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Aug 4: Two Concerts for Climate

FRIENDS OF CASCO BAY • July 26, 2026

Join us for a special private piano concert on August 4 to benefit Friends of Casco Bay in collaboration with Concerts for Climate. Pianist, composer, and climate activist Sydney Patten will share her passion for the environment and her music in a live performance. Friends of Casco Bay will share a special update about our work. A reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres will conclude the event.
Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
First concert: 3-4 p.m.; Second concert: 5-6 p.m.
Location: Sydney and Bill Patten are welcoming us into their Falmouth home for this performance. Details will be shared after registration.
Cost: A donation is suggested for this event. Suggested levels are $100-$1,000 per attendee.

Opinion: How do Mainers love heat pumps? Let me count the ways …

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 26, 2026

Heat pumps helped the state beat its goal of 100,000 installations two years ago and reach 143,000 units in 2025. Now the target is 175,000 by 2027. Why do Mainers love heat pumps? Because Maine is the most heating-oil dependent state in the country. And when prices shoot up, they get hosed. Maine has been trying to kick its petroleum addiction since the 1974 Middle East oil embargo. Heat pumps are just the latest tool. ~ Tux Turkel

Cinnamon Fern Through the Lens of Time

DAILY BULLDOG • July 25, 2026

In the Northeast, cinnamon fern is one of the easiest ferns to recognize when its cinnamon-colored spikes are still present. Remarkably, the cinnamon fern has changed very little over time, appearing in the fossil record in late-Cretaceous rocks, and its lineage has remained stable even longer. In 2014, researchers described a 180-million-year-old fossil rhizome of a close relative from a volcanic mudflow in Sweden, where mineralization was so rapid that nuclei and even chromosomes were preserved. These matched those of the modern cinnamon fern almost exactly in size and number. Why have cinnamon ferns changed so little from the times that the last dinosaurs were walking among them? Possibly because the wet, acidic, low-nutrient ground that suits cinnamon fern has existed continuously on the planet since the Mesozoic, and because traits like tough rhizomes and quick-germinating green spores work so well in those wetlands that there has been little pressure to change. ~ Naya Banerjee

So you think you know Acadia National Park?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 25, 2026

Acadia National Park encompasses more than 50,000 acres, the bulk of that on Mount Desert Island, with the remainder on Isle au Haut, Schoodic Peninsula and a host of islands, as well as a variety of conservation easements. Established as Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916, it became Lafayette National Park three years later, and was renamed Acadia in 1929. The land that we know as Acadia has a rich and colorful history dating back thousands of years, and its protection and preservation as a park is a conservation story for the ages. Gary Stellpflug and Charlie Jacobi, retired Acadia National Park rangers with a combined 70 years experience with the National Park Service, lead an Acadia themed trivia night, hosted by the Mount Desert Island Historical Society last winter.

Owls of Maine lecture, Aug 5

DAILY BULLDOG • July 25, 2026

Beginning with slides and sounds, participants will learn the identifying characteristics and calls of each owl. Then, using talons, wings, and skulls, we explore the adaptations of these silent nocturnal hunters. This program ends with an intimate and detailed look at an owl, bringing these creatures of the night into the light. At New Vineyard Public Library, 8/5/26, 10:30am – 11:30am, free.

5 summer adventures in Aroostook

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 25, 2026

The height of summer is the perfect time for outdoor adventures, and if you live in or plan to visit Aroostook County, you can find plenty of options. Last year tourism represented a $16.6 billion economic impact statewide, up $200 million from the year prior, according to the 2025 impact and visitor report from the Maine Office of Tourism. The state saw 14.1 million visitors in 2025, who spent $9.4 billion statewide. Almost everyone knows about the big draws, such as the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, but The County has other intriguing spots.
• Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge
• Salmon Brook Lake Bog
• Fish River Falls
• Million Dollar View
• Crashed plane site

Column: I’m a birding influencer. Here’s what I don’t like about the job.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 25, 2026

I’ve recently learned that I am an influencer. I don’t like it. I write a weekly birding column. I produce a birding channel on YouTube. Marketing geniuses across the globe have noticed. They contact me daily, hoping I will review their products and promote them. Some even promise a percentage for anybody I influence to buy their product. I’m not interested. Leave me alone. I want to be able to identify birds personally. If my feeder, optics and phone are doing all the work, it’s the tools that are smart, not me. Look, if I had any real influence, I’d persuade the government to not roll back the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, that’s already happened. ~ Bob Duchesne

Green grant cancellations were ‘based solely’ on states’ political affiliation, Trump administration says in court

THE HILL • July 24, 2026

Federal green grants canceled last year were selected “solely” based on a state’s political affiliation, the Trump administration said in a recent court filing. In the filing, Department of Energy (DOE) lawyer Jeff Novak said the department came up with a list of 624 grants slated for potential termination. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) selected 284 of those grants to be included in a tranche of cancellations. He wrote that all except one of the 284 grants OMB selected had ties to states that voted for then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 and had two Democratic-caucusing senators. Novak noted that the other 340 grants have not been canceled.

Gorham will get a new public trail this fall

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 24, 2026

Work began early this summer on a public trail through 53 acres of recently conserved land called the Gorham Community Forest. The trail will be a three-quarters of mile long and suitable for walking, running, biking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. The Robie family donated the forest adjacent to its planned Robie Street housing development to the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust years ago, but officially closed the deal through the developer KV Enterprises this spring. The trail and conservation work is funded by a $237,000 Maine Trails Program grant.

Beach hazard statement issued for ocean temperatures along Maine coast through Friday

MAINE PUBLIC • July 24, 2026

The National Weather Service is warning of ocean temperatures along the Maine coast in the 50's, which is cold enough to cause hypothermia. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Donny Dumont says offshore winds have pushed warm surface water out to sea and cold water below has risen to the surface.

