USPS • February 28, 2025
A first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Appalachian Trail Forever stamps was held today. On the first row, is an image of the iconic Mount [sic] Katahdin in Maine.
A Peace of Forest, Mar 29
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • February 28, 2025
Within 70 acres of Maine forest, in Whitefield, lies a world rarely traversed by humans. This is not a wilderness. There are no grand vistas. This ordinary terrain is unremarkable at first glance. Yet, its subdued riches provide crucial habitat for a vast wealth of plants and animals that are often overlooked. The film makers and producers, Lee Ann and Thomas Szelog will host a Q&A with the audience immediately following the movie. At Univ of Southern Maine, Hannaford Hall, March 29, 2025, 7 pm.
Tides of Change: Climate Action Through Conservation, Mar 27
MAINE COAST HERITAGE TRUST • February 28, 2025
News Center Maine’s evening meteorologist Keith Carson will talk about how the climate change conversation has changed over the last 15 years in his signature style of making complex weather and climate information both accessible and engaging. Info, food, raffle, on-site screenprinting. At Maine Beer Company, Freeport, Maine, March 27, 2025, 6-9 pm, tickets start at $25. Sponsored by Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
Restoration of Maine’s Longest River: The Unprecedented Cleanup of the Mighty Penobscot, Mar 3
UMAINE • February 28, 2025
Lauri Gorton, Program Manager, Greenfield Penobscot Estuary Remediation Trust LLC, will provide an overview of one of the largest environmental cleanups underway in Maine, designed to reduce exposure to mercury in the Penobscot River estuary – the state’s longest river. In 2022, the U.S. District Court in Maine approved a Consent Decree that created and funded two environmental response trusts to settle the 20-year lawsuit. As Greenfield’s Program Manager for the Penobscot Estuary Mercury Remediation Trust, Lauri is responsible for leading the trust’s technical, regulatory, and communications programs designed to address mercury contamination in the Estuary. The talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono, March 3, 2035, 3 pm.
Mingle with wildlife and be inspired, Mar 5
MAINE AUDUBON • February 28, 2025
Maine Audubon’s Wildlife Mingle events at Gilsland Farm features our friends at Center for Wildlife, a wildlife rehabilitation and conservation medicine organization in Cape Neddick. Whether you’re hoping for an inside look at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic—how do you care for a Spotted Salamander who is disturbed midwinter?—or look forward to hobnobbing with birds of prey, you’re bound to have a good time at the Winter Wildlife Mingle on March 5, 6:30 pm, $25 Members/$30 Nonmembers, 21+ only. Tickets are selling fast.
Maine 2024 Commercial Fisheries Value Increases by More than $74 Million
MAINE GOVERNMENT NEWS • February 28, 2025
Maine’s commercial harvesters earned $74 million more in 2024 than in 2023, with landings valued at $709,509,984, according to preliminary data release by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. The jump in overall value was due in large part to a year-over-year increase of more than $46 million earned by lobstermen at the dock. “2024 was a challenging year for Maine’s commercial fishing and aquaculture industries,” said Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “The storms that destroyed docks and piers up and down the coast put these industries at serious risk. But the state has been able help rebuild damaged coastal infrastructure, make it more resilient to the effects of climate change, and protect critically important waterfront access for those who make a living on the water.”
Helping Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
FRIENDS OF KATAHDIN WOODS & WATERS • February 28, 2025
The National Park Service is facing unprecedented challenges in 2025. With 1,000 NPS employees terminated, the NPS team at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument may face changes to current staffing and recruitment. A bright spot: hiring of seasonal employees at the National Monument is moving forward, meaning some of the most critical visitor-facing rangers and maintenance jobs in the monument can be recruited. Monument staff are eager to continue providing accesss to these invaluable public lands and the experiences they offer. You can express your concerns to your elected officials directly or using a form like this one from National Parks Conservation Association.
