NRCM’s Annual People’s Choice Award
Our annual People's Choice Award honors a Mainer who has worked tirelessly to protect a special place, or has helped pass legislation safeguarding Maine’s environment, or has helped stop polluting companies from contaminating our state—someone who selflessly goes above and beyond to make sure future generations will enjoy the kind of Maine we know and love today.
Thank you to everyone who nominated an individual or group for the 2025 People's Choice Award. Below, learn about this year's finalists. Then place your vote by noon on Thursday, August 14, for your pick for this year's award winner. You may only vote one time, so be sure to read about each of them and then place your vote! We look forward to celebrating all of our Conservation Leadership Award recipients at our Protecting What We Love event on Thursday, September 11th in Freeport.
2025 Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Daniel Hester, Hiram (nominated by Lyman Stuart)
Dan Hester is a lifelong environmental champion dedicated to preserving Maine's natural beauty. As a Francis Small Heritage Trust Board Member, he exemplifies volunteerism. Most notably, Dan personally purchased 176 acres of Mt. Cutler to prevent development, ensuring public access and working to permanently protect it. With the determined efforts of Dan and many others, the Mt. Culter property was transferred to the Town of Hiram in June 2018. He also tirelessly advocated for LD 404 and LD 1450, vital legislation for the Mountain Division rail-to-trail conversion, promoting active transportation and economic development. Dan's leadership on the Mountain Division Rail Use Advisory Council further demonstrates his commitment to practical, impactful conservation that benefits future generations. Currently, he is in the process of preserving 400 acres in the Porter Hills area between Bald Ledge and Devils Den. His selfless efforts embody the spirit of this award.
Megunticook RiverKeepers, Camden (nominated by Geoffrey Scott)
With a dramatic town vote earlier this summer, the Megunticook Riverkeepers (MRK) made a name for themselves in successfully building awareness and support for improving the environment of the Megunticook River. This major step toward a “free” Megunticook River was years in the making and hard won through the efforts of MRK’s Board and supporters, as well as with partners such as NRCM. Camden is one of the “jewels of the Midcoast,” and it’s no surprise as to why. A scenic harbor graced with a waterfall from the Megunticook River—which connects to Megunticook Lake just 3.5 miles upstream—has been (and continues to be) a fishing destination for the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy since well before settlers arrived who penultimately built dams along the river in the last 200 years. The lowest and most visible dam leading into the harbor had been a heightened topic of discussion following a 2019 NOAA study that found dam removal to be the best option for the town. As conversations continued and town residents took up stances, the issue became more public and more divisive. Despite an extensive schedule of public town meetings, a town citizens advisory committee, research by partner groups, and many letters to the editor, some resistance remained. MRK was able to bridge the divides with clear explanations and logic around the financial and economic benefits of dam removal, and with a 1391 to 995 vote they succeeded in their campaign and take the next step toward a landmark moment in the history of the Penobscot Bay estuary.
Marcel Polak, Woodstock (nominated by Rick Van de Poll)
Since 1978 when Marcel and his wife Emily, as back to the landers, built a home and gardens in the Bethel area, he has been an ardent advocate for Maine's environment. Prior to graduating from Antioch New England Graduate School with an M.S. in Natural Resources Management and Administration, he and several other ardent land conservationists founded the Mahoosuc Land Trust for which he served as first Executive Director from 1991-1995. As a Board member after that he helped MLT achieve its accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance in 2013. Locally, he joined the Woodstock Conservation Commission in 1984, helped write and have the town adopt the Woodstock Comprehensive Plan in 2003, chaired the Woodstock Conservation Commission (WCC) from 2004 - 2018, and drafted the first Open Space Plan for the Town of Woodstock in 2012. In 2021 he successfully applied to LMF to purchase the 646 Acre Buck’s Ledge Community Forest (BLCF) which has rare plants, old growth trees, and important recreational trails. Since then he helped purchase 55 abutting acres guaranteeing permanent access for Woodstock Elementary School students. He and other WCC members just completed a universally accessible trail with a magnificent view on BLCF.
