Policy & Advocacy

Finding creative expression at Borestone Mountain Monson Arts retreat

Never in a million years would I consider myself an artist. But I came home from the Borestone Mountain Monson Arts nature journaling workshop, this June, having discovered a new way to communicate artistically through immersion in the natural world. This, in a nutshell, is the goal of this collaboration. For the fourth year in […]

Maine Audubon Voices Concerns About the Federal Government’s Changes to Endangered Species Act Definition of “Harm”

On July 10, 2026, the federal Department of the Interior finalized a proposed rule to constrict the definition of “harm” included in the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Maine Audubon is deeply concerned about this new rule, and had previously submitted comments denouncing the proposed change. As a reminder, the federal ESA to date has been […]

Endangered Species Day 2026: Summarizing a Challenging Time for Wildlife

The Endangered Species Act, or ESA, is our most effective and beloved wildlife-protection law. Passed in 1973, the ESA provides protection for thousands of vulnerable species and the habitats they need to survive. The Act has been an incredible success: it has prevented the extinction of more than 99% of the species under its protection […]

In honor of Maine’s first Dark Sky Week!

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the dark sky, something we might just take for granted here in Maine. Last year, the Maine Legislature passed a bill to establish a state observance called Dark Sky Week. Here’s the language in the bill: “The 2nd full week in May and the 2nd full week in September […]

Conservation Groups File Appeal Urging CMP Compliance With Mature Forest Requirements

For Immediate Release – December 18, 2025 (Augusta, ME) – Several of the state’s leading conservation groups have filed an appeal with the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) asking them to require improvements to Central Maine Power’s (CMP) flawed Conservation Plan for the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project. As outlined in its permit […]

Trump Administration Proposes Four Additional Changes to the Endangered Species Act

2025 has been a difficult year for the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The new administration and Congress are working quickly to weaken the effectiveness of the Act, one of the most popular and successful environmental laws in the nation. In May, the Department of the Interior proposed changing the way it defines “harm” under the […]