Gardens Aglow, a bright spot in Maine winter, returns with new displays and tech

CENTRAL MAINE • November 14, 2025

Now in its 11th year, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ signature winter program includes new soundscapes, 3D-printed critters and a greater focus on education related to this year’s theme: “Nature in Motion.” the gardens are dotted with sculptures of wildlife that live in Maine throughout the year, from crawling caterpillars to flying waterfowl, and signs that explain their place in the state’s landscape. Ostherr, CEO of the botanical gardens, said she expects more than 110,000 attendees this year. The dazzling display is powered by more than 750,000 LED lights, which are about 15 times more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs. All told, the lights cost about $100 a day to run, with 100% of the power sourced from renewable sources. 

Column: How Maine’s George Smith went from deer hunter to birder and what I learned

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 14, 2025

Before he passed away four years ago, George Smith was arguably the state’s foremost champion for hunting and fishing. He served as Executive Director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine for 18 years, and mastered all media as a tireless advocate for traditional outdoor sports. George was also a birder, although he didn’t start out that way. He didn’t even realize he was becoming a birder, until it was almost too late. As he told me later, he’d sit in a tree stand, at eye level with the birds. Once the birds got used to his presence, they would go about their business right under his nose. He’d forget about the deer he was supposedly hunting. ~ Bob Duchesne

National parks facing ‘nightmare’ under Trump, warns ex-director of service

THE GUARDIAN • November 14, 2025

Americans should “raise hell” to protect US national parks through the “nightmare” of Donald Trump’s presidency, according to Jonathan Jarvis, who led the NPS from 2009 to 2017. He claimed the agency was now in the hands of a “bunch of ideologues” who would have no issue watching it “go down in flames.” Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, was warned by more than 40 former national park superintendents in September that parks were “in jeopardy” during a shutdown. Over the past month, hundreds of NPS veterans have watched aghast as most of the agency’s workers were furloughed. A fire at Joshua Tree national park burned 72 acres. Yosemite faced a wave of illegal Base jumping. Yellowstone grappled with bear jams. Vandalism included graffiti in Arches national park. Trash accumulated. Now that the shutdown is over, after 42 days, Jarvis said service staff will “bust their butts” to clean up US national parks. But he remains concerned about the lasting impacts. The agency remains without a permanent director, and did not have one for the duration of Trump’s first term.

Opinion: We must act to save barred owls caught in the crosshairs

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 14, 2025

A decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to kill tens of thousands of protected forest owls will be the largest-ever raptor killing program. Barred owls, not native to the area, have expanded their range, competing for habitat with their native cousins the Northern and California spotted owl. The two species require healthy and abundant old growth forests to thrive. More aggressive, the barred owl has made inroads, however, they may also inhabit nearby younger forests and are more adaptable to alternative habitats. Does killing tens of thousands of one species of owls in the deep forest ensure the survival of another? Kent Livezey, a former USFWS biologist and author of 14 peer-reviewed papers on barred and spotted owls, said: “I do not believe that spending more than 1 billion dollars to kill almost one-half million barred owls is worth the carnage, expense, precedents and distraction from what is the more important issue: protection of biodiverse old-growth forests.” ~ Gina Garey, Maine state director, Animal Wellness Action

What you need to know about the law that allows hunters on your land

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 14, 2025

Hunters generally are allowed to pursue and shoot game on your property in Maine, whether you granted permission or not. Simply put, hunters, hikers and explorers are typically allowed access to woodlands that aren’t marked with “No Trespassing” or “Access by Permission Only” signs or other markings. “If it isn’t visibly posted, you do not need landowner permission to access it,” Cpl. John MacDonald of the Maine Warden Service said. “It’s different for all-terrain vehicles. You do need permission to ride on the land.” A law in Maine protects landowners from liability in the case that recreational users injure themselves on land the landowner has chosen to allow access on. Those landowners are not required to warn against hazardous conditions, unless failure to guard or warn against those conditions is ruled willful or malicious.

As Maine winters get warmer, Presque Isle faces the biggest change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 13, 2025

New England winters are warming. And that warming is happening faster here than in most of the rest of the nation, according to new data from Climate Central. Presque Isle, a small city of 8,700 on Maine’s eastern border with Canada, is at the forefront of that winter warming trend. The average temperature in Presque Isle from December through February is about 6.5 degrees warmer now than it was in 1970. Also monitored were Portland and Bangor, which have temperature increases of 5.5 and 4.1 degrees, respectively. The national average is 3.9 degrees. Our coldest days aren’t as cold and our deep freezes aren’t lasting as long, said Sean Birkel, Maine state climatologist. The state’s climate plan spells out the consequences: strained water supplies, impassable logging roads and a decline in the snowfall that drives the region’s winter tourism. “Winter is starting to lose its cool,” aid Climate Central meteorologist Shel Winkley.

