PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 6, 2025
Maine is in the middle of writing its once-a-decade wildlife action plan, a conservation blueprint that will guide funding decisions, science and protection efforts. And, for the first time, the plan will emphasize the critical role of habitat protection, and consider how climate change affects local plants and animals. The state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s 2025 plan will assess the health of Maine’s 1,500 native plants, in addition to Maine’s 15,000 native wildlife species. The 2005 and 2015 plans only considered animals species. The new plan will also make use of new climate science not available for past plans.