Towns join path to building first 10 miles of Casco Bay Trail

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 24, 2026

Construction of the Casco Bay Trail, a planned 72-mile multiuse trail loop from Portland to Auburn and over to Brunswick, is inching closer to starting as towns commit to matching initial funds and joining a regional board. The trail, which would be built on the state-owned St. Lawrence and Atlantic Rail corridor, has been gaining support for years. Last June, Maine passed a law authorizing the conversion of a 26-mile corridor from Portland to Auburn into an interim trail.

Maine advocates worry about Trump cutbacks in bike lane support

MAINE PUBLIC • July 24, 2026

The Trump administration has scrubbed federal websites of information about creating a safer environment for alternative transportation, including bike lanes and walking trails. It is also proposing to redirect funding for such projects to highways and bridges. Bicycle Coalition of Maine executive director Andrew Zarro says it's part of an emerging pattern, "a deeply concerning shift away from evidence-based transportation policy." Zarro says, it comes at a time when the coalition, the state, and some localities are experimenting with "traffic calming" measures. The goal is to reduce the number of pedestrian deaths, which rose in 2025 to a multi-year high.

NOAA report finds Gulf of Maine warming slowed for now, but ecosystem remains unstable

MAINE MONITOR • July 24, 2026

Maine’s fishing ports are doing well for now, but climate change is destabilizing the Gulf of Maine, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest “State of the Ecosystem” report for New England waters. They found that some Maine fishing ports are growing busier, likely driven by the high price of lobster. And 2025, like 2024, offered slightly cooler water temperatures after more than a decade of rapid and record-breaking warming in the Gulf of Maine. But the scientists predict that  temperatures will warm again this fall, and will continue to rise long-term as the burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. To weather these ongoing changes, fishermen and their communities need to diversify their businesses, experts say.

No, Auburn recycling isn’t being mixed with regular trash in automated trucks

SUN JOURNAL • July 24, 2026

Yes, both garbage and recycling are being collected in the same automated trash trucks in Auburn. No, the two are not being mixed. The same can be said for Lewiston, which is also adopting an automated waste pickup system. Automated trash trucks use a mechanical arm to pick up special trash carts and empty them into the back of the truck. The change is supposed to increase efficiency and decrease the necessary manpower: The mechanical arm that lifts the cans replaces the people who formerly stood on the back of the truck for the same purpose. The truck has two compartments — one for trash and one for recycling — that are operated by a joystick inside the truck cab.

Rogue puffins visit NH to source snacks, but breeding colonies unlikely for the Granite State

MAINE MORNING STAR • July 24, 2026

Every summer, New Hampshire’s seacoast draws visitors in droves, from sunbathing tourists to ravenous greenhead horseflies. Less expected are Atlantic puffins, which are rare in the state year-round and in summertime become so uncommon that a sighting triggers a statewide birdwatching alert. One of those alerts went out early this July. Most likely, the seabird’s journey to the Granite State was gastronomically motivated, said Don Lyons, director of conservation science at the Audubon Seabird Institute in Bremen, Maine. Scant records make it hard to say whether there ever were puffin colonies in what is now New Hampshire. Future sightings of brave puffins far afield in places like New Hampshire will depend on the conservation of nesting colonies where they exist already, in Maine and northward.

Action: Tell Congress to Stop the Attack on Endangered Species Habitat

ENDANGERED SPECIES COALITION • July 24, 2026

The federal government finalized a rule removing the long-standing definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act, an important safeguard that recognized habitat destruction is harmful to endangered wildlife. If allowed to stand, the rule would make it harder to stop activities that destroy nesting beaches, breeding grounds, migration corridors, wetlands, forests, and other habitats essential to the survival of endangered and threatened species. Tell your members of Congress to support Rep. Fitzpatrick and Quigley’s bipartisan legislation to block this harmful rule and defend the Endangered Species Act.

Dam removal begins on the Royal River

FRIENDS OF CASCO BAY • July 24, 2026

The residents of Yarmouth, Maine have begun imagining what it might be like to stand beside a Royal River abundant with blueback herring, alewives, sea-run trout, eels—and maybe even salmon. To see the river flowing naturally over ledge rocks. The water clear, cold, and in rhythm with the landscape once again, after being dammed and impounded for more than 250 years to power mills and industry. This vision of a healthy river is the goal behind the Bridge Street Dam removal in Yarmouth, where preparatory work began this week. 

Want to know if your nonstick pan contains PFAS? A new searchable database has the answer

MAINE MORNING STAR • July 24, 2026

A new searchable database highlights the smooth rollout of Maine’s ban on forever chemicals — at least when it comes to cookware. After reviewing more than 200 cookware brands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, Defend Our Health, a Maine-based nonprofit, found that most companies were quick to remove products from Maine after the state’s sales ban on many consumer products with intentionally added PFAS took effect in January. “Companies had really broadly pulled PFAS-containing products from physical stores in Maine, but we did find online sales compliance issues,” executive director Carey Perez de Alejo said.

Opinion: Energy affordability should be at the center of Maine political debates

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 24, 2026

We need to address the cost of staying warm, keeping the lights on, and reducing dependence on fuels we do not control. Wood pellets for a boiler cost about $30.23 per million Btu. By comparison, an air-source heat pump runs about $23.88 to $34.83 per million Btu, heating oil about $40.61 to $45.17, propane about $41.39 to $46.57, and electric baseboard heat about $75.23. Prices vary, but the trend is clear: pellets are a practical, lower-cost option compared with heating oil, propane, heat pumps, and electric resistance heat. We have forests, workers, mills, pellet producers, truckers and technicians who can help keep more energy dollars here at home. ~ Les Otten, Bethel