4 lesser-known mountains in Maine you should hike

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 13, 2025

Hundreds of trails criss-cross the landscape, visiting mountains, hills, waterfalls, peat bogs, meadows and ocean cliffs. I haven’t come close to exploring all of these footpaths, though this autumn, I did hike a few new-to-me trails that I’d recommend you try. First up: Mosquito Mountain in The Forks. Next: Blueberry Mountain just north of Weld. The next peak I explored this fall? Pleasant Mountain in the towns of Bridgton and Denmark. Lastly, I hiked Number 5 Mountain, which is located southwest of Jackman in Number 5 Township. This winter, I’ll try hiking at least four more “new” trails — in addition to returning to some of my old favorites. Any suggestions?

Column: Kayakers steal away to Thief Island near Bristol

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 12, 2025

Muscongus Bay in the Midcoast area offers some of the most challenging and intriguing sea kayaking on the Maine coast. A significant attraction is a myriad of islands that populate the bay. Located in the west central sector of the bay, remote Thief Island is one of the most interesting and scenic. Campers and visitors are welcome on Thief Island, where there are two authorized Maine Island Trail Association campsites. ~ Ron Chase

Acadia is winding down for winter just as the government might reopen

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 12, 2025

Though the federal shutdown could soon end, operations at Acadia National Park are expected to continue to wind down for the winter. The U.S. House of Representatives was expected to meet Wednesday to vote on ending the 43-day long shutdown, but winter weather has trumped the potential reopening of Maine’s only national park. The snow on Veterans Day led the park to close Summit Road on Cadillac Mountain, according to the park’s website. Acadia doesn’t require reservations for driving up the summit starting in November, but how late in the season the road remains open depends on conditions. The road may be reopened before the end of the month, if warmer weather melts away the ice and snow, but it is typically closed for the winter each Dec. 1.

Lewiston completes plan for overhauling Simard-Payne park

SUN JOURNAL • November 12, 2025

A plan for overhauling Simard-Payne Memorial Park is complete, and officials are now faced with funding and implementing the changes in a riverfront area deemed ripe for growth. The final plan shared with city officials last month includes major improvements to the amphitheater and riverfront areas, along with a new all-season pavilion for performances and other events that could also be used as an ice rink in the winter. Other amenities called for include a new playground space with a splash pad and climbing wall, a dog park, expanded use of the “Red Shop” building, canal enhancements and improved pedestrian access and circulation.

'A Peace of Forest' returns to Lincoln Theater

BOOTHBAY REGISTER • November 12, 2025

“A Peace of Forest” — the first feature-length wildlife film shot entirely in Maine — returns to Lincoln Theater for a special encore screening on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. The film premiered at Lincoln Theater in June 2024, and now its cinematographers and producers, Lee Ann and Thomas Mark Szelog, are expressing their gratitude for the community’s enthusiastic support by donating 100% of the proceeds from this encore screening to Lincoln Theater’s 150th Birthday celebration. Tickets: $20 adult, $15 LT member, and $5 youth and are available online at Lincolntheater.org.

Belfast conservation group buys site of former aquafarm project

MAINE PUBLIC • November 12, 2025

A Belfast conservation group has purchased the site of the proposed Nordic Aquafarms salmon farm, according to a press release. Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper, formerly known as Upstream Watch, spearheaded opposition to the project. The group raised $1.5 million this year to fund the purchase, and will conserve the 54-acre property. Nordic Aquafarms dropped its bid to build the on-shore aquaculture facility in January, after several legal challenges.

Maine hemp farmers say deal to reopen government would decimate industry

MAINE MORNING STAR • November 12, 2025

For 35 years, Charles and Linda Gill have run a family farm in Bowdoinham. While initially focused on cut flowers and herbs, they shifted to growing hemp after regulated production was legalized. “We are not in the business of these intoxicating hemp products on the market, which are the ones that are screwing it up for everybody,” Charles Gill said. “They’re abusing the system.” Charles Gill is referring to companies exploiting a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp production, which he thinks should be closed, as do many other hemp farmers in Maine. But they say the way the federal government has proposed to do so would would decimate the industry. A provision tucked into the deal to reopen the federal government would drastically lower the allowable threshold for legal THC products. After passing the U.S. Senate on Monday, it awaits the approval of the U.S. House of Representatives. President Donald Trump supports the language. 

