maintained by MITA | |
Abbreviation | MITA |
---|---|
Founded | 1988 |
Founders | Dave Getchell Sr. |
Type | Nonprofit |
Headquarters | 100 Kensington Street, Portland, Maine |
Location |
|
Area served | Coastal Maine |
Services | Conservation Preservation |
Executive Director | Doug Welch |
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]
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 is Doug Welch, [8] while its program director is Brian Marcaurelle. [9] [10]
MITA was co-founded by David R. Getchell Sr., [7] a native of Bangor, Maine. He died in 2018, aged 89. [11]
![]() | |
![]()
Littlejohn Island, in
Yarmouth, Maine, one of the islands maintained by MITA | |
Abbreviation | MITA |
---|---|
Founded | 1988 |
Founders | Dave Getchell Sr. |
Type | Nonprofit |
Headquarters | 100 Kensington Street, Portland, Maine |
Location |
|
Area served | Coastal Maine |
Services | Conservation Preservation |
Executive Director | Doug Welch |
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]
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 is Doug Welch, [8] while its program director is Brian Marcaurelle. [9] [10]
MITA was co-founded by David R. Getchell Sr., [7] a native of Bangor, Maine. He died in 2018, aged 89. [11]