By Laura Zuckerman, Reuters Bangor Daily News news story Monarch butterflies may warrant U.S. Endangered Species Act protection because of farm-related habitat loss blamed for sharp declines in cross-country migrations of the orange-and-black insects, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday. Monarch populations are estimated to have fallen by as much as 90 percent 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.
Sale Preserves Public Access to Moosehead Lake Shoreline
The state buys a 2-mile stretch of property that includes a beach and sweeping mountain views. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The state of Maine has acquired roughly 2 miles of shoreline on the northern end of Moosehead Lake, preserving an undeveloped parcel in a remote area popular with paddlers, Read More
Penobscot Indian Nation Announces Support of Roxanne Quimby National Park Plan
By Nick Sambides Jr., BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story INDIAN ISLAND, Maine — The Penobscot Indian Nation has endorsed a proposed 150,000-acre national park and recreation area, saying the parks would protect the Penobscot River and associated waterways much the way the tribe has “since time immemorial.” Nation President Kirk E. Francis called Read More
State Uses Federal Funds to Acquire and Protect 2 Miles of Moosehead Lake Shoreline
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story BANGOR, Maine — The state has acquired 81 acres of undeveloped land with 2 miles of shoreline on northern Moosehead Lake that will connect another state-owned parcel called the Seboomook Unit to the water. Known locally as Little W. Shoreline, the new parcel is accessible Read More
Plum Creek Lumber’s ‘Green’ Certification Challenged
A watchdog group files a complaint about the logging practices of one of the nation’s largest timber producers, which owns about 865,000 acres in Maine. By Jeff Barnard, The Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A watchdog group is challenging the environmentally friendly “green lumber” certification for Plum Creek Timberlands, one of Read More
A Realistic Plan to Attract Jobs, Businesses to the Bangor Region
By Sean Faircloth, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Chris Dalton, a former Californian, owns a software company. He could live anywhere. He chose Bangor. Our region needs more business owners like Chris. But how? What if Bangor could benefit from an advertising campaign worth millions of dollars — a campaign leading to Read More
Maine’s Piping Plover Chicks Have Best Year in Decade
Nearly 100 of the endangered shorebirds survive and fly, possibly because of stepped-up monitoring and tighter protections on beaches. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Nearly 100 endangered piping plover chicks hatched and took flight on Maine beaches in 2014, more than any other year during the past decade, despite threats Read More
Plan to Pipe Tar Sands Oil Near Maine Border Sparks Environmental Concerns
By Tom Porter MPBN News Story TORONTO – Environmental groups in Maine are speaking out against Canadian energy giant TransCanada, the company behind the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. TransCanada today submitted formal applications to build the largest, most expensive pipeline in North America. Although it would not cross into U.S. territory, some in Maine say Read More
Androscoggin Land Trust Buys Nearly 1,250 Acres from Verso Paper Corp.
by Terry Karkos, staff writer Sun Journal news story CANTON — A multiyear project to conserve about 1,250 acres of woodlands in Canton and Jay along the Androscoggin River was realized earlier this month in a deal between the Androscoggin Land Trust and Verso Paper Corp. Thanks to an Oct. 6 land buy from Verso Read More