Maine’s Public Reserved Lands may be our best kept secret. The peace and solitude found on these trails in the height of tourist season is simply astonishing. I’m asking myself why I would interfere with that by drawing attention to them through a blog post. There are a few reasons. Drawing attention may help with 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.
Baby Bats Need Love, Too
“I never grow tired of seeing flying bats silhouetted against an inky-blue sky. It stirs up a special kind of magic in my heart.” The other evening after dinner we were sitting around the fire in our backyard – (oh, what a simple patio and a fire bowl can do to encourage time spent under Read More
To Brazil and Back: Nighthawk Migration Revealed
Birders in Maine have recently begun noting the first pulses of southbound, migrating Common Nighthawks. In fact, staff at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) could very well see one while leaving the office in Augusta after a long day! Based on checklists submitted to eBird, the online database housed at our old stomping Read More
Water for Wildlife and Your Dream Landscape
August—oh how I love this month in Maine! Fewer bug bites, warm days, and cool nights for perfect sleeping weather. Drifting off to dreamland with the peaceful sound of cricket song and a cool evening breeze through open windows just can’t be beat. It’s been so unbearably hot. Cooler evening temperatures can’t come soon enough, right? Read More
What You Can Do about the Unfolding Recycling Crisis
It’s been more than a year since China announced that they will no longer buy the world’s contaminated recyclables, and we are feeling the effects here in Maine. Unless the baled recycled materials (stuff we put in our household recycling bins, among other sources of recyclables) meet a very strict, almost perfect, quality standard—only 0.05% Read More
My Summer Internship with NRCM
Today is my last day of work as a summer intern for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the conclusion to a wildly enjoyable summer. I am a rising junior at Bowdoin College studying English and Environmental Studies. NRCM provided an incredible and unique opportunity to marry the two disciplines, allowing me to focus a Read More
Bring the Magic of Fireflies Back Home Again
Firefly Illuminating Wood Anemone Wildflower – see more beautiful images at The Firefly Experience “IN HER FLOWY NIGHTGOWN AND BARE FEET, SHE RUSHED HEADLONG INTO THE SUMMER NIGHT TO WITNESS ONE OF THE MOST MAGICAL DISPLAYS OF NATURE – A FIELD OF FIREFLIES!” One of my most treasured memories from a childhood in Maine is watching Read More
Yellowlegs and the Year of the Bird
The fact that we can hear the calls of yellowlegs echoing around our favorite cove here in Maine as the tide recedes on a warm, late-summer evening is thanks to the forethought and persistence of bird enthusiasts a hundred years ago. They ushered through the Migratory Bird Treaty, and then the legislation to enact it in the Read More
Meet the New EPA Boss, Same as the Old Boss
Scott Pruitt’s resignation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week is unquestionably a win for our health and environment. Ethical pitfalls aside, Pruitt pursued an agenda that explicitly favored polluting industries over environmental protections, undermining the core mission of the EPA. However, even with Pruitt’s departure, there are no halcyon days to come. Let’s Read More
