Why Protecting Wildlife Habitat Isn’t Enough

THE CONSERVATION FUND • September 15, 2026

Wildlife depends on healthy habitat for food, shelter, breeding, and survival. But simply setting aside land for wildlife is only part of the solution. They also need connected landscapes that give them room to move and thrive. Across the U.S., roads, housing, fences, and other development are breaking once-connected habitats into smaller, more isolated pieces — a process known as habitat fragmentation. Research shows that this fragmentation can reduce biodiversity by a staggering 75%. So, what happens when protected wildlife habitat becomes disconnected? 

SAM banquet draws big turnout of sportsmen

PISCATAQUIS OBSERVER • September 15, 2026

The Sportsmen’s Alliance of Maine held its 51st annual banquet on Sept 5 at the Elk’s Lodge in Waterville. More than 300 sportsmen and women turned out for the festive fund-raising event, which was attended by sportsmen and women, guides, outfitters and a number of political luminaries including U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine and a host of candidates for political office. During the evening, which was emceed by Northwoods Sporting Journal Editor V. Paul Reynolds and hosted by David Trahan, executive director of SAM, and Mike Parker, SAM president, a number of awards were presented to individuals for their various contributions toward supporting SAM’s mission, outdoor conservation and the furthering of Maine’s outdoor heritage.

Portland's urban forest is slowly disappearing. Here's why that matters

MAINE PUBLIC • September 15, 2026

It's only 78 degrees in Portland on this summer afternoon, but on the sidewalk, it's hot enough to melt a box of crayons. On the city's Eastern Prom, in the shade, it feels cooler. That's the urban heat island effect. "Lots of heat washes off all that pavement," says Portland City Arborist Mark Reiland. The pavement and buildings in a city absorb the sun's heat and then re-emit it. Urban neighborhoods without trees to shade the sun can be up to 10 degrees hotter than neighborhoods with lots of trees. Portland's urban forest is facing myriad challenges: changing temperatures due to climate change, drought, pests, storm damage, nutrient-deficient soil, development, invasive species and more. "So we asked for help from the Portland Parks Conservancy, and they agreed immediately to help fund an urban forest master plan," Portland Parks Department Director Ethan Hipple says.

100 years in, Oxford’s Crestholm Farm continues its long family traditions

ADVERTISER DEMOCRAT • September 15, 2026

This year, Crestholm Farm in Oxford is celebrating 100 years of feeding Oxford Hills. It has been the work of the Thurlow family since 1926, when it was founded by Alfred and Marcia. The farm then passed into the hands of their son, Evan, and his wife, Priscilla, granddaughter Suzanne and her husband, Leslie Hall, great-grandson Brian Hall, and great-great-grandson Shawn Morse. Three generations oversaw dairy production before transitioning to beef cattle. A staple throughout has been fresh eggs. In recent years fresh produce and flowers became dominant products, with both wholesale and retail customers. 

How climate change is affecting Maine’s fall foliage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 15, 2026

Maine forests are proving to be more resilient to changing climate conditions in the fall than in the spring and summer, with scientists predicting the colorful canopy will be providing a steady stream of food and photos to wildlife and tourists alike for years to come. There will still be off years, when the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges of the maples and oaks are dulled by drought or dropped by an early frost, ecologists say, and over time, global warming will drive the onset of the color change deeper into the calendar year. “But we’re talking days, not weeks,” said Jay Wason, an associate professor of forest ecosystems physiology at the University of Maine. “The pace of fall change is so much slower than what we are seeing in our springs and summers.”

A chemical manufacturer wants to build a 51-acre facility in Berwick

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 15, 2026

General Biological, a Massachusetts chemical manufacturing company, is seeking planning board approval to build a 51-acre facility in Berwick. The project would require a maximum of 1,000 pounds of RDX — also known as cyclonite, a synthetic chemical often used in plastics and military explosives — to be stored on site in a barricaded magazine. General Biological co-founder and Chief Technological Officer David Sozanski told the planning board at an Sept. 6 meeting that the purpose of the facility would be to test and build skids — the heavy machinery used to produce the chemicals. General Biological isn’t planning to add any detonation sites and will test only the skids, not the chemicals they produce.

