Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, and Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am providing testimony in support of LD 700. Maine State Parks are in critical need of investment. They face $50 Read More
Forests and Wildlife
Support of LD 471, An Act to Require Legislative Approval for Certain Leases of Public Lands
Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, 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 471. Read More
Opposition to LD 324, An Act To Limit Public Land Ownership in Maine
Good morning Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, and Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am providing testimony in opposition to LD 324. NRCM opposes LD 324 for a number of reasons. First Read More
Support of LD 322, An Act To Provide Occupants of Motor Vehicles with Gold Star Family Registration Plates Free Entry to State Parks and Historic Sites
Good afternoon Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, and Members of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee. I am Melanie Sturm, Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am writing to provide comments in support of LD 322. Maine’s public lands, including state parks and historic sites, are cherished places Read More
Your Voice Matters: Preservation of Maine’s Iconic Moosehead Lake Region
There is a view in Maine, one that is not secret and is likely blazoned upon many a postcard and photograph, that takes my breath away and puts me at ease every time I see it. You only get it for seconds, maybe minutes, before it vanishes, not to be experienced until you return to Read More
Development Pressures Driven by Pandemic Underscore Importance of Smart Planning for Maine’s Future
One sure thing about 2020 is this: Maine real estate was red hot. Driven at least in part by the pandemic and its side effects, the Maine Association of Realtors reported that home sales and prices set records in 2020, including in rural and northern Maine. Real estate transactions were up 39.14% in Washington County, Read More
What’s New at Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument?
Like many people, you may have explored Maine’s stunning outdoors this year to decompress and clear your mind. Now in its fourth year, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (KWW) is the perfect example of a safe, remote place to recreate during a roller coaster year. As you begin to think about how you’ll spend Read More
Celebrating 30 Years of the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness
September 28, 2020, is the 30th anniversary of the Maine Wilderness Act, which was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush and designated 12,000 acres of the White Mountain National Forest as the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness. The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is proud of the role we played decades ago in Read More
How Climate Change is Impacting Maine’s Forests & Industries that Depend on Them
Research compiled by scientists at the University of Maine (UMaine) and the Maine Climate Council’s Scientific and Technical Committee makes clear that Maine’s beloved forests will likely look different in the future. Your kids and grandkids may find maple syrup, holiday trees, and powder days harder to come by when they’re grown. Predictions aside, the Read More
