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GrowSmart Maine Summit 2026, October 29

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • October 27, 2026

Across the state, communities bring the knowledge, values, and care needed to navigate change. Through the Building Community Strength initiative, GrowSmart Maine connects towns to learn from one another while delivering the tools that make action possible, and supporting communities on their own terms. Summit 2026 was conceived in that spirit, bringing people together from every corner of Maine to exchange proven strategies, spark new partnerships, and celebrate local resilience.

National Park Free Entry October 27 not for everyone

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • October 27, 2026

Entry to US national parks is fee-free on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday. But it applies exclusively to U.S. citizens and residents. This is a first. Previously, free entry days were open to everyone regardless of nationality. Now, under President Donald Trump, visitors aged 16 and over may be asked to show identification. International visitors also need to pay a $100 per-person non-resident surcharge at Acadia and ten other national parks.

Fact brief: Does Biddeford prohibit camping in city parks?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 27, 2026

Biddeford’s parks ordinance prohibits overnight camping, including tents and other temporary shelters. Erecting any tent or shelter requires a recreation director’s permit. City parks generally close at dusk, and unauthorized structures may be removed. The ban predates the city’s recent efforts to address homelessness.

What Maine’s latest loon count revealed

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2026

Maine Audubon estimates that 2,770 adult loons and 276 chicks were on lakes in southern Maine this summer, down from the previous two years. The estimates are based on the organization’s 43rd annual Loon Count, held July 18. A record 1,861 volunteers surveyed 438 lakes statewide.

What should you do with art supplies that have toxins?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 27, 2026

Reports of undisclosed chemicals in hundreds of art products and toys have left Maine parents and educators questioning whether it is safe to keep using the markers, clay and fingerpaints in their homes and classrooms. Public health advocates say there are no easy answers. While using up the supplies, parents and teachers should increase room ventilation, stop children from drawing on their bodies and enforce hand-washing immediately after craft time. The Portland-based group Defend Our Health is calling on Crayola to remove the carcinogen from its products and give Maine buyers full refunds or nontoxic replacements.

7-year-old shoots first buck. It was bigger than most shot in Maine.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2026

Waylon Bourgoin is only 7 years old, but he already has a 225-pound deer to his name. The young hunter shot his first buck Saturday evening during Maine’s youth hunting days while hunting with his father, Tyler Bourgoin.

Aroostook potato farm brings spooky spuds to Halloween

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2026

Daniel J. Corey Farms of Monticello rolled a large green tractor and the graveyard experience into historic Market Square in 2025 for an innovative spooky spuds adventure. The immersive event really took off. Working alongside the town’s Community Impact Alliance, Ben Corey and Chloe Wheeler helped kids capture almost 900 bags of potato chips for their Halloween treat. The increasingly popular Trick-or-Tater, which involves handing out potatoes alongside the usual fun-size candy, started five years ago on social media, according to Kayla Vogel, manager of community engagement and influencer partnerships for Potatoes USA, the national marketing and research organization for potato farmers.

Column: Why can’t we hunt mourning doves in Maine?

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2026

I have never hunted doves, but I would like to. I’ve often wondered if my wingshooting abilities are still good enough to match their speed. I would like to find out, but I can’t because Maine is one of just nine states that ban dove hunting or do not list doves as a legal migratory game bird. Up to 350,000 resident and nonresident hunters pursue doves in Texas each year. Like Sunday hunting, bear baiting and some other topics, dove hunting would no doubt prove controversial and spark a firestorm of protests from anti-hunting groups and birdwatchers in Maine. ~ Al Raychard

This Maine transplant answers all your Acadia-related questions

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2026

A Maine transplant is helping fill an online void for Acadia National Park, which, run by the federal government, has never had an extensive digital footprint. Amid the park’s shrinking online and in-person presence, an army of social media users have appeared to offer advice and lessons on all things Acadia. Amy Faber, a New Jersey-born blogger who moved her family to Ellsworth four years ago explicitly for her love of the national park, is among them, and arguably their most enthusiastic voice. Faber consistently answers park-related questions on various Acadia Facebook pages — often sending long, comprehensive messages on the best ways to enjoy the park despite the large crowds.