Why this section of Maine’s coast has been hit hardest by a 2-year drought

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 15, 2026

For the second season in a row, national drought monitoring maps have turned increasingly dire shades of orange in an arc around Maine’s midcoast and Penobscot Bay, stretching up to the Bangor area. Where drought intensifies, plants, pollinators, wildlife and people struggle, and over time groundwater supplies drop. Two major weather factors have contributed to more intense drought conditions along the midcoast and Penobscot Bay area for the last two drought seasons. The effects of cooler air off the Gulf of Maine that stops rain from forming along the coast, while the jet stream nudged storm systems onto different tracks, diverting rain away from coastal Maine.

Opinion: State should demand better conservation plan from energy corridor

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 15, 2026

Earlier this year,  New England Clean Energy Connect began delivering electricity from Quebec to New England. As part of its permit, NECEC is required to conserve 50,000 acres in large blocks, with a primary goal of conserving mature forests and connecting habitat for species that prefer mature forests. What NECEC came up with, however, fell far short of meeting this requirement; and then, inexplicably, the Department of Environmental Protection approved the plan. That decision drew an appeal to the Board of Environmental Protection, which will hear the case on Sept. 17. I believe the BEP should require NECEC to comply with conservation measures that actually meet the terms of the permit. ~ Tom Saviello, former International Paper environmental manager, former manager of the Northern Forest Research Center, and former state senator and representative

Trump EPA to strip greenhouse gas limits for power plants, a key Biden climate policy

MAINE MORNING STAR • September 14, 2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will revoke limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that run on coal and natural gas, according to regulatory documents Administrator Lee Zeldin signed Monday. The administration framed the action to repeal 2024 limits on greenhouse gas emissions from virtually all power plants other than wind, solar or hydro-powered as lowering energy costs, which the war with Iran has driven up, as energy producers will save at least $310 million on compliance. The move could produce a tenfold increase in coal power, the agency said.

Road and parking improvements planned at Acadia amid surge in visitors

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 14, 2026

Many of Acadia National Park’s upcoming construction projects will continue to address congestion at the park after it hit more than 4 million visits last year. Park officials on Monday presented Acadia’s citizen advisory commission with a handful of construction plans for the next several years that are aimed at relieving the park’s mounting traffic problems. The park recorded its busiest year to date in 2025. The upcoming projects will seek to control the traffic and safety concerns that have followed the visitation surge.

This rare bobcat could be the first of its kind spotted in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 14, 2026

What may be Maine’s first black bobcat has been spotted in the state, where a homesteader says the animal has killed most of his chickens and two ducks. Rodney Barnett II, who runs the Good Ground & Grit Facebook page, said 10 of his chickens went missing two days ago. He noticed the bobcat while checking on his goats. It was sitting on a fence post, watching the animals. “I got probably 20-30 feet from it, when I realized, this is the largest cat I’ve ever seen in my life,” Barnett said.

Acadia National Park citizen panel meets for the first time in a year

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 14, 2026

A citizen advisory panel for Acadia National Park met Monday for the first time after a yearlong hiatus created by an apparent administrative backlog at the national level. The Acadia Advisory Commission did not discuss recent news reports about a major restructuring planned at the National Park Service or policy changes that have slowed communications between park staff and the public.

Mass. utilities, Canadian hydro company file dueling lawsuits over new Maine transmission line

MAINE MORNING STAR • September 14, 2026

In the latest twist in the effort to bring Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts, a scorched-earth legal battle has erupted between the state’s electric utilities and the Quebec-based company responsible for delivering energy into New England through a long-delayed Maine transmission line that flickered to life earlier this year. Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil — the state’s three electric utilities — are suing Hydro-Quebec in federal court for shutting off power just eight days after the transmission line began operating and in the middle of one of the biggest cold snaps the region has experienced in recent history.

