Based on the recommendation of the PCEDC, the Piscataquis County Commissioners have formed a "Piscataquis Tourism Task Force" that will develop a tourism development implementation plan for the County. This implementation blueprint will be based upon the wealth of existing studies, public opinion research and other field studies that address and characterize expanded niche tourism opportunities for Piscataquis County.

The Task Force's blueprint will also recommend the creation of organized, collaborative structures that will be needed to support and implement any action steps.

1. Review existing tourism studies; summarize the key findings and recommendations into a tourism issues and opportunities blueprint for the county.
2. Address these summarized findings in terms of their "implementation implications" for towns, the county and/or region. Highlight and evaluate specific "implementation recommendations" put forth in any of the county tourism studies.
3. Develop collaborative stakeholder maps around specific, high priority implementation actions in the Task Force tourism blueprint.
4. Address any information gaps that may exist, or that may come up in the course of the work of the Task Force. Identify key partners who may be able to fill these gaps.
5. Given this key finding in the UM Tourism Attitudes Research Project for Piscataquis County... residents and business owners are open to expanding and developing niche tourism opportunities; at the same time, they want this done in ways that do not erode or compromise rural quality of life... The Task Force will address and suggest policies and practices that support tourism development while protecting rural quality of life via "managed sustainable tourism".
6. At year end, the Task Force will present to PCEDC and other tourism stakeholders, its findings, the tourism implementation blueprint, collaborative and organizational structures that will be needed to move tourism development forward for the county beyond 2005.

Roger Merchant, UM Cooperative Extension
Donna Fichtner, Maine Highlands Corporation
Dennis Lyford, Southern Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce
Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce
Sophie Wilson, Town Manager, Brownville
Jack Clukey, Town Manager, Dover-Foxcroft
John Simko, Town Manager, Greenville
Mike Henderson, County Administrator
Patrick Myers, Staff to PCEDC-Cultural Heritage Ecotourism Committee and Center Theater.

The Piscataquis Tourism Task Force Advisory Committee is a larger body of private sector, tourism stakeholders in the county who will act as a sounding board for the ongoing work of PTTF over 2005. Advisory members will be contacted on an as-needed-basis, will be kept informed about PTTF meetings and minutes, and will make every effort to attend 3 briefing-feedback meetings over 2005...May 3rd, August 23rd, November 1 all at 6:30 pm at locations TBA. Five (5) Advisory Committee Members are being recruited from each of the three districts in the county.

For further information contact:

Roger Merchant, Tourism Task Force Chair University of Maine Cooperative Extension (207) 564-3301 or toll free at 1-800-287-1491 Email: rogerm@umext.maine.edu