PHOTOGRAPHS BY YEHYUN KIM

TEXT BY JULIA WALKER THOMAS

While out in Acadia, visitors interact with park staff working at the visitor’s center or providing interpretive services on ranger-led programs. Some may encounter a law enforcement ranger or maintenance worker in their travels.

With divisions that include management, administration, visitor experience and education, maintenance, resource management, and visitor and resource protection, scores of people work behind the scenes to help operate and protect the park, keep programs running, and maintain the infrastructure. Acadia has 90 permanent employees and, during the summer, hires an additional 150 seasonal workers.

In 2018, while a member of Friends of Acadia’s Acadia Youth Technology Team (now the Acadia Digital Media Team), Yehyun Kim created a series of portraits of the people that make Acadia possible. A sampling of her work appears on these pages.

Park Ranger Naturalist, Kirk Lurvey, points at constellations with a laser pointer at Sand Beach in Acadia National Park.

Alanna McDonough, Friends of Acadia Summit Steward.

Chris Heilakka Acadia National Park wildlife biologist records bat activity at the Jordan Pond gatehouse in Acadia National Park.

James Zordan, education ranger, during the ranger led Wild Things program at Sieur de Monts in Acadia National Park.

Deputy Chief Ranger Therese Picard stands next to her patrol car during her morning shift at Schooner Head Overlook in Acadia National Park.

Gail Gladstone looks at the Mill Field Dam. The Mill Field Dam was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s to impound water in case of wild fire. Gladstone has been working with other park managers to rehabilitate it.

Irene Schlaefer, Maintenance Worker.

Patrick Kark, Ornithology Ranger.

Meet Yehyun Kim

Yehyun Kim (Photo by Emma Forthofer)

“Before I worked for Friends of Acadia, I had no idea of all the work it takes to maintain a park.” Yehyun explains. “It takes so much effort behind the scenes for the park to operate. I wanted to give visitors an inside look so they could stop and think about the level of dedication and passion. I hope this project emotionally moves people as much as I was.”

Yehyun’s work has been used by the National Park Service on the Acadia National Park website.

After her season with FOA, Yehyun graduated with a master’s degree in journalism, focusing on photography, from the University of Missouri. She has worked for USA Today and other newspapers. She is now a full-time photojournalist with the Connecticut Mirror as a Report for America Corps member.

Yehyun recently won the prestigious title of “College Photographer of the Year” (CPOY), a contest entered by more than 500 students from 120 colleges and universities. As part of the CPOY title, Yehyun has been offered a photography internship with National Geographic.