PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025
Here in Maine, you can find National Wildlife Refuges in every corner of the state. Unfortunately, the recent drastic cuts to federal agencies threaten the health of Maine’s lands and wildlife. Thousands of federal workers were terminated with no warning. The mass termination has left massive holes in agencies’ ability to respond to wildfires, floods and hurricanes. While federal court decisions have restored some lost jobs, plans for reductions in force are still being carried out and public servants with decades of invaluable knowledge and experience are leaving in droves. Without knowledgeable natural resource professionals, our forests and wildlife will fall out of balance. The words of Mainer and legendary conservationist Rachel Carson ring especially true: “Man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.” ~ Amanda Mahaffey