Frost advisories issued for parts of Maine, with near-freezing temps expected early Tuesday

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 14, 2026

The National Weather Service has issued frost advisories for parts of western and northern Maine, calling for near-freezing temperatures early Tuesday morning. Northern Oxford County and parts of New Hampshire are under a frost advisory from 2 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, with temperatures forecast as low as 33 degrees Fahrenheit. Northern Penobscot County and eastern Aroostook County are under a similar frost advisory from 4 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, with temperatures there falling to as low as 36.

L.L.Bean unveils renovated flagship store in Freeport

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 14, 2026

L.L.Bean reopened its flagship store to shoppers from near and far on Monday, showing off the results of a $50 million renovation that puts a new, two-tiered trout pond and first-floor footwear department front and center. Around the corner from the pond is the stream tank, home to rainbow, brown and brook trout. A clear plastic dome allows children and smaller adults to raise their heads amid the swimming fish. The campuswide project took four years. The goal was to update the original 1912 location at 95 Main St., which now leads 73 stores in the United States, 18 in Japan and 16 in Canada,

Free Day at Maine State Parks on September 19 for library card holders

DAILY BULLDOG • September 14, 2026

This September, the Maine State Library and Maine State Parks are celebrating National Library Card Sign-up Month by giving Maine library card holders a day to enjoy the state’s great outdoors—free of charge. On Saturday, September 19, simply show your Maine library card at the entrance to any participating Maine state park and enjoy a day outdoors at no cost. Pack a picnic, take a hike, explore with the family, or simply find a beautiful spot to read. September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, a time to celebrate all the ways a library card opens doors to resources, experiences, learning, and community.

Turkey crashes through windshield of car, minor injuries

BOOTHBAY REGISTER • September 14, 2026

On Sept. 3, Lincoln County Communications dispatched Boothbay Fire & Rescue, Boothbay Regional Ambulance, and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office to respond to a single-vehicle accident located adjacent to the Zak Preserve. Firefighters found the vehicle with a large hole in the windshield and with an approximately 20-pound turkey in the passenger-side compartment. The driver, who was struck by the bird and glass, sustained minor injuries. The turkey originally impacted a semi-tractor trailer traveling in the southbound lane, then careened into their car.

Pick your fill: Maine’s apple crop is looking great

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 14, 2026

Don’t let a dry summer fool you: The apples are hanging in there. With about 50 apple orchards in Maine, and around 100 varieties to choose from, you can certainly take your pick – and now’s the time.

Climate change is proliferating diseases and pests that threaten crops and forests, report says

MAINE PUBLIC • September 14, 2026

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement findings from a government report on how climate change is threatening crops and forests. The report found that diseases and pests have cost the nation's agricultural and forestry sectors at least $550 billion. The science shows climate change will continue to expand the range of invasive diseases and pests. Pingree is calling out the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans for proposed cuts to the USDA's Climate Hub program, calling them "dangerously shortsighted." The ten regional hubs provide growers with information and tools to help protect agricultural output as the climate changes.

Maine power line interruptions spark legal battle between Hydro Quebec, Mass. utilities

MAINE PUBLIC • September 14, 2026

Hydro-Quebec and a trio of Massachusetts utilities filed dueling lawsuits in federal court last week, alleging contract violations stemming from service interruptions this winter on a high-voltage power line through western Maine. Eversource, National Grid and Unitil allege that Hydro-Quebec stopped delivering electricity over the New England Clean Energy Connect line just a few days after it went into operation this January. The delivery shortfall coincided with an extended period of extreme cold, and the utilities were forced to rely on more expensive and higher-emitting power sources. The utilities allege they are owed $40 million in damages.