Facebook wildlife and rehab groups often share photos of interesting critters, but I don’t know how many readers have ever seen a piebald animal. My husband and I were fortunate to see a wild piebald deer in the Hancock area a couple of years ago, and when I recently came across old photos of a 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.
Permanently Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Arctic Refuge) is a place of spectacular beauty as well as ecological and cultural significance, but right now it’s vulnerable to oil and gas development. These industries threaten to pollute our air and water, degrade public lands, and ruin an Indigenous way of life. As Mainers we value our public lands and the space they provide for recreation and wildlife conservation just Read More
The Truth about Maine’s Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging Bill
Maine people want to recycle, but it has become too costly and too confusing. This is because much of our packaging waste cannot be easily recycled, and Maine’s municipalities are struggling to foot the bill and must raise taxes to support recycling programs. It’s high time to require the corporate producers of packaging waste—like Amazon, Read More
A Surprise Nest Guest
We’ve all had those unexpected house guests, folks who arrive (sometimes for an indefinite amount of time) with little to no heads up and leave you scrambling a little to make adjustments. Birds likewise can become host to unexpected guests to their home. In fact, this spring an Osprey pair in Georgetown found themselves temporarily Read More
New Mountain Biking Trails in the Moosehead Region
About three years ago, a group of outdoor enthusiasts in Greenville, Maine, got together to explore the possibility of building a world-class mountain bike trail system. We are very excited to announce that our vision is going to become a reality. We have formed a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization called Moosehead Outdoor Alliance, and our group Read More
Five Endangered Species from Maine You Should Know About
Each species has an important ecological role to play in the web of life. Diverse ecosystems are more resilient to change, and collectively, the planet’s array of plants and animals provide valuable services, helping clean our air and water, cycle nutrients, prevent erosion, provide food and fiber, offer recreational opportunities and places of solace, and Read More
Critter Chatter — Who You Gonna Call?
When Don and I talked about a topic for this month’s column, he suggested letting readers know what the differences are between an Animal Control Officer (ACO) and an Animal Damages Control Agent (ADC). Although the titles of “Animal Control” and “Animal Damage Control” are often used interchangeably, they represent two different areas of specialty. Read More
The Power of Green Banking
Like many of you, on January 20, 2021, I took a very long exhale as I watched President Biden and VP Kamala Harris being sworn into office. I think the weight of four years of stress came out in that long exhale, and I felt a resurgence of hope seeing the flurry of executive orders Read More
Why Consumers Alone Can’t “Fix” Recycling
Are you recycling right? Chances are, not always. If someone asked you today, how confident do you feel that you are recycling correctly? If a recycling expert were to take a look inside your blue bin, would you be nervous? If you’re uncertain about the items you’ve been placing out at the curb, rest assured, Read More