Mainers are switching to biodegradable boat wrap. But is it too good to be true?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 30, 2025

This year, all of the boats at the Port Harbor Marine’s five Maine locations will be wrapped in BioWrap, a single-use biodegradable plastic boat wrap made by a Rhode Island company called Bioaqualife. The pale green shrink wrap costs about 20% more than standard wrap but claims to be an eco-friendly alternative. Each year, as much as 1.5 million pounds of plastic from Maine boat wrap ends up in landfills, where it breaks down into microplastics and releases harmful chemicals into the environment. BioWrap is marketed as being able to be sent straight to the landfill, where it reportedly breaks down into water, biogas and carbon after 4.5 years and does not leave traces of microplastics or heavy metals. Experts question whether the new kind of wrap is as beneficial as it seems. Margaret Sobkowicz Kline, a plastics engineering professor at the University of Massachusetts, said it would be better to focus on reusing or recycling the oil-derived plastic wrap so it doesn’t end up in a landfill. Benjamin Holloway, the owner of The Shrink Wrapper based in Woolwich, said his company recycles about 15,000 pounds of single-use plastic wrap per year.

Lake trout research returns to Moosehead for a 2nd year

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 30, 2025

On Monday, under gray skies, rain and a “salmon chop,” fisheries resource biologist Jeff Bagley and his assistants tended trapnets and tagged lake trout on Moosehead Lake as part of the second year of a research project aimed at understanding the species’ population and its impact on the lake’s ecosystem. The project builds on a pilot study launched in the fall of 2024, when biologists successfully netted and tagged more than 200 mature lake trout, some up to 31 inches long, on a known spawning shoal in the 75,000-acre lake. Lake trout are native to Moosehead and prized by anglers, but when their numbers rise too high, they can outcompete other coldwater gamefish, particularly salmon and brook trout, for food. Understanding lake trout abundance and adjusting management accordingly is key to maintaining the health and balance of the entire fishery.

Here’s Why We’re Asking Falmouth Residents to Vote NO on Article 1 in 2025

MAINE AUDUBON • October 29, 2025

Maine Audubon is headquartered at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, and we care about protecting the lands and waters we share with our Falmouth neighbors. For several years we have helped support an effort to strengthen Falmouth’s fertilizer and pesticide ordinance. The resulting ordinance, passed in May, brings us in line with several neighboring municipalities and helps protect local pollinators, beneficial insects, and aquatic invertebrates. However, an effort to repeal this work is on the ballot during the November 2025 election season. Maine Audubon urges you to protect Falmouth’s environment and VOTE NO on Falmouth Article 1. The updated ordinance prohibits neonicotinoids (“neonics”), a widespread class of pesticides with devastating ecological consequences. There are plenty of organic pesticides available for use.

ASMFC approves 20 percent cuts to Atlantic menhaden quota for 2026

SEAFOOD SOURCE • October 29, 2025

he Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has chosen to cut the 2026 Atlantic menhaden quota by 20 percent for 2026, drawing criticism from the fishing industry and environmental groups alike. Fishing organizations like the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition have advocated for relatively light (15%) cuts to the stock. The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) said the cuts were steeper than needed. The Maine Lobstermen’s Association said the 20 percent cut was a vast improvement over the calls for 55 percent cuts. Environmental groups, meanwhile, were pushing the commission for cuts as deep as 55 percent.

Government Shutdown Impacts Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

FRIENDS OF KATAHDIN WOODS & WATERS • October 29, 2025

We are entering day 30 of the federal government shutdown. Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is now closed for the season. The monument's roads, trails, and overlooks remain mostly open, but services and maintenance are limited – and the regular seasonal closure of Loop Road is approaching on November 3rd. We have our immediate concerns. How are furloughed NPS staff doing, now that they’ve missed multiple paychecks, and with no end in sight? Has any damage occurred to the natural and cultural resources within the monument, as it remains open but with just one person monitoring nearly 90,000 acres? What about the park projects that are stalled; is there any hope they get done before the snow flies? Our biggest concern, though, is the trend that has been accelerating over the last 10 months: long-term damage to the National Park Service workforce. We need to prevent further cuts and restore funding and staffing to the National Park Service. That is a message you can bring to your elected federal officials.

Kennebunk man found dead in Hancock County bog

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 29, 2025

Maine State Police are investigating after a Kennebunk man was found dead in a bog in northern Hancock County on Tuesday. The body of 70-year-old David Bridges was discovered around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in a bog just off 32000 Road, near Stud Mill Road, in Township 41. Investigators believe Bridges was fur trapping in the area. Bridges’ cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, but police say it does not appear suspicious.

