By Nora Flaherty MPBN news story A new report finds that climate change is seriously impacting Maine’s waterways. The report from the National Wildlife Federation finds that changes such as warmer winter temperatures and warmer oceans, mean important changes for Maine’s ecosystems. Nick Bennett is staff scientist at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. He Read More
Forests and Wildlife
NRCM works to protect Maine’s natural areas and wild, undeveloped character, particularly in the North Woods. We support responsible land development and sustainable forest practices that protect sensitive ecosystems and wildlife. We work for increased public ownership of Maine lands, so future generations will know the Maine we love today.
Protection of Maine’s natural, remote areas was one of the issues for which NRCM was founded in 1959. More than 60 years later, much progress has been made but major threats to Maine’s land and water resources continue.
Read news & blogs about our work to protect Maine's forests and wildlife.
Report: Clean Power Plan Key to Protecting Drinking Water, Wildlife Habitat
News release of the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Council of Maine MAINE (August 18, 2015) – Maine’s and America’s waterways are already being stressed by climate change and President Obama’s Clean Power Plan is urgently needed to protect them. This is the conclusion of a new report by the National Wildlife Federation, Read More
In Impaired Central Maine Lakes, Alewives Have Outsized Impact
After decades of poor water quality, central Maine lakes such as Vassalboro’s Webber Pond improve after alewives are reintroduced. By Peter McGuire, Staff Writer Kennebec Journal news story VASSALBORO — Frank Richards can remember when regular algae blooms on Webber Pond made having a lakefront home almost unappealing. From July until September, for decades, the Read More
Maine Can’t Cut More Trees from Its Public Forests on a Whim
By The BDN Editorial Board Bangor Daily News editorial As lawmakers departed Augusta last month, they left a debate unsettled about how much wood to cut from Maine’s public forests, how to use the revenue from those logging operations, and what will become of $11.5 million in voter-approved, land-protection bonds. In the coming weeks, a Read More
Falmouth Proceeds with Land Preservation, Despite LMF Bond Delay
By Colin Ellis The Forecaster news story FALMOUTH — The Town Council on Monday night appropriated more than $200,000 from various accounts to preserve four remote parcels of land. The council also continued a discussion on the possibility of affordable senior housing in the old Plummer School. Councilors voted 5-2 to purchase nearly 100 acres Read More
Real Investment in the Katahdin Region? Try a National Park
By Anita Mueller, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Opponents of the proposed national park and recreation area east of Baxter State Park are fear mongering and using several ridiculous and unsubstantiated scare tactics. For example, I am not buying the “black cloud” theory. It goes something like “everything would be wonderful in Read More
Why There’s Cause for Concern with Maine’s Water Supply
By Mario Tesil and Kate Warner Bangor Daily News oped As other regions of the country struggle to find adequate supplies of clean water, Maine has abundant, and comparatively clean, water resources. Maine’s water is approximately 20 percent to 60 percent cleaner than lakes and streams in the rest of the United States, according to Read More
Unless Bonds Released, Hunting and Fishing Spots Could Make Endangered List
Our priceless wilderness might be up for bid soon because of Gov. LePage’s unceasing obstinacy. By Martin Grohman Portland Press Herald op-ed About the Author Martin Grohman is a first-term Democratic state representative from Biddeford. BIDDEFORD — I was lucky enough to get a moose permit this year, and I’ve already been scouting in anticipation Read More
Maine Groups Working to Preserve Land Likely to be Climate-Change Resilient
By Susan Sharon MPBN news story CASCO, Maine — Global climate change, as manifest through extreme weather patterns, is forcing land trusts and conservation agencies to take stock of the special places around them. That means identifying unfragmented, unique landscapes that support a diversity of plants and animals and could support them in the future. Read More