How I unwind in the North Maine Woods

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 30, 202

There are few places in the world today where you can truly disconnect. Fortunately, there are still areas of Maine where you can make an escape. In these refuges, trees block satellite signals and you won’t run into many – if any – people. Entertainment is the crackle and glow of a campfire. Music is the trill of tree frogs. The only conversations you’ll have are with the people right in front of you. Recently, I found one such oasis deep in the North Maine Woods, at a campsite on the edge of a lazy section of the Pleasant River. Spending that time in the wilderness, even just a few days, was rejuvenating.

5 miles of new trails open on conserved land in midcoast Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 30, 2026

A newly inaugurated network of trails in Liberty offers 5.5 miles of footpaths that traverse mature forest and gorges, and in places skirts the Sheepscot River. The Bolen Hill trail network features three different loops within more than 1,100 conserved acres, including part of Lake St. George State Park, which some of the trails cross, and land held by the Midcoast Conservancy.

Opinion: Maine’s new rodenticide ban is an opportunity for new pest control measures 4

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 30, 2026

As of June 15, consumers in Maine can no longer purchase certain household rodenticide products following a Board of Pesticides Control decision to remove these products from stores and prohibit online sales to residential addresses. This change has prompted debate over how best to balance wildlife protection, consumer access and effective rodent control. As a pest management professional who looks at the science of rodenticide every day, the real story isn’t about taking sides. It is about understanding how these chemicals actually work, why the rules are changing and why effective pest management cannot rely on chemicals alone. ~ Dan Smith, SMART Technologies coordinator, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick

Rail companies investing millions in Maine as cross-border freight traffic grows

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 30, 2026

Maine, which in many ways has been considered the end of the line in the United States, is now benefitting from its unique physical relationship with Canada. The state sits in between Canadian cities such as Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City to the west, and growing shipping container ports in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to the east. As a result, more products are being shipped in and through Maine by rail, and traffic looks set to continue growing as recently arrived railroads have expanded.

Local conservation group files lawsuit over Androscoggin River classification

NEWS CENTER MAINE • June 29, 2026

"Friends of Merry-Meeting Bay" said it's suing both the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over how part of the Androscoggin River is classified for water quality.

Conservation group takes agencies to court over Androscoggin River

NEWS CENTER MAINE • June 29, 2026

The group "Friends of Merrymeeting Bay" said that part of the river should have a higher water-quality classification.

Maine Marine Patrol to Focus on Boating Safety over 4th of July Weekend

MAINE GOVERNMENT NEWS • June 29, 2026

The Maine Marine Patrol will once again be looking out for anyone violating Maine’s boating under the influence laws and sharing safety information during the national Operation Dry Water weekend, July 3-July 5. Operation Dry Water is a national awareness and enforcement campaign coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard as well as local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that focuses on deterring boaters from boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Maine Audubon reaches more than 12,000 students this school year

MAINE AUDUBON • June 29, 2026

With the school year having finally come to a close, Maine Audubon is celebrating the end of another year of working with schools to get kids outside and exposed to Maine to wildlife and habitat. Research tells us that children who have positive experiences outdoors are more likely to develop pro-environmental behaviors as adults. Maine Audubon is proud to play a part in creating safe, wondrous, and meaningful learning experiences for students both in and outside of the classroom.

Animal Affairs film showing, Sidle House, Freeport, July 10

“Animal Affairs” was originally filmed in 1992 and edited in 2026. In the short film by Huey an Elegant Cow, a Stylish Chicken, and a Plump Pig visit the Fryeburg Fair. Marjorie Moore created artful playful costumes for the animal performers and for herself as a Gentle Woman Farmer. They all arrived at the Fair unannounced. There are priceless moments of them interacting with fairgoers and the animals at the Fair. The Elegant Cow watching her “niece” in the calf scramble. The Chicken interviewing a chicken farmer. The Pig entering the pig judging contest and winning a special ribbon. All of the interactions were warmly received by the fairgoers. At Sidle House, Freeport, July 10, 1 pm.

Owl rescued from netting at Bath landfill

TIMES RECORD • June 29, 2026

Bath firefighters and a state wildlife expert saved a great horned owl who was caught in a mesh fence at the city’s landfill on Monday. Landfill employees called for help after discovering the owl tangled in the netting, according to a fire department social media post. Firefighters contacted the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which sent a biologist to assist with the rescue mission. “Thanks to the teamwork of everyone involved, the owl was safely freed from the fence, given a few moments to gather itself, and then soared back into the beautiful Maine sky to continue its adventures,” the Bath Fire and Rescue Department said.

Here’s how much more Maine residents are paying for fishing licenses

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 29, 2026

The cost of a fishing license for Maine residents went up $5 in 2026 — the first increase in 15 years. As of January, a basic fishing license for a Maine resident costs $30, up from $25. A nonresident now pays $83, an increase of $19. Officials said every new dollar is going directly to the fisheries division of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the projected increase in annual revenue is nearly $2 million for multiple projects. Latti said $2 from the $5 increase for residents is going toward the division’s conservation efforts.

