BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 13, 2026
My father has spent nearly six decades studying wildlife habitat and behavior to successfully trap furbearers in Maine. He has learned that animals are often the first sign that something in the landscape has changed. Habitat changes meant to benefit one species often end up benefiting others as well. My father mentioned that fisher were once thought to live mainly in mature forests. It is now understood that they often thrive along the edges of recent cuts where snowshoe hare are abundant. Fisher will also cruise riparian corridors such as alder runs, tributaries and streams in search of prey. Fox, coyote and mink use these same areas to hunt. He has also learned that forests with a mix of old trees, young trees, dead trees, downed logs, dense growth and openings support far more wildlife than forests made up of evenly spaced trees with little growing on the forest floor. For landowners interested in improving wildlife habitat, MDIFW’s Beginning With Habitat program offers technical assistance and many land trusts in Maine provide educational resources.