The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
Thank you for reading Maine Environmental News. Each year, we post thousands of news summaries, notices, and links related to important environmental issues from across the state (and beyond). If you find this service useful, you can help us continue to provide it by making a donation. Just click on the button below and contribute whatever you can afford. Thanks again for your generous support!
Sincerely,
Jym St. Pierre
Editor, Maine Environmental News
MAINE AUDUBON • March 1, 2026
The third edition of Maine Amphibians and Reptiles explores the lives of 38 fascinating species—from tiny newts to rarely seen sea turtles—found across Maine and the Northeast. Built on 25 years of research, with expanded photos, regional studies, and engaging writing, it’s perfect for scientists and curious readers alike. Join some of the contributors to this fascinating book for a talk followed by a book sale and signing at the Falmouth Memorial Library. Light refreshments will be provided. At Falmouth Memorial Library, 5 Lunt Rd, Falmouth, ME, March 11, 5:30pm.
MAINE AUDUBON • April 1, 2026
Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Learn about Maine Marsh and Stream Explorers, a collaborative community science project between Maine Audubon and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This program trains volunteers to survey for macroinvertebrates, or large aquatic insects, in streams and freshwater marshes statewide. April 22, 7 pm, online, preregister.
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • March 9, 2026
Come to the State House to let legislators know you want them to fund the Land for Maine's Future (LMF) program this year. LMF is the state's most successful and popular land conservation program, but it is out of money and legislators need to act this session to provide funding. We need LMF to protect working lands and waterfronts, support our outdoor recreational economy, and protect the beauty and open space that define Maine's way of life.
RANGELEY HIGHLANDER • March 9, 2026
Saddleback reopened Dec. 1, 2020, after five years of closure. Of Saddleback’s 6,300 acres, only about 600 are developed. A new lift debuted that season, and three years later The Nest opened. Davies Toews Architecture designed the modern, utilitarian structure with environmental sensitivity in mind. Architects were aware of the rare Bicknell’s thrush, a small bird inhabiting dense alpine forests at high elevations, like at Saddleback. Bird-deflection screens protect the thrush from collisions with The Nest’s expansive sliding doors.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 9, 2026
Like the blood vessels in your body, Maine’s rivers and streams carry rainwater and snowmelt downstream to the sea. Yet across the state, thousands of undersized and aging road-stream crossings are quietly choking those arteries. If we are serious about climate resilience, public safety, and protecting Maine’s outdoor heritage, we must significantly increase funding for improved stream crossings that meet Stream Smart standards. The town of Brownville recently completed two Stream Smart crossings. Stream Smart funding made it possible to replace these aging structures with modern, climate‑resilient designs that the Town could not have otherwise afforded. The ecological benefits are just as important. Maine’s outdoor economy — fishing, paddling, wildlife watching — depends on healthy aquatic systems. Maine Audubon, towns across Maine and many others are working hard in the Maine Legislature to find the necessary funding to help Stream Smart support for municipalities continue. ~ Lance Farrar, town manager, Brownville, and Sarah Haggerty, conservation biologist, Maine Audubon
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2026
The U.S. Coast Guard will conduct ice-breaking operations on two Maine rivers this month to clear shipping channels. On the Penobscot River, the Coast Guard cutters Thunder Bay and Bridle will break ice from March 9 to 11. The cutter Tackle may also assist in the operation. Ice breaking on the Kennebec River is scheduled for either the third or fourth week of March, using the cutter Shackle. The Coast Guard is advising anyone with fishing gear or other personal property on the Kennebec River to remove it before operations begin.