Charles Spanger, Scarborough (nominated by Tom Mikulka, Ania Wright, Molly Schen, Amy Eschoo, and Kathleen Sullivan)
Charles (Chuck) Spanger was a cofounder of Third Act Maine. Since it's founding, Third Act Maine has grown into a statewide working group with five geographic hubs: Greater Portland, Midcoast, Central, Western Mountain and Lincoln County. Before Third Act Maine, he was active with 350 Maine and Elders for Future Generations, a group that was active in working with Protect South Portland to stop tar sands from coming to Maine. The month before he died he led a group of 50 at a Divest Maine rally in song, conga line, and chants. Chuck's enthusiasm for climate work was infectious, and he brought a vigor to the climate movement that inspired many retired folks to action. Chuck also reached out to youth in Scarborough to forge intergenerational connections and supported a youth leader there to work alongside him. Chuck treasured life on this planet. And, it wasn't just what Chuck did—the countless hours of strategizing, protesting, singing, and speaking out. It was the spirit that lit up a room, a twinkle in his eye, a brash defiance of the powers that be. He INSPIRED us! Chuck died last fall and though he was on the cusp of celebrating his 80th birthday, his death interrupted his ambitions to make this a safer, healthier planet through his tireless work in climate activism.
Past People's Choice Award winners include:
NRCM Communications Manager Beth Comeau presents Buck O'Herin with the 2024 People's Choice Award
2024: Buck O'Herin, of Montville, for his lifetime of visionary conservation work in the Midcoast
2022: Don’t Waste ME of Old Town, for advocating for policies that protect communities most at risk from the negative impacts of waste facilities, including their recent work to close the out-of-state waste loophole in Maine law.
2021: Sam Saltonstall, of Brunswick, for for almost two decades of tireless advocacy for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate change mitigation
2020: Eric Sherman, of Greenville, for incredible work to on the No CMP Corridor campaign ranging from gathering petition signatures to delivering signs to fundraising and keeping others informed, and for his dedication and hard work for the greater good of Maine's North Woods
2019: Sandi Howard, of Caratunk, for her dedication to administering the Say NO to NECEC Facebook group and organizing one of the groups of intervenors in the CMP corridor proceedings at the Department of Environmental Protection and the Land Use Planning Commission
2018: Robin Robinson, of Brunswick, for creating a flourishing online educational community of people who share photos and information about all aspects of Maine’s wild birds, including threats to their habitats and opportunities to make a difference
2017: Addie Farmer and Lainey Randall, of Portland, for their work keeping plastics and other pollution out of Casco Bay. Read a blog post, written by Lainey and Addie, about their work.
2016: The Larouche family, of Old Town, for the family’s commitment to wildlife protection and habitat conservation as well as environmental education for children and adults through the Hirundo Wildlife Refuge.
2015: Bonnie Pooley of Bethel, for her outstanding success in engaging young people in the work of protecting Maine’s environment.
2014: Robert Godfrey of Eastport, for his perseverance in protecting the beauty and heritage of Down East Maine by leading the grassroots organization, Save Passamaquoddy Bay.
2013: Thanks But No Tank of Searsport, for exceptional efforts mobilizing and engaging citizens to protect Searsport and surrounding coastal communities from potential harm posed by a proposed LPG tank and terminal.
2012: Bob Iles of Bethel, for exceptional efforts preserving the summit of and maintaining trails on Whitecap Mountain in Rumford, and for continued work to obtain public access to area lands and waterways as a member of the board of the Mahoosuc Land Trust.
2011: Belfast Co-housing and Ecovillage, for exceptional efforts and tireless work to establish a model environmentally sustainable, affordable, multi-generational cohousing community.
2010: Vera Francis of Perry, for serving as a leader in a true citizens’ movement in her efforts to protect Passamaquoddy Bay from a proposed LNG terminal.
2009: Evelyn Dunphy of West Bath, for her exceptional efforts in protecting Katahdin Lake from development.
2008: Willy Ritch of Woolwich, for exceptional leadership in mobilizing the citizens of Wiscasset to defeat plans for a coal gasification facility in their town.
2007: Maggie Shannon of Belgrade Lakes, for her dedication to the work of the Congress of Lake Associations and the inspiration she provides to others
2006: Eric Brown of Waterville, for starting Gang Green, an environmentally focused group of teachers and students at Lawrence High School. Note: Eric was the winner of our first annual People’s Choice Award.
