In early February, Maine’s utility watchdog held the first in a series of public workshops, part of a new participatory approach to planning the future of Maine’s electric grid, called “integrated grid planning.” The stakes are high for Maine. If we do this poorly, utilities’ interests will continue to dominate, resulting in high costs to Read More
Nature of Maine Blog
The Natural Resources Council of Maine’s “Nature of Maine” blog gives you the inside scoop on some of the latest issues facing Maine’s environment. From environmental news to threats to opportunities, NRCM is on the frontlines of the latest goings-on—and we’re often leading the charge on efforts to protect Maine’s precious lands, air, waters, and wildlife. Read what NRCM staff members have to say and get the perspective of some of our members and supporters who have been guest contributors.
Perhaps you have an issue you’d like to write about. Maybe you’re an expert on a particular topic and are inspired to share your expertise. Maybe you’ve recently made a visit to a spectacular Maine nature preserve or other natural area and would like to write about it (captioned photos welcome!). For submission guidelines, email nrcm@nrcm.org.
Critter Chatter — Flying Rodents? Part 2
As a follow-up to last month’s article about the flying squirrel at Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center, I wanted to share some information I found from my online research. January’s column included a general overview from articles written by Carleen Cote several years ago, but I was curious about their habitat, diet, family structure, etc. Read More
More Transportation Choices for Mainers
Cars and trucks can get us to many places, but a system designed around personal vehicles comes with a host of problems. Cars are expensive to maintain, polluting, and dangerous, and the system of roads needed to support them is in constant need of repair, which puts a burden on local communities and taxpayers. We Read More
Celebrity Steller’s Sea-eagle Returns to Maine
The superstar Steller’s Sea-eagle is back! Last winter, Maine hosted the mega-popular rarity that delighted birders with stops along the midcoast, sending birders and the simply curious alike flocking to places like Georgetown, Boothbay Harbor, and Pemaquid. Unless you live under a rock, you probably remember the flurry of excitement. After all, this is one Read More
Reflections on My First Week
My first week as the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s CEO has been filled with inspiration as I’ve engaged with our talented staff and dedicated board. I am deeply honored to step into the leadership of such a respected organization, and I look forward to engaging with you as I settle in and hit my Read More
Jeepers Creepers, That’s a Cool Bird
We have been fascinated with Brown Creepers from our earliest birding days. That’s a really long time! By “long time,” we mean back to junior high school days, where Allison caught her first glimpse of this mysterious tree-hugging bird along the forested edges of the Winthrop dump (ya, the foreground was not very scenic!); Jeff Read More
Critter Chatter – Flying Rodents? Part I
When I stopped by the other day to deliver some muffins to Don Cote at the Wildlife Care Center, I was interested in a recent admission: a flying squirrel that had probably been hit by a car. I was hoping to get a close-up peek at it, but flyers are nocturnal animals, so it remained Read More
A Worldwide Gift of Birds and Biodiversity
Common Loon. Wood Thrush. Bobolink. Rusty Blackbird. Harlequin Duck. Black-throated Blue Warbler. White-throated Sparrow. Piping Plover. Broad-winged Hawk. This is a tiny fraction of the bird species that are found here in Maine that will benefit from the signing of a new global biodiversity agreement. The signing took place on Monday, December 19, in Montreal, Read More
Critter Chatter — Memory Lane
When visiting Don Cote at the Wildlife Care Center last week, I was curious about his “growing up years” and if he’d always had an interest in animals. As “they” say, it is indeed a small world: it turns out Don grew up on the same street in Augusta that I did, about 15 years Read More
