by Douglas Rooks For 30 years, there’s been no fiercer, more consistent, or passionate advocate of protecting the Maine woods and enhancing its wildness. Cathy Johnson came to the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) in 1990, and two years later began working full-time on the North Woods project – a role she fulfilled for Read More
public lands
Finding New Places to Hike & Explore Close to Home
None of us could have imagined that this year, 2020, would be so disrupted. Life, as we knew it, has changed for all of us. We seek the solace that nature can provide—now more than ever—yet it is our civic duty to stay close to home to slow the spread of Covid-19. For our family, Read More
Maine’s Outdoor Spaces Offer Respite During Trying Times
In E. O. Wilson’s 1984 book Biophilia, the world-renowned biologist and Harvard University professor described an innate “love of life” that humans have, meaning, we are drawn to nature. In an interview with PBS, he said this intrinsic attraction is so basic that he believed most people understand it and that it’s slowly instilling a Read More
Land for Maine’s Future: 3 Reasons LMF is about More than Land Conservation
When Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) was enacted in 1987, the program was remarkably forward-looking and a harbinger of good things to come. Over the past three decades, LMF has become Maine’s most important and popular land conservation program. But the program has not received any new funding since 2012, which is why we’re working Read More
Support of LD 1893, An Act To Require a Lease of Public Lands To Be Based on Reasonable Market Value and To Require Approval of Such Leases for Commercial Purposes
Senator Dill, Representative Hickman, and members of the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry: My name is Nick Bennett and I am the staff scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with more than 25,000 members and supporters. I am testifying in support of LD 1893 Read More
My Maine This Week: Cathance River by Steve Yenco
“A fun snowshoe along the banks of the Cathance River after a snowstorm at the Cathance River Nature Preserve in Topsham, Maine.” Photo by NRCM supporter Steve Yenco of Lisbon Falls, Maine. With winter weather finally arriving here in Maine, there are many opportunities to get outside to snap snowy photos of Maine’s beautiful land, Read More
Conservation is a Maine Value Our Lawmakers Must Uphold
By Jeremy Sheaffer, Maine state director of The Wilderness Society in Hallowell Bangor Daily News op-ed Mainers take pride in our wild forests, rivers and shorelines that support our outdoor traditions and our growing recreation economy. Increasingly, voters in Maine measure the merits of political candidates by the strength of their commitment to conservation, as Read More
Public Lands Bill an Encouraging Sign from Congress
Bangor Daily News editorial Less than a month after America’s longest government shutdown, the US Senate offered a glimmer of bipartisan hope in the form of a significant public lands package that passed with overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle. The broad legislation — which would protect millions of acres around the country Read More
Following Advocacy from Senators Collins and King, Senate Votes to Permanently Reauthorize LWCF
LWCF has conserved land and created outdoor recreation opportunities across the country. News release from Senators Collins and King Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate approved a permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as part of a public lands legislative package. The legislation passed by a vote of 92-8 will Read More
