Walk into most of the woodlands in our region today, and you will find a lack of dead and dying trees. Yes, that’s right – most of our forests do not have enough dead and decaying trees. To many people, this may seem counterintuitive. Why would we want more dead and dying trees on the landscape? 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.
An Afternoon to Honor Nathaniel Reed
Nathaniel Reed was a nationally known environmental champion who helped turn the Endangered Species Act into law and shepherded many other environmental laws while serving as an assistant secretary of the Department of Interior in the 1970s. He lived in and loved Florida, but also had a summer home in Winter Harbor and loved Maine Read More
The Big Picture: Let’s Get Going Again
The elections are now behind us and it’s time to get going again. The Natural Resources Council of Maine is committed to working with the new Mills Administration and all new (and former) legislators to move forward. We are excited to start making serious progress protecting our environment. We have spent too much time in Read More
Bring Your Own Bag Midcoast Receives Spirit of Goodwill Award
In October of 2018 I joined fellow Bring Your Own Bag Midcoast (BYOB) volunteers at the Abromson Community Education Center in Portland where Goodwill Industries of Northern New England (GWINNE) presented us with the Spirit of Goodwill award. During the award ceremony Rich Cantz, President and CEO of GWINNE, expressed his continued support for our Read More
NRCM Dip & Dash Turns into Mountain Biking Adventure
There are so many great reasons to participate in the Natural Resources Council of Maine’s annual Polar Bear Dip and Dash: All of the money raised supports NRCM’s work on clean and renewable energy and reducing climate change pollution. Physical activity is good for your health. So, a nice brisk 5K around Back Cove in Read More
A Top Threat to Biodiversity: Invasive Plants
Non-native honeysuckle shrubs dominate this forest understory and have choked out native plants on Ricker Hill in Poland Spring, Maine. You can see this for yourself on Route 26, just across the road from The Lodge at the Poland Spring Resort. The dense green thicket below the trees are all invasive honeysuckle shrubs, native to Read More
A “Winter Finch” Holiday for Birders
For birders, especially those of us here in Maine and the eastern U.S., a holiday of sorts is fast approaching. Bird enthusiasts anticipate it the way many youngsters look forward to Christmas morning. But this fine-feathered special occasion takes place just once every two years or so. Staffers at the Natural Resources Council of Maine Read More
Maine School Cafeterias Reducing Plastic Pollution and Waste
We are all familiar with the challenges of using plastic cutlery. These utensils notoriously fail at the only task they are made for: cutting and picking up food. In addition, they create a lot of single-use trash, are not recyclable, and there are reusable options. In recent years, schools have brought plastic cutlery into lunchrooms. Read More
Squirrel Booms and Passenger Pigeons in the Year of the Bird
A time of abundance is often an opportunity to reflect, especially during the Year of the Bird, a special name given to 2018 in celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that has helped keep many bird species from becoming extinct. This month, we’re putting the spotlight on Read More
