by Stephen Mulkey, PhD “Well planned sustainable biomass power plants are a viable source of clean renewable electricity, and this is helpful for the task of phasing out coal-fired power plants. Knee-jerk opposition to all biomass projects has no sound scientific basis and is harmful to attempts to stabilize climate for the sake of our 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.
Growing Education Solutions, Shrinking Environmental Problems
For the past two years NAE Academy (Nokomis Alternative Education) students have been designing, building, and operating their own Aquaponics systems. Aquaponics is the cultivation of fish and plants together in a recirculating system where fish waste provides a nutrient source for the plants and in turn the plants provide a natural filter for the Read More
Summer, Day 1: Headwaters of the Allagash River
After a six-hour drive—which included a pit stop at LL Bean and Hannaford for supplies—we made it to Johnson’s Allagash Lodge for the very last expedition for my National Geographic Young Explorers grant. The lodge is a collection of log buildings on the edge of Narrow Pond, which eventually drains into Allagash Lake. The cabins Read More
Rules of Engagement for the Environmental Century
by Stephen Mulkey, PhD Avoiding catastrophic climate change will be the organizing principle for humanity for the next 30 years. – Joe Romm, Founder of Climate Progress, 2016 The International Geological Congress is poised to officially designate the present as part of a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. I call the 21st century simply The Read More
“So This Guy Walks into a Monument…”
And in the “Thanks, Obama!” column we are still celebrating the addition of 87,500 acres to the national park system in the form of the brand-new Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. I have been working at NRCM for the entire five years that we have been advocating for a national park and recreation area Read More
Spring: Day 3 on Fifth Pond, the Headwaters of the St. John River
On Day 2 of our spring trip, Brian and I split up for a few hours. Brian had had great luck catching brook trout below the old dam, and I wanted to search for arriving migratory birds, especially warblers. The colorful, palm-sized species journey hundreds and thousands of miles north to nest and breed in Read More
Spring: Day 2 on Fifth Pond, Headwaters of the St. John River
After a delicious breakfast at Pittston Farm – complete with Guy’s homemade donuts – we packed camping and fishing gear into the car. In our beat up Ford Explorer we had miles to go on dirt roads before we made it to an access point for Fifth Pond. From the road, we flushed both Gray Read More
Approaching the Ecological Event Horizon
by Stephen Mulkey, PhD “If looking into the sun may cause blindness, then human insights into nature entail a terrible price.” – Andrew Glickson, Australian National University, 2014 “If we don’t act soon, there will only be tiny remnants of wilderness around the planet, and this is a disaster for conservation, for climate change, and Read More
Katahdin Woods & Waters, Climate Change, & the Public Trust
by Stephen Mulkey, PhD, for The Natural Resources Council of Maine On Wednesday, 24 August 2016, President Obama designated a large parcel of Maine’s North Woods as the nation’s newest federal parkland. Many environmental groups and environmentally inclined citizens have worked diligently for several years to create the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. These Read More
