Our Partners

Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider cuts ribbon with Friends of Acadia President & CEO Eric Stiles, FoA Board Chair Jack Kelly, and FoA Housing Chair Dave Edson upon purchase of a new housing unit for seasonal park staff in Southwest Harbor, ME on March 23rd, 2023.

Photo by Gin Majka/Friends of Acadia

Acadia National Park works with a wide variety of partners to both operate and protect the park for the future. These partnership allow the park to do things that we could not do on our own. Our partners helps support the park through operations, fundraising or sharing their time and resources with the park to help achieve a mutual goal such as conducting science, search and rescue, and more. The park and its partners have formal, legal agreements that set the terms of the partnership, guided by the National Park Service's partnership policies.

Learn more about our partners and the many ways that they support the park.

 

 

Friends of Acadia

Friends of Acadia is Acadia National Park's 'Friends Group.' Friends groups are philanthropic partners who can fundraise on behalf of the park. Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality, and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations. Founded in 1986, the Friends is one of the oldest friends groups in the country. Learn more about the many ways that the Friends provide ongoing support to the park including:

• Wild Acadia help park ecosystems be resilient to the changes happening within and around them by supporting science and research efforts in the park.
• Tomorrow's Stewards helps the park provide youth the tools and motivation to become tomorrow’s stewards, ensuring the magnificence of Acadia will be experienced by future generations by supporting efforts such as education and youth employment.
• Acadia Experience is a suite of investments and programs to reduce traffic congestion and improve the park visitor experience for all including supporting the park's Transportation Plan.
• Trails and Carriage Roads has provided ongoing support to the park's historic trails and carriage roads for decades.

 

Duration:

1 minute, 51 seconds

Friends of Acadia is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the long-term protection of the natural and cultural resources of Acadia National Park and its region. To meet this mission, Friends of Acadia channels private donations to conservation and historic preservation projects in the park, monitors planning and legislative activities affecting Acadia, and sponsors volunteer groups in Acadia and surrounding communities. For more information about Friends of Acadia or to join, visit them at www.friendsofacadia.org

 

---

Schoodic Institute

Schoodic Institute is Acadia National Park’s primary partner in science and education. Together, we manage the largest of 18 National Park Service Research Learning Centers in the United States, and are national leaders in the development of new techniques to involve the public in science and conservation.

We support scientific research of importance to the Park, provide professional development for teachers, and help train a new generation of stewards who will help conserve our natural and cultural treasures. Education is integrated with our research programs through citizen science, public programs and events, and information sharing.

Our nonprofit structure allows us the flexibility to support Acadia National Park in creating innovative partnerships such as Second Century Stewardship and the Citizen Science Association.

 

Purchases at the Park Store support interpretation and education at Acadia National Park. EN Photo, used with permission.

---

America's National Parks Stores

America's National Parks stores operates the park store and proceeds from the store go to support interpretation and education projects. The store provides high quality educational products and services to the visitors to America's national parks and other public trusts, the association's contributions have benefited parks and visitors by supporting research, educational, and interpretive projects and by funding publications. Just by shopping the park store you can support your park!

 

---

Commercial Partners

Acadia National Park utilizes concessions to operation necessary and appropriate business functions with in the park. This includes the operation of Jordan Pond House and the Cadillac and Thunder Hole Eco-Stores by Dawnland, LLC, a subsidiary of Ortega National Parks, and the operation of Wildwood Stables by Carriages of Acadia. A portion of the profits earned by concessions goes back into park operations.

 

 

People board the island explorer bus. Photo by Yehyun Kim/Friends of Acadia.

---

Island Explorer Bus Service

Downeast Transportation provides bus service to Acadia National Park Service visitors fare-free thanks to support from the Friends of Acadia, LL Bean, and your entrance fees.

You can ride the Island Explorer to Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island towns, and Schoodic Peninsula.

 

---

The Abbe Museum & Tribal Partners

Acadia National Park and the Robert Abbe Museum of Stone Age Antiquities partner to "inspire new learning about the Wabanaki Nations" through visits to Acadia National Park, visits to the Abbe Museum, collaborative research, outreach, and education. Founded in 1927, the Abbe Museum has a long history of partnering with Acadia National Park and with Maine's federally-recognized tribes to conduct research and consultation. The museum operates the facility located with Sieur de Monts area of Acadia National Park, as well as the primary Abbe Museum in downtown Bar Harbor. The Museum and park also work together on the Cultural Connections program, where Wabanaki cultural demonstrators perform in the park.