Gorham to hear latest high-density housing plans for former golf course

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 29, 2025

The Gorham Fairways development on McLellan Road will seek Planning Board preliminary and site plan approval at a Nov. 3 meeting. The request is for Phases 1-5 of the proposed mixed-use residential and commercial development. The latest plan, smaller than the one proposed earlier this year, calls for 515 housing units in a mix of single-family homes, condominiums and apartments constructed over multiple years at the former golf course.

Reflections on a family’s 4 decades in the wilderness of Maine’s Rangeley Lakes region

SUN JOURNAL • October 29, 2025

I’ve spent countless hours paddling over ponds, motoring across lakes and wading through rivers and backwoods streams in Maine’s backwoods. What some conservationists and environmentalists seek in the great silence found only in the most wild and distant places, I have seen in the clear, clean current of small mountain brooks and learned from the resilience of the wild fish there. Whether this world is a reflection of the Creator or a part of nature’s grand scheme, I hope you find your way to your own little stream or perhaps a bit of woodland or a garden path, where you may discover your own truth and perhaps even encounter a brook trout or two along the way. ~ Bob Romano

Juniper Ridge operator moves ahead with PFAS treatment plan

MAINE PUBLIC • October 28, 2025

Operators of the Juniper Ridge Landfill said they are moving ahead with plans to treat landfill leachate for PFAS, but some advocates said that doesn't justify an expansion of the facility. Jeff Ward, with Casella Waste Systems, which operates the state-owned landfill in Old Town, said it is assessing options to use foam fractionation to filter the leachate. The company uses the technology at a facility in Vermont and is working to scale up the process for Juniper Ridge. Ward said Casella plans to file permits for the treatment system next year, and have it operational in 2027. Nora Bosworth with the Conservation Law Foundation said the leachate should be treated, but no system will do enough to address the broader pollution concerns for the Penobscot River and the surrounding communities.

Falmouth lawns sprout signs on both sides of pesticide ordinance vote

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 28, 2025

Across the lawns of Falmouth, political signs reflect a battle over the very ground they stand on. “Save our lawns, Yes on Falmouth 1” and “Save our trees” read signs with the banner of “Repeal.” Other signs encourage the opposite vote: “Vote No on 1. Save Our Waters.” and “Limit Pesticides. Protect Falmouth. No on Article 1.” The Nov. 4 referendum will determine whether changes that would strengthen the town’s rules on pesticides and fertilizers should be repealed or go back into effect.

Biddeford residents air grievances about UNE pier proposal

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 28, 2025

Biddeford residents gathered last week to air grievances to the City Council about the proposed University of New England pier project. Moderator Craig Pendleton said that while UNE has followed the permitting process as required by law the pier project has been controversial, with residents pushing for a different location than the one proposed on the Saco River adjacent to the UNE campus. Wade Goldthwaite, a lifelong Biddeford resident and former lobsterman, said it “breaks his heart” that the city did not take the advice of the Marshall Alexander on where to place the pier. Carole Alexander, wife of the late Marshall Alexander, said, “He was familiar with the river, he knew that there’s an eddy up there…he knew everything about that river.” Shawn Tibbetts, a commercial fisherman in Biddeford, said, “There’s no way they can use these docks. There are times I can’t get my boat on my mooring. That tide turns sometimes every 15 minutes in that eddy. We left out the local knowledge in these decisions.”

Chainsaw artist breathes new life into South Portland tree stump

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 28, 2025

A few years ago, Josh Landry, of North Anson, transformed a dead ash tree in Stephen King’s front yard into a bookshelf with critters huddled in the shelves and carved birds perched in the sculpted branches. People came and watched as he carved. “I tried to not let the pressure get to me,” he said. King posted about the finished product on his social media, and Landry’s business took off. Now, Landry travels across the state and country eight months a year to create custom, hyper-realistic sculptures out of tree stumps. The cost ranges from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the level of detail, the species of wood, the size of the tree and how much negative space is requested. His wife, his high school sweetheart, and their 7-year-old son accompany him to all of his jobs.

Opinion: Maine dog owners need to curb the unwanted baggage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 28, 2025

Along with lighthouses, lobsters and lakes, it seems like Mainers increasingly want to be known for a more unsightly totem of outdoor life: dog poop bags. I see them almost everywhere I go in our beautiful state, proudly on display as if they’re part of the natural environment. They’re littering hiking trails, strewn about on the side of the road or left on an old stone wall. I know there are some environmental concerns about leaving dog poop in the woods, but leaving it in a plastic bag and forgetting about it is much worse.  Mainers’ commitment to protecting and preserving the environment is admirable, and we cherish the beautiful landscapes and public spaces we have. But there’s no special exemption for dog poop bags. ~ Jeremy Bowman, Cape Elizabeth

Seven Mainers Honored for Commitment to Maine’s Environment

NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • October 27, 2025

Each year, NRCM honors a small group of Maine’s volunteer environmental leaders with a Conservation Leadership Award and presents a People’s Choice Award to a person or group nominated and voted on by NRCM members and the public. The 2025 winners were recognized at NRCM’s annual Protecting What We Love event:

• Maya Kellett, for her leadership role in climate organizing and her persistent efforts to engage youth in climate activism throughout politically tumultuous times.

