Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing Maine’s woods, waters, wildlife, and communities. To stay strong and well prepared for the future, we need to continue building home-grown clean energy sources to power our homes, cars, and businesses. A successful clean energy transition will deploy hundreds of thousands of heat pumps, zero-emission vehicles, Read More
Nature of Maine Blog
The Natural Resources Council of Maine’s “Nature of Maine” blog gives you the inside scoop on some of the latest issues facing Maine’s environment. From environmental news to threats to opportunities, NRCM is on the frontlines of the latest goings-on—and we’re often leading the charge on efforts to protect Maine’s precious lands, air, waters, and wildlife. Read what NRCM staff members have to say and get the perspective of some of our members and supporters who have been guest contributors.
Perhaps you have an issue you’d like to write about. Maybe you’re an expert on a particular topic and are inspired to share your expertise. Maybe you’ve recently made a visit to a spectacular Maine nature preserve or other natural area and would like to write about it (captioned photos welcome!). For submission guidelines, email nrcm@nrcm.org.
Connecting with Community — Reflections on Our Year Together
As 2023 comes to a close, we are entering the traditional season for reflection. This is the time that we look back over the past year, give thanks, and begin to envision what future the new year holds. For me, this has been a momentous year, and I am especially grateful for your warm welcome Read More
Mysterious Murmurations
The mild temps on Saturday, December 16, had us wondering: is this really the Christmas Bird Count time of year? (It felt a little like Breeding Bird Atlas time!) But indeed, there we were, traipsing through the streets of our Gardiner neighborhood and beyond, binoculars around our necks, as part of the Augusta area Christmas Read More
Critter Chatter – Some Things Never Change
Admissions at Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center slow down at this time of year; the only new resident I saw today was a gray squirrel, which had been hit by a car several days ago. No external injuries were seen, and Don said it was eating and drinking normally, so hopefully it has suffered only Read More
Setting the Record Straight on Clean Cars in Maine
The end of 2023 is fast approaching, and with it, the final opportunity for the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) to vote in favor of clean cars standards that would get more Mainers into affordable electric vehicles and dramatically reduce air pollution and the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. The Fifth National Read More
Maine Voices Opposed to Wolfden’s Mining
As the Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) prepares to make its decision regarding Wolfden Resources’ flawed mining proposal, more than a thousand Mainers, local businesses, Wabanaki tribes, government agencies, and conservation and philanthropic organizations have submitted written testimony opposed to the project because it’s too big of a risk for Maine. The broad range of Read More
What’s Next: Utility Reform and Maine’s Clean Energy Future
In November 2023, after being deluged by nearly $40 million in campaign advertising by Maine’s largest utilities, voters rejected a proposal to shift the state’s investor-owned utilities to a consumer-owned business model. Here, NRCM’s Climate & Clean Energy Senior Advocate Rebecca Schultz reflects on how we can best move forward to hold utilities accountable and Read More
Deciphering the Mystery of How the Turkey Got Its Name
To birders like us and, hopefully, you, the most well-known bird in the world may seem to be the Steller’s Sea-Eagle, given what a media darling it’s become. Well, it’s not. Neither is it a hummingbird, crow, peacock, the Perplexing Scrubwren, nor is it that famous, non-existent bird, the “seagull.” It is, in fact, the Read More
Critter Chatter – The Dangers of Glue Traps
Please note: This post contains descriptions of what happens to animals trapped in glue traps and may be upsetting to some readers. I knew immediately what I wanted to write about this month after seeing a young red squirrel recently admitted to Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab – he was the sole survivor of his litter Read More