Protecting What We Love: A Celebration of Action for Maine's Environment
Photo by Cait Bourgault
This annual event features an evening of inspiring talks, engaging workshops, and hands-on activities all focused on protecting our beautiful Maine environment. This event is your chance to connect with like-minded individuals, learn about local conservation efforts, and take action to safeguard what we cherish.
In addition to celebrating our collective action, we present our Conservation Leadership Awards to celebrate individuals who have done extraordinary work in their communities. NRCM and our members and guests come together to celebrate and preserve the natural beauty of Maine!
The schedule for the 2024 event was:
5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Light bites & cash bar
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Environmental Activism: Lawmaking 101
5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Wagon ride farm tour
5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Bird walk led by bird expert Casey Hynes
6:15 - 7:15 p.m. Conservation Leadership Awards
The 2024 Conservation Leadership Award recipients were:
- Dan Kusnierz of the Penobscot Nation and MaryAlice Mowry of Patten
- Enock Glidden of Albany Township
- Kate Pilotte of Castine
- York High School Eco-club
- Buck O'Herin is the 2024 People's Choice Award winner
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Environmental Activism: NRCM Priorities 101
Live acoustic jazz by Justin Walton throughout the evening
Casey Hynes fell in love with birding when he glanced out his bedroom window as a teen for a point-blank look at an American Redstart, and felt the need to figure out what he was looking at. Birding has now become a decades-long passion, and he knows it will continue to lead him to new places and discoveries the rest of his life. He has led tours for Maine Audubon, the Acadia Birding Festival, and the LL Bean Outdoor Discovery Program. He loves sharing his interest in Maine and the outdoors with others, and wouldn’t trade living in Maine for anything.
Justin Walton is a musician, music educator, and NRCM member. He has been performing professionally for over three decades and has released several albums of original material both as a solo artist and as one third of the band Dreadnaught. Justin is a native Mainer who enjoys fly fishing, hiking, skiing, and generally being outdoors as much as possible.
See a list of past Conservation Leadership Award recipients.
