The Wabanaki Nations will now be able to contract with Acadia National Park to collect sweetgrass, which is used in tribal ceremonies and basket making.
The National Park Service prepared an environmental assessment and found that the gathering of sweetgrass, which grows in salt marshes, would have no significant impact.
Acadia Superintendent Kevin Schneider said this is a critical step in "preserving and protecting the park through co-stewardship with the Wabanaki tribes and providing space for Wabanaki citizens to heal and re-connect with their homeland."
