President Barack Obama on Wednesday designated 87,500 acres in Maine's North Woods as a national monument, as the administration prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
The new monument includes mountains, forests, and the East Branch of the Penobscot River and will serve as a protected area. The White House said the designation was completed in honor of the centennial anniversary of the Park Service, which will be officially observed on Thursday.
"The president is quite proud that this piece of beautiful land in the United States will be protected for generations to come," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a press briefing.