BOOTHBAY REGISTER • March 8, 2026
Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is inviting community members to help grow the local conservation movement by becoming volunteer ambassadors. A training session for outreach and events volunteers will be held on Thursday, March 19, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Coastal Rivers Denny Conservation and Education Center in Damariscotta. In preparation for the busy summer and fall seasons, Coastal Rivers is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to represent the organization at the weekly farmers market and various other community events. This training is designed to provide both new and returning volunteers with the tools they need to share the trust's mission effectively. The training session will cover setting up engaging event displays, key talking points regarding Coastal Rivers’ mission and current programs, and best practices for public engagement and community outreach.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2026
Brooklin Boat Yard, one of Hancock County’s larger employers, has grown in recent decades from a small yard in a town defined by wooden boatbuilding to a 65-person operation building custom high-end vessels and servicing about 160 more. Along the way, it has developed unique approaches to mixing wood and composite materials along with 3D printing. The boatyard is set to continue in that direction with a $1.5 million state investment aimed at adding more room for working with and developing such technology, along with expanded space for boat projects.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2026
I read with dismay the article “Why crow hunting is more fun than you think,” published in Feb. 28-March 1 weekend paper. Hunting for and killing these amazing and intelligent birds for no other reason than “for fun” is beyond disturbing, showing no respect for another being’s life. And what do you do with the bodies that are contaminated with lead shot? Leave them for other animals to eat and be poisoned? ~ Rosa Livonius, Etna
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2026
A dozen candidates for Maine governor met Saturday at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum to discuss the latest trends and topics impacting the state’s commercial fishing industry. All six of the candidates that had to answer a question about whether they support a 2022 federal spending provision that delayed new whale-related restrictions on lobstering gear said they do and would advocate for an extension. “Federal restrictions on fishing gear cannot be built on the backs of Maine fishermen,” said Rick Bennett, an independent. Jim Libby, a Republican, said, “We’re asking people to change what they’re doing and use technology that is not proven. Democrat Shenna Bellows said she would work on improving the collective buying power of fishermen to make insurance more accessible, negotiate down drug prices and invest in rural health infrastructure. Democrat Nirav Shah called for investments in workforce housing, zoning reforms and said the state could explore a “deeded access or land trust model” to ensure housing access in waterfront communities. Candidates from both parties stressed that people who work on Maine’s coast should not be priced out of living there.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2026
When Kennebunkport village center was laid out more than 300 years ago, no one anticipated the need to allow passage for large commercial vehicles. Our infrastructure cannot be expanded. The mass arrival of visitors via motorcoach is different than the ebb and flow of people who circulate to and from Dock Square via car or on foot. It is time for Kennebunk and Kennebunkport to begin a serious conversation about the capacity of our river villages to welcome hundreds of visitors at once within the boundaries of our limited business districts without destroying the qualities that make people want to come here in the first place. ~ Susan Graham, Kennebunkport
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2026
Economist Christian Brayden of the Maine Aquaculture Association estimates that aquaculture leases in Maine do not typically sustain themselves financially until they grow to over five acres. In South Bristol an ordinance on aquaculture leases over one-half of an acre is up for a vote, and the residents will decide if the town moves forward with what is effectively an aquaculture ban. Nearby, Cushing is facing a similar vote on March 16. If the ordinances pass, profitable aquaculture businesses in these towns could end, affecting dozens of livelihoods and families. The Maine Farmed Seafood Coalition was founded in 2025 to act as a collective voice that tells the stories of real Maine sea farmers like Smokey and Sarah and to share information about the benefits of aquaculture to Maine. We firmly believe that supporting sea farmers is a path toward a more sustainable future for our working waterfront communities and Maine’s marine economy and culture. ~ Sebastian Belle and Andrea Cianchette Maker, Maine Farmed Seafood Coalition
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2026
