World Nature Conservation Day, July 28, 2026

ONE WORLD NEWS • July 28, 2026

World Nature Conservation Day 2026 will be observed on 28 July 2026 across the globe to spread awareness about the importance of protecting nature and conserving natural resources. The day reminds people that a healthy environment is the foundation of a healthy society. From forests and wildlifeto water, air, and soil, every natural resource plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth.

‘Teddy’s Travels’: An intern’s guide to exploring Maine through his lens

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

Breaking news intern Teddy Almond spent much of his first time in Maine exploring. Here are the spots he loved — and the tips and tricks he picked up.

Love for Maine trails: My journey into volunteering

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

A trail is a good metaphor for life. It can be both challenging and rewarding at the same time. A magnificent trail is one that feels like it’s always been there, meandering through forests and meadows, taking you to beautiful vistas, roaring brooks and rocky shorelines. Like every great work of art there is a compelling story behind every trail. It starts with a vision and a story to share about the landscape that it wanders through. Many trails built in the past were built to get from one place to another. Today, trails are mostly about recreation. A well-crafted trail brings joy from the sights, sounds and smells that change depending on the weather, time of day, season and wildlife. ~ Patrick Sandefur, Wiscasset

This guide will help you paddle your way through western Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

Western Maine has an abundance of lakes, ponds and rivers, but public boat rentals are concentrated in only a few communities. Wilton offers equipment beside Wilson Lake, Farmington and Bethel have carry-away rentals, Bethel outfitters run shuttle-supported trips on the Androscoggin River, and Rangeley-area businesses offer rentals lasting from an hour to several days.

More than half of Earth’s migratory bird species are declining

THE CONVERSATION • July 23, 2026

Every year, billions of migratory birds connect the world’s continents, oceans and ecosystems as they undertake epic journeys between their foraging habitats and their breeding grounds. Today, many species are in trouble. Their migrations remain among nature’s greatest spectacles, but the birds themselves are increasingly at risk as the habitats and ecological connections they depend upon are lost or degraded and threats to their survival and ability to reproduce increase. We just published a comprehensive assessment of the status, threats and conservation efforts involving more than 3,380 of Earth’s migratory bird species. The results are sobering. We found that more than half of the world’s migratory bird species are declining because of an array of threats.

After sightings of deadly sharks, a Maine town will fly warning flags all summer

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

Harpswell will fly shark warning flags at its beaches all summer, doing away with a policy that took the flags down within 24 hours of each sighting. The town adopted the season-long flag policy nearly six years after a great white shark attack killed 63-year-old Julie Dimperio Holowach while she was swimming off Harpswell, the first fatal shark attack in Maine history. The select board made the change official last week after a string of new shark sightings shut down beaches in several midcoast towns. With no lifeguards to track individual sharks, town officials say the old beach-by-beach system couldn’t keep up with how often great whites are actually moving through Harpswell’s waters. 

New trapping regulations take effect in Maine this fall, including early raccoon season

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

Maine trappers will see several changes this fall, including an early raccoon season and other updates to the state’s rules. The season will begin on the Sunday two weeks before the general fall trapping season opens and end the day before the general trapping season begins. It will coincide with Maine’s early fox and coyote trapping season.

How one Maine family’s 16 big-game harvest restored my faith in the state’s hunting heritage

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

By the early 1900s outdoor enthusiasts were visiting Maine from all over the world to hire guides and outfitters to pursue big and small game, sea and puddle ducks, Atlantic salmon and landlocked salmon and trout. When Canada geese and wild turkey came into the picture in the last few decades, popularity grew further for sportsmen. My dad, an avid outdoorsman, introduced me to cast-and-blast sporting ventures from a young age. Unfortunately, a nationwide decline in hunting sports and license sales over the last 20 years has taken place. The story of the Cushman clan of Mars Hill helped restore my faith in the next generation of Maine outdoorsmen. During last year’s spring turkey, bear, fall turkey and deer seasons, Garrett Cushman and his three sons — Carson, Ethan and Connor — managed to tag 16 big-game animals. They also accounted for dozens of ducks, geese, partridge and rabbits. Maine’s hunting heritage lives on in the Cushman clan. ~ Bill Graves

Why I didn’t shoot the coyote behind my house

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

I’ve hunted coyotes and seen them in the woods while I’ve deer hunted. There are few things more unnerving than walking into your stand in the dark and hearing a nearby coyote howl. The one on my trail camera was just too close to my house. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s says: “people are less tolerant of coyotes than they are of any other furbearer species.” While I don’t want coyotes around, the more I questioned my gut reaction. Maybe it’s OK to have coyotes nearby if the result is a reduction in deer densities. I can’t guarantee that I won’t shoot a coyote if I see one while I’m out in the woods, but for right now, the one behind my house is safe. ~ Erin Merrill

20 stunning photos from iconic Acadia hiking trails

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 22, 2026

There’s no such thing as a bad view in Acadia National Park. With more than 120 miles of hiking trails and 26 mountains to summit within the park, there are countless places to soak in the sights of Mount Desert Island, the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding Maine coast. We’ve rounded up 20 photos that show just what awaits you on these iconic trails.

Endangered right whales could wait almost a decade for new US protections

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 22, 2026

New protections for endangered right whales in the North Atlantic would be postponed for nearly a decade under a plan that cleared a key hurdle in Washington last week with the full-throated support from the fishing and lobster industries. Environmentalists say this could spell the end for the vanishing whales, which can drown after getting tangled in fishing gear or being struck by boats. President Donald Trump ‘s administration has thrown its support behind Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine, in his efforts to further delay new regulations aimed at protecting right whales.