Panel Discussion – Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods & Waters, Mar 24
UMAINE • February 28, 2025
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station and 23-acre site atop Lookout Mountain welcomes the global public to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument within the present and traditional homeland of the Penobscot Nation. This free talk on March 24, 2025, 3 pm, will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono. Moderator: Darren Ranco, Chair of Native American Programs; Professor, Anthropology and Mitchell Center, UMaine. Panelists: Jennifer Neptune, Penobscot Nation; James Francis, Director of Cultural and Historic Preservation, Penobscot Nation; Gabe Frey, Passamaquoddy; Erin Hutton, Erin Hutton Projects.
Cross-Country Skiing in the Katahdin Region
Katahdin Woods & Waters National Scenic Byway • February 28, 2025
Maine’s Katahdin Region is a winter paradise for cross-country skiing enthusiasts. It offers diverse trails that wind through breathtaking landscapes, from towering pine forests to scenic riverbanks with stunning views of Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak! Here is a comprehensive travel guide to help you plan your trip. It includes details on where to ski, rent gear, book a guided tour, and find the best accommodations for a perfect cross-country skiing getaway.
Maine lobstermen hauled smallest catch in 15 years
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2025
Maine’s commercial fishermen hauled in 86 million pounds of lobster in 2024 — the smallest catch in nearly 15 years, according to data released by the state Friday morning. But the value of fishery increased by $46.4 million to $528.4 million last year. And lobstermen earned an average $6.14 per pound, up from $4.97. It’s the second highest price per pound of lobster in the history of Maine’s fishery.
Republicans push to end Maine solar subsidies, but key lawmaker says it’s unlikely
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2025
Republicans in the Maine Legislature on Thursday urged the repeal of solar and other clean energy subsidies they say are driving up the cost of electricity for Mainers while supporters of the so-called net energy billing program say it cost effectively advances zero-emissions energy. Rebecca Schultz, senior advocate for climate and clean energy at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said the Republican legislation would end rooftop solar, barring the technology to individuals and households. The committee’s top Republican said it’s unlikely majority Democrats will agree to repeal the net energy billing program and may instead agree to compromise legislation.
‘What’s next?’: Acadia employee loses dream job during National Park Service terminations
MAINE MORNING STAR • February 28, 2025
In December, Ellen Blackwood started her dream as a recreation fee technician at Acadia National Park. Just two months later that dream was cut short. Blackwood was one of 1,000 newly hired National Park Service workers who were fired from their jobs as part of a Trump administration plan to downsize federal spending led by billionaire Elon Musk. “I’m definitely scared. I had just signed a lease for a place,” Blackwood said. “But also it’s very concerning to hear all of these federal agencies losing employees. It’s not just the Park Service.” The layoffs have led to concerns about longer lines into the park and for potentially unsafe conditions for visitors. At least seven of the eight Acadia jobs that were cut were funded from fee donations, not appropriated money. “So it’s not saving the government money. Twelve million dollars was brought in by my position and others like it at Acadia in 2024. Without us there, there’s just no way the park could collect that much in the future.”
Maine must prepare for storms and climate change, lawmakers told
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2025
Introduced by Gov. Janet Mills, a bipartisan bill would create a $15 million grant program to help Maine residents prepare their homes for storms, increase state funding for disaster relief and preparedness, and create a $10 million revolving loan fund to help communities qualify for federal disaster relief. The legislation, LD 1, adopts recommendations in the first report of the Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission that Mills created last year following a series of winter storms that killed four people and caused an estimated $90 million in damage to Maine’s public infrastructure. The proposal would be funded by existing fees collected from insurance companies, most of whom are from out of state, and not from the general fund of the state budget.
