For whatever reasons, Roxanne Quimby has either put her plans on hold for a Federal National Park in Maine or simply abandoned the plan altogether. Through her son Lucas, and a public relations firm in Washington, D.C., she is inviting Mainers to make suggestions on how her 70,000 acres of Maine woodlands can best be used in the public interest.

Skeptics will ask, “Is she on the level? Is she sincerely interested in our ideas when it comes to her vast land parcels?” Let’s face it: Ms. Quimby, long ago, started off on the wrong foot with many Mainers who were no longer permitted traditional use of her wildlands?

Before this latest overture from the Quimby family, there were some promising indications that Ms. Quimby genuinely wanted to have an accommodation, a conversation with all Mainers, not just the Big Park advocates. She may have learned that, if she truly cares about Maine, she cannot simply isolate herself and her dreams from the values and lifestyles of ordinary Maine citizens.

So let’s give the her the benefit of the doubt and accept her offer as sincere and genuine. What would be a good use of her land?

Some will suggest that she simply take a hands-off approach: Own the land, maintain it as a working forest and habitat for wildlife, and permit traditional use by residents and non-residents alike. Unless Roxanne Quimby is an unusual human being not interested in personal recognition or legacy leaving, it is doubtful that she will donate her lifetime acquisition and simply walk away, satisfied in  merely knowing it exists.

The challenge is to come up with a proposal that serves the public interest and provides some deserved recognition for Ms. Quimby, while at the same time keeping the Federal monolith out of the picture.

Baxter State Park comes to mind.

Percival Baxter, a visionary who no doubt harbored a dream not unlike Ms. Quimby’s, left Maine a legacy remarkable for its value, natural beauty, recreational usefulness and planning. Notably, his blueprint encompassed state sovereignty and a financial endowment that gave the park political and administrative independence in perpetuity.

Ms. Quimby could do worse than hook her wagon to the Baxter prototype. In fact, she might want to consider donating some of her lands east of Baxter Park as land to be annexed to the existing Park lands. Why not? After all, annexation of new lands to the Baxter holdings is not unprecedented. A few years ago, the state bought 4,000 acres of the Katahdin Lake lands adjacent to the Park and gifted them to the park.

I put that question to Jensen Bissell, the director of Baxter State Park. He pointed out that, historically, Percival Baxter originally tried to acquire the Kathadin Lake lands for his park.

Bissell further explained that if Quimby did offer any of her acreage to the Park, the decision to accept a gift would have to be made by the Baxter Park Authority. Bissell raised this question, “If the Park were to accept a significant block of lands from another single donor, would the Park be able to retain its identity as Baxter State Park, or would it become something different like Baxter-Quimby State Park? All indications suggest that this was not the intent of the donor.”

He also pointed out that any land gift of significant size would have to include a monetary endowment that would support the new land’s perpetual management.

Whatever ultimately happens, the Quimby family’s invitation holds far reaching and exciting possibilities, and Mainers should not be shy about making suggestions. Ms. Quimby’s latest gesture is statesmanlike, and all the more noteworthy when taken in context of Ms. Quimby’s past performance.

Dave Trahan, executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, said it well: “Quimby has land and financial wealth unlike most in our society. She could decide to use this new year and fresh start to bring people together and design a plan that could change lives and families forever. Understanding that putting up gates and excluding people based on their choice of recreation insults them deeply is the first step in rebuilding relationships.”

Good things may yet come of all of this.

V. Paul Reynolds author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WQVM-FM 101.3) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is [email protected] and his new book is “A Maine Deer Hunter’s Logbook.”