Letter: Matt Dunlap is true outdoor sportsman

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2026

Matt Dunlap sponsored and passed laws that increase access to lands to enjoy whatever outdoor sport you participate in. Whether it’s longer hunting seasons, increasing stocking of your fishing spots, or adding miles of trails, Matt has been a leader supporting our outdoor heritage. He hunts, he fishes, he walks the walk. He didn’t fly to Florida the day after his term in office ended. He stayed in Maine and continued to support our outdoor sports. ~ Ed Pineau, Orono

Drought helps push Maine sewage pollution to record low in 2025

MAINE PUBLIC • October 27, 2026

Unusually low rainfall helped Maine set a new record for the least amount of sewage pollution into local waterways last year, according to a new state report. Maine has been trying to eliminate combined sewer outfalls, or CSOs, in dozens of towns and cities for decades. During heavy rains, these older systems carry combined stormwater and raw sewage into rivers and coastal waters. Last year, about 153 million gallons of mixed water was discharged from CSOs, half as much as the previous lowest record, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Former Lisbon lettuce grower Springworks Farm sold for $1.1 million at auction

SUN JOURNAL • October 26, 2026

Springworks Farm was sold at auction Friday to an anonymous private investor from Lisbon for $1.1 million. The investor, who declined to disclose his name, said he didn’t have any immediate plans for the property. Springworks Farm was a thriving aquaponics farm in Lisbon that sold to a host of grocery stores and schools, and was the exclusive supplier of organic and other lettuce to Hannaford from 2021 until earlier this year.

Maine climber rescued after getting stuck on granite cliff

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 26, 2026

A Portland man was rescued Sunday morning after he got stuck while climbing a granite cliff in New Hampshire. William Carron, 30, was climbing alone and unroped on the Sliding Board route up Whitehorse Ledge in Hale’s Location, a small township north of Conway, about 8 a.m. when he realized he could not climb any higher or climb back down. He called for help. Nine climbers made their way up to Carron, fixing ropes from the ground up to the Portlander. They brought him to the cliff’s base.

Earthquake shook Piscataquis County town

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 26, 2026

An early Friday morning earthquake rattled Guilford. The magnitude 1.8 temblor shook the ground at a depth of more than 6 miles northwest of the Piscataquis County town about 12:13 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Since 1997, there have been more than 170 recorded earthquakes in the state.

Maine OPA warns community solar farms of 'misleading' appeals to low-income customers

MAINE PUBLIC • October 26, 2026

The Maine Office of Public Advocate is warning community solar companies against making "misleading" appeals to people that receive benefits from the state's low-income assistance program for electricity. Public Advocate Heather Sanborn said at least one company is offering 20% electric bill discounts to electric customers if they subscribe in a community solar program. But after a change to the Low Income Assistance Program this year, those customers could receive up to 80% off their monthly bill based on income eligibility, Sanborn said.

What it means when you see purple paint on a tree

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 26, 2026

Have you ever been out in the woods and found a tree with a purple stripe painted on it? And if so, what did you do after that? The correct answer, it turns out, is to turn around and exit the area. The use of purple paint is a way to designate areas where access to land is limited to those who’ve received advance permission from the landowner.

Does the moon determine when Maine’s deer rut peaks?

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 26, 2026

Many sportsmen count the November deer hunt as the highlight of all their outdoor pursuits. In general, knowing when the rut peaks gives you the best chance of catching a buck distracted by breeding activity, with his guard down and less focused on danger. But predicting the peak involves educated guesswork and anecdotal evidence, making the timing of the deer rut a subject of spirited debate at deer camp. There are two schools of thought on the subject. One theory holds that the breeding season is driven by day length. The more romantic theory is that although the rut occurs over a period of several weeks, there is a “sweet spot” lasting about 10 days regulated by the lunar cycle.

Column: Why you hear owls hooting more in October

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 25, 2026

Maine has three common nesting owls. One of them, the tiny northern saw-whet owl, generally leaves Maine during the coldest months. The other two don’t migrate. In fact, great horned and barred owls don’t even wander very much. They always have some notion of their territories, and are apt to proclaim it periodically. The hootin’ and hollerin’ starts in August, but intensifies in October. Now that you’re eavesdropping on owls, make sure you know who you’re snooping on. The hoot of a barred owl is famously described as “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” The great horned owl booms a deeper five-note phrase, often described as “Who’s awake? Me, too.” ~ Bob Duchesne

Wetlands restoration effort in Kennebunkport nears completion

MAINE PUBLIC • October 25, 2026

The Kennebunkport Land Trust has been working toward restoring a 13-acre hayfield into wetlands for the past three years. This week, they finished planting roughly 2,400 native plants that will help the land hold onto water, said Katelin Nickerson, project manager for Flycatcher, a land use consultant group. Reintroducing a scrubby, shrubby freshwater wetland will bring back birds and other animals whose populations have been declining in Maine, Nickerson said. The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program has funded restoration efforts at nearly 200 sites across Maine since it was created in 2008.