When considering how to reduce plastic pollution, many people find compostable cups, containers, and utensils (“compostables”) to be an appealing option. We understand why: these products often claim to be “earth-friendly,” and ultimately that is what we all deeply desire. Unfortunately, the environmental impact of disposable compostable containers is not as simple and straightforward as Read More
My Maine This Week: Steve Cartwright
As we get ready for a blue moon on Halloween night, we want to share this gorgeous harvest moon over Southern Island photo from earlier this month, taken by longtime NRCM member Steve Cartwright of Tenants Harbor, Maine.
Critter Chatter – Critter Release, Part II
As a follow-up to the September column, I’m submitting another written by the late Carleen Cote, published in the fall of 1999. As we prepare for colder weather, it seems like a good time to share some of her fond memories. “Over the years, hundreds of raccoons have called our Center ‘home.’ When they start Read More
Listening to Migratory Birds for a Deeper Connection to the Natural World
Animal migrations are a natural marvel. Seeing the departure and return of birds, like sandpipers, puffins, and a number of songbirds and waterfowl, to and from Maine every year is a joyful way to mark the seasons. But have you ever considered making the journey yourself to take in the sights and sounds of a Read More
My Maine This Week: Barbara Heap
Fall colors certainly put on a spectacular show throughout Maine this year! This week’s featured photo is by NRCM member Barbara Heap of Readfield, Maine. Barbara shares her vibrant photo of people flyfishing on the Dead River in Somerset County during the Flagstaff Lake dam release. Do you have some fall foliage photos (say that 10 Read More
A Conversation with Michael Vermette, Allagash Visiting Artist
This is the second in a two-part blog series that explores the intersection of art and environmental protection with interviews featuring the 2020 visiting artists for Baxter State Park and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Read our interview with Baxter visiting artist Jill Osgood. This year the Bureau of Parks and Lands introduced a new artist Read More
My Maine This Week: Jym St. Pierre
Jym St. Pierre of Brunswick, Maine, has been an NRCM member for nearly 50 years. He has been going to Baxter State Park even longer. His photo shows NRCM’s former Forests & Wildlife Program Director Cathy Johnson paddling with friends on Katahdin Lake toward Maine’s greatest mountain last month.
My Maine This Week: Isabelle Orozco
Welcome to our newest My Maine This Week photographer, Isabelle Orozco of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, and Arlington, Virginia. Isabelle writes, “I took this photo at Mt. Megunticook in the Camden Hills State Park on July 18th, 2020. The image shows the red squirrel, which minutes before was seemingly dancing with a partner, squittering hither and thither Read More
Timeless Lessons from a Native Garden in Uncertain Times
When we purchased our home, the first thing we did was designate a portion of our yard that we would allow to grow wild with native plants. Like most offices, the Natural Resources Council of Maine started working remotely as a result of the pandemic. Because of that, I’ve had the opportunity to pay closer attention to the changes in my native wildflower garden. There are a Read More
