In 2015, I stood at the edge of the East Branch of the Penobscot River in the North Woods of Maine. Chickadees tittered in the trees above my head, hopping among the green leaves just barely tinged with the gold and red hues of the incoming autumn season. My husband and father waded chest-deep in the current, fishing, while my mom and I sought additional bird species with binoculars. It was quiet, save for the rippling of the river and the gentle swish of wind blowing through the canopy. Almost exactly a year later, the spot I stood on became part of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, designated by President Obama. Less than a year after that, its boundaries were under review once more.

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