• Pat Ianni, for her efforts to address the problem of single-use plastics within her community and her dedication to the successful implementation of Maine’s Product Stewardship Program for Packaging.

• John Hagan, for his work to identify and protect Maine’s last remaining late-successional and old-growth forests, which are critical for wildlife habitat, biological diversity, carbon sequestration, and Maine’s natural heritage.

• Habib Dagher and Anthony Viselli, for their outstanding research and dedication to floating offshore wind technology, a cornerstone of our state’s efforts to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, stabilize energy prices, and fight climate change.

• Nick Bennett, Lifetime Achievement Award for nearly three decades as one of Maine’s top environmental advocates, providing leadership that has made an enormous difference in protecting Maine’s woods, waters, fisheries, and wildlife.

• Marcel Polak, NRCM People’s Choice Award, selected by popular vote, for his lifetime of visionary land conservation work in western Maine, including co-founding the Mahoosuc Land Trust. 

Westbrook’s riverside renaissance gets boost from $1M EPA cleanup at future site of apartments

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 27, 2025

For decades, the area around Dana Street, a short lane linking Main Street to the edge of the Presumpscot River, has been rundown, overgrown and inaccessible. The Dana Street Redevelopment Project is one of five projects in Greater Portland that GPCOG recently awarded a total of $3.9 million in brownfield grants or low-interest loans from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Over 20 'ill-prepared' hikers, some with hypothermia, rescued from snowy Mount Washington

ABC NEWS • October 27, 2025

Over 20 "ill-prepared" hikers were rescued from New Hampshire's Mount Washington after they were trapped in "full winter conditions" without the proper gear, with some developing hypothermia, according to the Mount Washington Cog Railway. The hikers, who were rescued on Saturday by railway officials, had reached the mountain's 6,288-foot summit, but "most had no idea that summit services would be unavailable and that the state park was closed for the season," Andy Vilaine, the assistant general manager for the Mount Washington Cog Railway, said in a statement on Saturday.

West Nile virus found in crow in Bangor

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2025

The city of Bangor said Sunday that the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that a crow found dead in the city recently was infected with the virus. It’s the 25th case of West Nile virus found in a bird this year. That includes two other cases among crows across the Penobscot River in Brewer.

Opinion: Moving fish around Maine’s waters may be legal. It’s also harmful.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 27, 2025

While bucket biology is a huge problem, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
(MDIFW) moves non-native fish around regularly and has for generations. Although no one talks about it, these legal acts have negatively affected wild native fish in the same ways that illegal bucket biology has. Consider the state-sponsored introduction of non-native landlocked salmon and smelt into the
Rangeley Lakes, which contributed to the demise of the largest native Arctic charr population in
the contiguous United States. And it was the state that introduced non-native lake trout into Sebago Lake, one of only four native landlocked salmon waters in the state. Nobody wins when we move fish around. By doing what it is telling the public not to do, MDIFW is sending mixed messages. ~ Bob Mallard, Registered Maine Fishing Guide, author and executive director of the Native Fish Coalition

Sudbury MA conservation group issues Lifetime Achievement Award

METROWEST DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2025

A Wayland couple was recently presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sudbury Valley Trustees, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving natural areas and restoring wildlife habitats. The award was presented to John and Molly Beard by Steve Correia, president of the SVT's board of directors, during the organization's annual meeting on Oct. 7, according to a community announcement. “Through their donations, purchases and volunteered time, the Beards have helped protect hundreds of acres of land in the region and are known for their conservation generosity from Maine to the coast of Dartmouth,” Correia said in a statement.

Column: Seeing more dead squirrels in Maine? It’s no 2018, but there is a spike

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 27, 2025

Doug Hitchcox, staff naturalist at Maine Audubon, said there’s no good data set that tracks the size of the squirrel population, but after the previous couple years produced bumper crops of acorns for them to eat (much like in 2018), it makes sense that more would have survived the past winter and gone on to produce more babies. University of New England professor Noah Perlut, who in 2010 started a project studying gray squirrel behavior around the Biddeford campus, said he’s noticed more of them this fall than any other year since 2018 — what he and Hitchcox both refer to as Squirrelmageddon. This year, their presence may be more pronounced because the lack of acorns is forcing them to travel farther in search of food, Perlut said, creating more opportunities for interactions with cars. If new generations are coming online every year, shouldn’t evolution have taken care of their ability to cross the street without running right back into it at the moment they’re most likely to be run over? ~ Leslie Bridgers