Column: A Cool Bird Adventure on a Hot Day in Maine

BOOTHBAY REGISTER • July 22, 2026

There are few better places to be on a torridly hot summer day than the cool ocean waters off the Maine coast. That’s where we found ourselves a few weeks ago during one of those near record-breaking hot days. We were on the upper deck of the Hardy Boat out of New Harbor for the annual Natural Resources Council (NRCM) of Maine puffin trip to Eastern Egg Rock. Long-time friend  Steve Kress (the “prince of puffins”) and his wife Elissa were onboard, Steve providing his colorful narrative describing his story about his half-century long project restoring puffins to Eastern Egg Rock. It was our pleasure to assist Steve in pointing out and identifying the many bird species we saw. Justin Strasberger, the new head of NRCM was there, too, talking with members, showcasing his boundless energy and enthusiasm for protecting Maine’s environment. ~ Jeff and Allison Wells

Advocacy group launches database of products made with 'forever chemicals'

MAINE PUBLIC • July 23, 2026

The Maine-based nonprofit Defend Our Health has launched a searchable database of products that contain PFAS and other harmful chemicals. While the state of Maine has already banned the sale of most consumer products containing the "forever chemicals" earlier this year, Defend Our Health President Emily Carey Perez de Alejo says the directory will hold companies accountable and be useful for other states. "It's hard to figure out exactly which item does or does not have PFAS on your own," she said. "So putting together this searchable directory should help to avoid these materials." PFAS — which have been linked to harmful health effects in humans — have been used for decades in household products like cookware, makeup and fertilizers.

Fact brief: Did the mortality rate of monitored Maine moose calves exceed 70% this year?

CENTRAL MAINE • July 22, 2026

Yes. Maine moose biologist Lee Kantar said 72% of the state’s GPS-collared moose calves died before reaching their first birthday in 2026. Kantar told Maine Public the monitored sample was fairly representative of Maine’s broader moose population, although conditions vary by location. Annual mortality among collared calves has ranged from anywhere between 8% and 87% since monitoring began in 2014. Winter ticks caused this year’s high death rate. 

Sale of Kennebec River dams clears 1 hurdle, faces another

CENTRAL MAINE • July 22, 2026

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has agreed to put a pause on relicensing the Shawmut dam and the license amendment process for the Weston, Hydro-Kennebec and Lockwood dams while FERC continues to consider a request from Brookfield Renewable to transfer the licenses for the Weston, Shawmut and Lockwood hydroelectric stations to newly created holding companies. The entities were created to facilitate their transfer to The Nature Conservancy, which in turn plans to give ownership of the dams to a new nonprofit, the Kennebec River Restoration Trust. The paper mill says it relies on the Shawmut impoundment. The Nature Conservancy has said it is “100% committed” to developing a solution for Sappi’s operations.

Rangeley Logging Festival returns with weekend of logging, forestry events

SUN JOURNAL • July 21, 2026

Despite gray skies, the Rangeley Logging Festival drew crowds over the weekend to take part in a variety of activities from Main Street in Rangeley to the Maine Forestry Museum grounds in Dallas Plantation. This year, the museum marked 45 years of celebrating the logging festival. This year, there was a presentation called the “Working Forest Tour.” Other demonstrations featured on Friday included an educational session about local wood creatures and their habitats by Rangeley Wild, a historic two-man chainsaw demonstration and a lecture on forest mapping. On Saturday, local families and businesses took part in the Logging Parade.

Food, fertilizer, sport: What to do with the invasive green crab?

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

At Wolfe's Neck Farm & Campground in Freeport, a group of 30 volunteers are tromping through the mud flats at low tide, buckets in hand. Their goal is to get as many green crabs out of the environment as possible in one hour. It's called a "green crab derby." Volunteers flip over rocks and rake through seaweed with their bare hands. Rachel Wheeler, who is up from North Carolina camping with friends, brought her young daughter along. There will be prizes for biggest crab, most crabs, and most soft-shell green crabs found. The specimens collected will be disposed of or composted.

Maine plans major energy storage buildout

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

The Maine Department of Energy Resources is seeking regulators' approval for a major buildout of energy storage on the state's electric grid. The department filed a petition with the Maine Public Utilities Commission this week to start competitive bidding to develop up to 360 megawatts of large-scale batteries, which can store electricity when demand is low, then deliver it to the grid at periods of high need. A total 360 megawatt buildout could provide enough power for 15% of Maine's total electric load. Maine has a goal of adding 400 megawatts of energy storage by 2030.

Maine Calling: Squid

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

The octopus is in vogue now, thanks to books and films featuring this sea creature. But its cephalopod cousin, the squid, is just as fascinating. Their jet propulsion makes them the fastest marine invertebrate; their huge eyes work like a camera; they can glow and flash to communicate with other squids. Find out about the kinds of squid in the Gulf of Maine, what researchers are learning, how and why people fish for squid, and what the potential is for a commercial squid fishery in Maine. Panelists:
Michelle Staudinger, Darling Marine Center, University of Maine; Owen Nichols, Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Mass; Jessica Blaylock, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

Opinion: Maine’s aging water systems face a growing funding gap

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 21, 2026

Maine’s aging water systems face a growing funding gap that could translate into sharply higher customer bills. After years of deferred maintenance, some rural districts across Maine have raised rates by more than 20% — and in some cases as much as 75% — to pay for long overdue needs. At Portland Water District, water main replacement is one example. Recent assessments indicate we should replace about eight miles of water main each year at an estimated cost of $40 million, compared with roughly $11 million spent today. Without increased investment, aging pipes will continue to deteriorate, and water main breaks are likely to become more frequent, disruptive and expensive. The U.S. Congress is uniquely well positioned to help us close the financing gap. ~ Scott Firmin, general manager of Portland Water District