PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 13, 2026
Paul Dest has retired after 25 years as the executive director of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, but his time with the nature reserve is in no way finished. Jennifer Seavey, formerly the chief programs officer for the Island Institute in Rockland, took the reins of the organization Jan. 5. Though he’s stepped down, Dest said that aside from spending more time with his family, he plans to spend his retirement doing volunteer work with the reserve. The Wells Reserve, located off Route 1 near the Wells-Kennebunk line, is Maine’s only National Estuarine Research Reserve. Visited by more than 50,000 people annually, the reserve offers 7 miles of trails, education about coastal ecosystems and research opportunities for scientists in several areas, including salt marsh habitats and restoration.