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Insects & Other Natural Wonders, Aug 3

FRIENDS OF MERRYMEETING BAY • July 29, 2026

Ecologist Kathy Claerr who will lead a late afternoon walk in Brunswick on Monday, August 3, 4-6pm. While trees dominate in their contribution to forest biomass, native insects contribute a dominant slice of forest biodiversity. Insects act as pollinators and seed spreaders, even in ponds! They aid in wood and forest floor decomposition, recycling nutrients critical to the health of forests and, they eat and are eaten, by each other and by species as diverse as reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish and birds. Unfortunately we appear in the midst of a major global insect decline. Preregister, contact Ed Friedman at 207-666-3372.

Portland launches strategic plan for urban forest areas as risks persist

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 29, 2026

Invasive pests. Intensifying storms. Housing development pressure. The trees of Maine’s largest city are increasingly at risk. “We’re facing pretty strong headwinds,” said Jack Phillips, executive director of Portland Parks Conservancy, who estimates that the city is planting only two trees for every three it loses. In an effort to fight back against these challenges, the conservancy has partnered with the city and a consulting firm to develop an urban forest master plan.

Opinion: Susan Collins still isn’t listening

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 29, 2026

We all knew what would happen once Brett Kavanaugh was on the Supreme Court. Everyone knew, it appears, but Sen. Susan Collins. In the fall of 2018, when the 17 of us went to Sen. King’s and Sen. Collins’ offices to ask them both to vote no on Brett Kavanaugh, only one met with us face-to-face. Sen. King made the time. He listened. He voted against Kavanaugh. Collins didn’t give us five minutes. She never even said hello. Over 200 Maine attorneys shared their concerns about how Kavanaugh’s voting could affect environmental laws and civil rights. Sen. Collins’ platitudes and assurances made on the Senate floor before she cast her deciding vote were a slap in the face to all of us who warned what his appointment meant. ~ Maureen Terry, Gorham, former Maine House majority leader, and Bev Uhlenhake, former mayor of Brewer

‘Stubborn’ wildfire in Penobscot County turns into full-time response for volunteer firefighters

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 28, 2026

Volunteer firefighters have spent a grueling week extinguishing a roughly 3-acre wildfire along a stream in the Penobscot County town of Bradford. The first of seven days along Mohawk Stream for volunteer firefighters began July 22. “We were kind of thinking, ‘Oh, this could be a minor thing…We’ll put it out, no big deal,'” Bradford Fire Chief Desmond Murray said. They soon realized what they were truly up against. Murray said his firefighters — all volunteers — have worked the scene for about 70 hours over the past week, and “we all have full-time jobs. All these small town fire departments…not one of them got paid the whole time. It takes a lot out of my department. My department is so burnt out after all this.”

Governor Mills Proclaims August 1-2 as Maine’s Sixth Annual Wild Blueberry Weekend

MAINE GOVERNMENT NEWS • July 28, 2026

Governor Janet Mills today declared August 1-2, 2026, as Maine’s Sixth Annual Wild Blueberry Weekend, and encouraged residents and visitors to celebrate Maine’s state berry at participating farms, restaurants, ice cream shops, breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the state. The Governor read her proclamation at Fields Fields Blueberries in Dresden, a second-generation organic blueberry farm operated by the Field family, alongside Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal, Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine Executive Director Eric Venturini and Director of Programs Jennifer McGinley Maskala, and Rep. Allison Hepler.

Royal River dam removal begins in Yarmouth

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 28, 2026

The work to “free the Royal River” — a common refrain for those working to remove a pair of dams in Yarmouth — has officially begun. Contractors have started removing the town-owned Bridge Street Dam, which will bring the river one step closer to its natural flow. By the end of September, they will take down the concrete fishway, penstock and dam. Next summer, if all goes according to plan, the Elm Street Dam will also be removed, allowing for a natural river flow through Yarmouth. The $3.8 million project, led by the town and the national conservation nonprofit American Rivers, has been decades in the making.

Lewiston program to send ‘ambassadors’ to city parks and neighborhoods

SUN JOURNAL • July 28, 2026

City residents will soon have the opportunity to get hands-on in their neighborhoods with the rollout of a new Community Ambassadors Program, focusing on giving Lewiston a glow-up. Community ambassadors will work with city staff and its partners on a variety of projects, including cleaning and beautifying parks, supporting community events, reporting maintenance and safety issues, and drawing attention to areas that need care. “We are piloting in our biggest parks, which we believe will be extremely helpful in getting families back out and enjoying those spaces,” Ward 5 Councilor Chrissy Noble said.

Maine farm nonprofit raising funds and food to feed the hungry

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 28, 2026

It’s August in Maine – peak season in Vacationland. But at the 1.3-acre nonprofit farm Veggies to Table in Newcastle, vacation will have to wait. On a typical morning, you won’t find the farm crew swinging in hammocks, sipping lemonade. Instead, they might be busily hauling crates of just-picked greens, cucumbers, and tomatoes, then washing, sorting, and packing produce that will be distributed that same day to local schools, food pantries, and hospitals. Founded by husband and wife Erica Berman and Alain Ollier, Veggies to Table describes its simple but ambitious mission: “to grow top-quality organic produce and flowers to donate to local people experiencing hunger and needing joy.”