Skowhegan River Park breaks ground: ‘Big things can happen in small towns’

CENTRAL MAINE • June 29, 2026

A celebration Monday marked what some area residents and business owners have been anticipating for nearly three decades: The beginning of construction of the River Park. Main Street Skowhegan, which has long spearheaded the project and now has a formal lease with the town to develop and operate it, says this year’s construction and another phase next year are fully funded. But the organization is back to fundraising for the in-river whitewater park and other aspects of the project after losing out on nearly $5 million in earmarked federal funds due to what organizers described as a lengthy permitting process.

Fact brief: Does Maine law prohibit riding a bicycle on the sidewalk?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 29, 2026

No. Maine law doesn’t prohibit riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, but municipalities may adopt local restrictions, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.

A Maine couple spotted a moose. Then a black bear charged out of the woods.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

A day of brook trout fishing and sightseeing in northern Maine turned into a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter for Todd and Elvia Malcolm of Lincoln. The couple had stopped along Telos Road in Piscataquis County to watch a cow moose, something they often do while in the area. But this time was different. The moose kept calling and running back and forth along a side road, leading them to believe a calf would follow. Instead, a moose calf burst from the trees and sprinted directly toward their truck, with a large black bear close behind. Once the calf passed the truck, Todd put the truck in gear and drove toward the bear, causing it to retreat into the woods.

Hiker rescued after 20-foot fall on Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

A hiker was rescued Sunday morning after a 20-foot fall on Katahdin. Mateo Rivera, 26, of Portland was traversing the Knife Edge, near Pamola Peak, when he fell while climbing out of the Chimney Notch. During the fall, Rivera sustained several injuries, including a serious open fracture to the lower leg. Park rangers reached the hiker and stabilized him. Clouds and stormy weather delayed forest rangers in reaching Rivera via helicopter. But after two attempts, Rivera was lifted off the mountain about 2 p.m. and brought to a waiting ambulance. That was the third rescue on Katahdin in a week.

Roberts Farm Preserve: Conservation and Outdoor Access

NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • June 29, 2026

Roberts Farm Preserve is a 212-acre community treasure near Lake Pennesseewassee in Norway.  Protected in 2009 by the Western Foothills Land Trust with support from LMF, the Preserve now offers nearly 25 kilometers of trails for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, and birdwatching year-round.

Catch-and-release purists are using flawed logic

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

There are waters where the state mandates catch and release, but others rely on fishermen to keep certain species of fish in check to maintain a proper ecosystem. Fishermen don’t agree on when catch and release is appropriate, or in regards to which species, and they feel very strongly about whichever side they have chosen on the issue. Catch and release 100 percent of the time is flawed logic. Preserving a fishery for the next generations is not as simple as catch and release. It can have the opposite effect, causing an imbalance between food and population that results in unhealthy fish or allowing the non-native species to thrive over the natives. Knowing the laws and rules helps fishermen be part of the solutions in fishery management and not the problem.

This outdoor hobby became the secret to my happy marriage

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

It has become clear to me that the secret to a happy marriage is — kayak fishing. While we haven’t completely eliminated other forms of romanticism, our dates these days often consist of loading kayaks onto the trailer, making the 45-minute drive to the state park, backing down the boat ramp and fishing for smallies and largemouth until the park rangers blast a closing time warning to us on their bullhorns. There will still be romantic dinners, walks on the beach and sunsets on Maui. But really can there be any better way to sustain a happy marriage than kayak fishing? If you disagree, my wife would like to have a few words with you. ~ Craig Evans

Preserving Maine’s blueberry landscape proves difficult as barrens put up for sale

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

Maine’s blueberry barrens, which have been part of the state’s iconic scenery since before Europeans first arrived, are not as permanent as some might think. Many are not just used for growing the state’s signature wild fruit, but also are beloved spots for hiking, hunting and picnicking, and provide important habitat and food for many species of animals and birds. But more than a thousand acres of blueberry land are currently on the market or have been sold recently. Larger blueberry producers are withdrawing from the region in the face of low prices and the intensifying effects of climate change, which has made weather patterns more erratic.

Maine Oyster Festival brings the brine to shore in Freeport

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 28, 2026

Flo Edwards and Alexus Bond have been shucking oysters under a tent and serving them to mollusk enthusiasts from all over the country for three days. Their bounty is helping the 5th annual Maine Oyster Festival reach a new record for oyster sales, which is predicted to be well over last year’s 40,000. The event started in 2021, when a group of oyster farmers approached Visit Freeport to ask about a statewide oyster festival. Dozens of restaurants, artists and marine specialists take over the parking lot behind the iconic L.L.Bean flagship store in Freeport. At any given time during the three-day event, 20 of these tents represented oyster farms.