A treasured eagle feather taught a little boy a valuable lesson

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 12, 2025

A woman shared a video of a bald eagle that her husband had taken with his cell phone while fishing. In the video, a bald eagle flew down to the water’s surface, snatched up a fish, then flew off. “My husband found [a feather from the eagle] and gave it to our son as a present,” she said. I knew that it was illegal to possess a bald eagle feather without a federal permit. It is a federal Class A misdemeanor with a $100,000 fine. The parents left the decision to the boy about what to do with the feather. He decided to turn it over to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Service. I know the boy was sad to turn over the feather, but I noticed that both the dad and the boy seemed to stand a little taller as they walked away, with the father’s hand on his son’s shoulder. ~ Richard Spinney

Opinion: Fisheries leaders should be looking out for Maine’s little guys

CENTRAL MAINE • November 11, 2025

I taught myself how to catch lobster, fix an engine and keep my business afloat when everything’s working against me. Maine’s lobster fishery is at a tipping point. We need our leaders to fight alongside us, not with the big-money, foreign-controlled industrial fishing fleets tearing our fisheries apart. That’s not what happened recently at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. They voted with the big boats in the face of data showing that the Atlantic menhaden fishery and everything it supports, including our fishery, is in trouble. We need those fish for bait in the lobster fishery. Striped bass are in big trouble, too. They can recover if we leave more menhaden in the water for them to eat. Lobbyists convinced NOAA to give their industrial fleet millions in “disaster relief” for the disaster they created. All we got was higher bait prices. Our leaders need to fight for us by eliminating industrial fishing for baitfish. ~ Knoep Nieuwkerk, Kennebunk

River champion Steve Brooke never gives up

TROUT UNLIMITED • Nov 10, 2025

A long-time resident of Farmingdale, Maine, Steve Brooke has been a tireless advocate for the state’s coldwater resources, his passion for trout and Atlantic salmon driving his efforts to work — alongside many others — toward their protection. He’s seen some defeats, and many victories. Brooke said, “It doesn’t really matter who gets credit for something as long as the job gets done. Just keep working very hard along the way.” In the 1980s, Brooke became an active member of TU’s Kennebec Valley chapter. He joined the movement calling for the removal of Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River. The dam came down in 1999.  Brooke worked for years alongside other river advocates as they turned their attention to the next four dams on the river. In September, the Nature Conservancy announced that it reached an agreement with the dams’ owner, power company Brookfield, to purchase the four dams. They will eventually be decommissioned and removed.

Snowmobile club equipment vandalized in Strong

SUN JOURNAL • November 10, 2025

The destruction of the Narrow Gauge Snowmobile Club’s Tucker Sno-Cat groomer occurred over the weekend and the club president is pretty sure it was a targeted assault. In fact, he has deemed it sabotage. “Our Tucker Sno-Cat groomer was deliberately and maliciously destroyed by what is clearly a person or group of people intent on our club’s demise this season,” is how Club President Christopher Gavin described it. According to Gavin, more than a gallon of mud, sand and water was poured into the big machine’s exhaust pipe to destroy its motor. Without the groomer the club will be unable to maintain its nearly 60 miles of trails this season.

Portland joins lawsuit over PFAS-laden firefighting foam at jetport

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 10, 2025

The Portland City Council unanimously voted to join a lawsuit against developers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, on Monday night. PFAS are a class of synthetic chemicals that have been used in a multitude of products including firefighting foams, nonstick cookware and water-resistant fabrics for decades. They are sometimes called “forever chemicals,” because they do not break down easily in the environment and can accumulate in soil, water, and the human body. The decision to join the lawsuit makes Portland part of the multidistrict litigation over PFAS contamination, which consolidates hundreds of lawsuits against chemical manufacturers in federal court.

Despite extreme drought, Maine forest fires stayed small this season

NEWS CENTER MAINE • November 10, 2025

Western states have seen terrible forest and wildland fires in recent years, but Maine normally gets enough rain to minimize fire danger. This year has been different. As drought became severe in many parts of the state and then extreme in some, the Maine Forest Service was getting prepared. “Everything, from surface fuel to deep ground fuels, were very dry, very available to burn,” Joe Mints, director of forest fire training for the Maine Forest Service, said. This year, he says, rivaled the worst fire year in Maine’s modern history. “This year [has been] as close as we’ve been to the conditions of 1947.” And while the forest service once relied on a network of fire towers around Maine to watch the woods, there are now fire-spotting satellites. It was, in fact, a busy year for fires in Maine. There were 828 wildfires reported so far this year, but those fires burned a total of just 512 acres.

Centering climate at Maine's first Green Schools conference

MAINE PUBLIC • November 10, 2025

Maine held its first Green Schools Symposium last week at Thomas College in Waterville. More than 400 educators, students and officials came together Friday as part of the 'Green Schools Network.' Attendees formed working groups to generate ideas on outdoor education, sustainability in schools, green infrastructure in school buildings and more. Glenn Cummings, Green Schools Director at the Department of Education, said that despite the environment being a popular subject in an outdoor state like Maine, there are still some districts where there's only one person teaching climate. "We don't want those people to feel alone," he said. "They want to feel like they can be part of a larger network, and they can get resources, they can get conversations going, and they can get support for each other that allows them to just be more effective."