What can Mainers expect during the Aug. 12 partial solar eclipse? A UMaine expert explains

DAILY BULLDOG • July 28, 2026

Mainers will have a rare opportunity to watch the moon partially cover the sun on Aug. 12, creating what looks like a dark bite taken out of the solar disk. The partial solar eclipse will be visible throughout Maine around midday, weather permitting. The event is especially notable because another solar eclipse will not appear in Maine’s sky until 2045.

Letter: PFAS exposure should be top of Mainers’ minds

SUN JOURNAL • July 28, 2026

Most a Mainers gree that we don’t want to eat food contaminated with “forever chemicals.” That’s why we owe a debt to Defend Our Health, which has worked to reduce PFAS contamination since this hazard became recognized over a decade ago. Its advocacy led Maine both to update water quality standards and restrict the sale of PFAS-containing consumer products. We need stronger federal laws that hold the chemical industry accountable and will prevent the next PFAS-like disaster. As the election approaches, ask candidates where they stand on this issue before you vote. ~ Sydney R. Sewall, MD, MPH, Physicians for Social Responsibility (Maine), Hallowell

Household hazardous waste event

DAILY BULLDOG • July 28, 2026

Jay residents needing to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste can drop off the materials at the Wilton Transfer Station on August 22nd between 9:00 and noon.

Maine’s dominant Canadian imports are not among those targeted by new Trump tariffs

MAINE PUBLIC • July 28, 2026

President Donald Trump will in 30 days impose a 50% tariff on a large list of goods imported from Canada in retaliation for what he calls Canada’s unequal treatment of U.S. cars, dairy and alcohol. Maine State Chamber of Commerce President Patrick Woodcock said he has seen the list of items that will be affected and two of the state’s three dominant imports — energy, fisheries and forest products — are not on the list. Trump is also imposing 10-12.5% tariffs on about 60 trading partners around the world, affecting more than 99% of U.S. imports.

Balcony solar is sweeping the US, but who’s actually selling it?

MAINE MORNING STAR • July 28, 2026

A hands-on form of solar power has electrified the U.S. in the past year. Plug-in solar lets anyone hang a few panels in the sunlight and send the power straight into their wall sockets to partially offset their utility bill. It extends the benefits of clean energy, a little bit at a time, to renters and anyone else who hasn’t been able to access traditional rooftop solar. This do-it-yourself energy production has operated in a regulatory gray area, though some intrepid customers have experimented with it anyway. In just the last few months, 10 more states, including Maine, passed plug-in solar laws, and several more are still considering bills. Given the swirling uncertainties, established rooftop solar providers are hanging back, for now at least, but a handful of new players are already selling to an eager public.

Maine conservation group wins national award for hunter education

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July x, 2026

Nothing inspires excellence like excellence. The Penobscot County Conservation Association has done it once again. The association recently received the International Hunter Education Association’s Award for Excellence in Hunter and Outdoor Education, recognizing its longtime commitment to hunter safety education. There are an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 fish and game clubs in the United States and a couple hundred in Maine. Yet the PCCA has been singled out for the quality and effectiveness of its hunter safety education program. This is no small honor or token commendation.

Mainer inducted into National Trappers Association Hall of Fame

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 28, 2026

A longtime Maine outdoorsman has received one of the highest honors in his profession after spending nearly seven decades preserving the heritage of trapping. Neil Olson, 78, of Bethel was inducted into the National Trappers Association Hall of Fame during the organization’s 67th annual convention, held this past weekend in Richmond, Indiana.

Land Use Planning Commission Seeks Public Input on Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update

MORNING AG CLIPS • July 27, 2026

The Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) is inviting residents, property owners, and others to help shape the next Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) by participating in a pre-process survey. The LUPC is gathering feedback through a pre-process CLUP Survey. LUPC provides planning and zoning services for unorganized townships, plantations, and towns in 13 counties, covering roughly half of Maine, about 10.4 million acres. The LUPC statute requires the Commission to prepare a CLUP, to guide its rules, zoning, and development review. Since the first CLUP was adopted in 1974, there have been five updates, the most recent in 2010. The next update will address changes since 2010 and will guide the Commission into the future.

New England Leopold Conservation Award Finalists Selected

MORNING AG CLIPS • July 27, 2026

Named in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, this award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold advocated for “a land ethic,” an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage. The finalists include: Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Woods Initiative. 

Amazon facility in Sidney won’t be stopped by moratorium proposal, officials say

CENTRAL MAINE • July 27, 2026

A 159,000-square-foot Amazon distribution center planned near Junction and Trafton roads cannot be stopped by a citizen effort to pause development on large-scale industrial facilities. That’s according to Sidney officials who clashed with residents Monday night during a public hearing on the effort for a moratorium on such projects. At Monday’s hearing on the petition, select board member John Whitcomb said elements of the proposed moratorium ordinance are illegal, including that it would apply retroactively, meaning it would not block a proposed Amazon facility.

Topsham eyes Main Street access for ATVs

TIMES RECORD • July 27, 2026

All-terrain vehicles could join the traffic flow on just under a mile of Main Street, which is also U.S. Route 201, to cross over Interstate 295. The proposal, from local ATV and snowmobile club Topsham Trailriders, would designate 0.8 mile from Eagle’s Way by Mt. Ararat High School, down Main Street to just over Interstate 295 as an official ATV access route, connecting existing trail systems now separated by the interstate. However, the proposal also brings safety concerns, as ATVs would share the road with regular traffic.