With all the hoopla surrounding the ringing in of the New Year, you might have missed the news about a pretty big deal in Portland, Maine’s most populace city. On Wednesday, January 3, the City Council voted unanimously to prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides in Portland. This is, as City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau said, 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.
Meet Lily Bailey, NRCM’s School Grants Intern
Maine is a state with a little bit of everything. Whether you prefer to spend your time tucked in a cozy cabin, climbing mountains, strolling along the coast, or enjoying lobster and Maine blueberry pie with friends and family, it’s easy to lose yourself in all Maine has to offer. But what might all those Read More
Plan Your Habitat Garden
It’s February, can you believe it? Around this time of year, a lot of us are getting tired of Old Man Winter and are looking forward to the first blooms of spring. Good news! We have only one more month left of meteorological winter (which runs from December 1st through the end of February). That Read More
Celebrating the Year of the Bird
This year, 2018, marks the 100-year anniversary of the signing of our own Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It’s because of this treaty that many bird species—including some for which Maine is well known—are still with us. In fact, without the MBTA, species such as the Common Eider and Wood Duck likely would have disappeared from Read More
Carnivore Coexistence (Leopold’s Wise Words – Part 1)
“Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf.” — Aldo Leopold “Thinking Like a Mountain” Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a group presentation and discussion on Nurturing Carnivore Coexistence and Biodiversity on Your Farm, at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show. I was invited Read More
Home Improvements the Clean Energy Way
The year 2017 was one of energy upgrades for me. In the summer, Augusta Fuel Company (AFC) pulled out my crumbling oil boiler and all of its associated piping. This was a relief. The piping didn’t meet modern code, and having spent a lot of time working on issues related to in-home oil spills, I Read More
Winterberry: The Gift that Keeps on Giving
It’s “the most wonderful time of the year” to spot winterberry on roadsides and in wet meadows and swamps. The scarlet-red berries of our native holly are literally exploding with color right now. Once the snow falls, the display will be even more magical. Commonly known as winterberry, Ilex verticllata is one of my all-time Read More
Steamrolling Forward: Multiple Maine Towns Take Steps to Reduce Plastic Pollution
You may not have noticed amid all the hubbub around national issues and politics, but some other pretty important votes took place in Maine on, or near, this past Election Day. Multiple towns took important steps to help create more sustainable communities through the elimination or reduction of plastic pollution. And that is good news! Read More
New Interactions Reveal What We Share
It’s more important than ever these days to reach out and find common ground with new people. At NRCM, we recognize that the power of our 20,000 current supporters helps us achieve many of our objectives, but we must get even more people involved to continue to protect Maine’s air, land, and water. NRCM staff Read More