Portland’s city-owned Bayside parcels offer a rare chance to demonstrate how a neighborhood can support residents across the full housing life cycle. Instead of viewing these parcels as discrete development sites, the city and development partners could approach them as a cohesive neighborhood, where renters, first-time buyers, families, downsizers and seniors can all find appropriate housing within a livable, mixed-use environment supported by civic space and local commerce. Publicly owned land in a central neighborhood is an uncommon civic asset. If approached with intention and imagination, Bayside could become a visible example of how communities can build housing that works not just for today’s residents, but for the lives they will lead here over time. ~ Mike Carey, Portland
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2026
Ten years in, the projected cost of redeveloping Portland’s prime eastern waterfront has pushed well past $1 billion since the city approved a master development plan for the former industrial site in 2016. In that time, the developers have completed a $27 million yacht-ready marina alongside the 10-acre site. They also spent $100 million to build a four-story Sun Life office building and move a historic factory storehouse brick by brick to a spot closer to the waterfront, where it now houses the restaurant Twelve. This spring, the third phase of the project is set to ramp up. It would add a 130-room hotel with 38 residences, a 132-unit condominium building and a 200-apartment complex, including 20 units that would be affordable under the city’s inclusionary zoning rules. The work is expected to be finished by 2029 or early 2030,
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2026
Our family farm has been shipping milk since the 1950s. Today, we milk between 75 and 100 cows and raise another 100 heifers and young stock. As my husband and I transition to ownership of the farm, we know we have enormous shoes to fill. I tear up when I think about all that my grandfather and dad have built and overcome to keep this farm going, from what was once a dilapidated homestead in the early 1930s to the working dairy it is today. A proposed $40 million agriculture and forestry bond (LD 2094) would invest in established state programs that farmers rely on for business investments and technical support. These programs were created by the Maine Legislature with bipartisan support, but aren’t funded in the way that they need to be. If this bond passes, farmers like me will be able to apply for grants, loans, and technical assistance so we can grow our businesses. Agriculture is more than a business; it is the backbone of rural communities and a driver of economic development. Please support LD 2094. ~ Holly Noyes, Noyes Family Farm, Albion
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2026
Most bird IDs are easy. There are just a few traps that make them seem difficult. One of the biggest challenges is plumage variation. Males and females often look different from each other. Fledglings look different from their parents. Birds sporting bright spring colors can look very different in their duller autumn plumage. Many birds are also very good at hiding. Some birds make identification difficult by wandering. Perhaps the biggest challenge is presented by species that look very similar. Bird identification can seem difficult because birds don’t always make it easy. ~ Bob Duchesne
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2026
Owls, deer, sea anemones and loons — wild animals are everywhere in Acadia National Park. As a longtime visitor and hiking guide there, I’ve experienced some amazing wildlife encounters over the years, including a few this winter. Acadia is home to at least 40 species of mammals. While hiking there, I often observe beavers swimming in ponds, gnawing down trees and building lodges. I’ve also come across snowshoe hares, noisy red squirrels, adorable porcupines and playful otters. Deer are everywhere in the park. Visitors to the park often ask rangers and guides about one animal in particular: Maine’s famous moose. Unfortunately, these iconic creatures are rarely spotted in Acadia. While Acadia is home to a small population of bears, they’re rarely seen by visitors because they tend to avoid people and dogs.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 6, 2026
After decades of planning, Gray took a major step toward the implementation of its Village Transformation Project on March 4 by holding an open house event for residents to give feedback on the project, one of the first major milestones in a decade-long process. The project will restructure 2 miles of roadway in downtown Gray in order to reduce congestion, make the roadways safer and more efficient for drivers and pedestrians, and create a modern and efficient route for goods and services to flow through the village intersections.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 6, 2026
The Cape Elizabeth Town Council recently voted to limit access to Cliff House Beach, one of the only free public beaches. First, it banned nonresident parking on Sea View Avenue leading down to the beach, so visitors had to find parking on Shore Road. Now members have voted unanimously to ban parking on Shore Road and the surrounding streets for nonresidents. They did not start with light-up crosswalks, they did not add a speed bump, they did not reduce the speed on this main artery. It is abundantly clear that the council, along with the residents, are using safety as a thinly veiled excuse to privatize one of the few remaining public beaches in Cape Elizabeth. ~ Sebastian Shames, Portland
