How climate change is affecting Maine’s fall foliage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 15, 2026

Maine forests are proving to be more resilient to changing climate conditions in the fall than in the spring and summer, with scientists predicting the colorful canopy will be providing a steady stream of food and photos to wildlife and tourists alike for years to come. There will still be off years, when the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges of the maples and oaks are dulled by drought or dropped by an early frost, ecologists say, and over time, global warming will drive the onset of the color change deeper into the calendar year. “But we’re talking days, not weeks,” said Jay Wason, an associate professor of forest ecosystems physiology at the University of Maine. “The pace of fall change is so much slower than what we are seeing in our springs and summers.”