Opinion: Maine’s forests are vulnerable to wildfires and a spruce budworm outbreak
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 28, 2025
As stewards of the nation’s most heavily forested state, we prioritize wildfire preparedness and risk reduction. A key tool is the Open Burn Permit System, which helps communities make informed decisions about when to issue burn permits. Training is another cornerstone. Maine forest rangers and local fire departments receive specialized instruction in wildfire response. As a founding member of the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Compact, we share resources and expertise with New England and Eastern Canada. Maine’s forests, particularly in the Unorganized Territory, face another major challenge: the return of the spruce budworm, which causes widespread tree mortality. By learning from history, taking decisive action, and staying informed, we can protect our forests for future generations. ~ Patty Cormier, Maine state forester, and Robby Gross, Maine’s chief forest ranger, Maine Forest Service
This family-owned blueberry farm near the Maine coast is for sale
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 28, 2025
A family-owned blueberry farm near the Maine coast is on the market for $755,000. The Northport property includes 80 acres of wild blueberry fields and a large three-story home, too, making it a rare offering only a couple of miles from the ocean. The Morse family listed the property for sale last summer. It has seen lots of interest from prospective buyers since then. Despite that, it hasn’t sold yet because no one yet has wanted to continue the blueberry farm. “Mostly people have been interested in splitting the property. The sellers aren’t interested in splitting it,” listing agent Haley Rakis said. The area is teeming with wildlife. Deer, wild turkeys, eagles and moose have been spotted on the property, and its 1-acre pond is stocked with trout.
Column: Our birding adventure had a couple of surprises
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 28, 2025
My wife Sandi and I led a Penobscot Valley Audubon field trip last Saturday. We experienced hits and misses for birds the 16 participants hoped to find. Identifying birds is merely the fifth most-important skill for trip leaders. Ahead on the list: managing people, managing their expectations, managing logistics, and most importantly, knowing where the bathrooms are. We tallied 28 species on the day. I predicted we would get to 30. My wife predicted we wouldn’t. She won. Again. ~ Bob Duchesne
Maine farmers struggle with federal funding freeze and cuts
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 28, 2025
For months, Angela Harwood has been planning to take over Happytown Farm in Orland from her retiring employers using a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But that loan has been delayed for weeks because of a funding freeze, staff reductions at federal agencies and additional reporting requirements ordered by the Trump administration. The frozen funds were supposed to pay farmers for projects they’ve already completed, meaning they fear they’ll be out tens of thousands of dollars in an industry that already runs on tight margins. Almost every farmer in Maine works with the USDA, and for more than a month many have faced uncertainty about their access to the hundreds of millions of dollars of federal loans, grants and contracts they’ve built their businesses around. Also, the USDA has cut its staffing and scrubbed online webpages and resources that reference climate change or “climate smart” agriculture, which gives farmers options for responding to the changing growing seasons, new pests, diseases, weather patterns and storms that challenge them.
Most Maine lobstermen have resisted alternative fishing gear. A new initiative hopes to change that
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 27, 2025
Brooke Hachey of the Sunrise County Economic Council is leading a demonstration of a kind of "on demand," sometimes called "ropeless" lobster fishing gear. In a bid to protect North Atlantic right whales from extinction, many scientists are promoting this kind of alternative lobster fishing gear that minimizes the risks of entanglement. While some lobstermen in Massachusetts have agreed to use this new gear in exchange for accessing closed areas of Cape Cod Bay, most Maine lobstermen have been reluctant — if not outright resistant — to the new technology. The state, along with a coalition of other partners, have launched a new gear testing and lending program in effort to — at least — change the conversation.
Lawmakers once again debate repealing the Net Energy Billing program
MAINE PUBLIC • February 27, 2025
Lawmakers are considering a handful of proposals aimed at repealing or eliminating the Net Energy Billing program. Net energy billing, a program designed to promote solar power, has long drawn fire from critics, who say it’s unfair for ratepayers to subsidize solar development in the state, citing the already high energy costs in Maine. But supporters of the program say eliminated it would kneecap solar development, betray existing long-term contracts, and hurt the state's progress towards net zero carbon emissions.
High Peaks Alliance to host social at Sugarloaf
SUN JOURNAL • February 27, 2025
The High Peaks Alliance invites outdoor enthusiasts to join them for an après ski social event at the Bill & Joan Alfond Competition Center at Sugarloaf on March 8, 2025, from 4-6 PM. This is a free event, open to all interested parties. The social celebrates the Alliance’s ongoing efforts to ensure recreational access to the High Peaks landscape.