PICKETT MOUNTAIN MINING PROPOSAL REJECTED Decision comes after overwhelming opposition from Wabanaki Tribes, local businesses, and conservation groups February 14, 2024 (Augusta, ME) � The Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) has firmly rejected a mining proposal in Maine�s Katahdin region that was vehemently opposed by the Penobscot Nation, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, conservation groups, […]
Policy & Advocacy
BirdSafe Maine – Fall 2023 Season Summary
October 31 was the final morning for our Fall 2023 BirdSafe Maine route in Portland. It marked the end of another successful season, but in that somber way that these seasons are “successful”: we once again proved that migratory birds are dying against glass windows in Portland and around the state. Despite the continued challenges, […]
Summer Summary: Record breeding plover pairs but lower fledgling numbers
Another summer, another record-breaking year: For the sixth consecutive season, in 2023 we saw a record high number of breeding pairs of Piping Plovers on Maine beaches. Maine was home to 157 breeding pairs this nesting season, with some pairs nesting in places never before occupied or that had been vacant for many years. However, […]
Voter resources for Election Day, November 7
Maine Audubon wants every eligible voter to have the opportunity to cast their ballot this November. Planning ahead can help ensure your participation in this essential aspect of our democracy. ? Election Day 2023 is Tuesday, November 7 ? Below are tools you can use to prepare for the upcoming election, including links to register […]
UPDATED Draft Gulf of Maine Wind Energy Area Excludes Right Whale and Lobstering Areas
UPDATE Nov. 22, 2023:�Maine Audubon joined Mass Audubon and the American Bird Conservancy in submitting comments on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s draft Wind Energy Area (WEA) for the Gulf of Maine. The authors asked for a number of changes to the draft WEA in order to protect birds and other wildlife, including the […]
Why the Katahdin region is no place for a mine
Have you ever paddled on a remote pond in the early morning mist listening to the eerie calls of the loon? Perhaps you�ve stood ankle deep in water in a bog between two ponds, and reveled in the dawn chorus filled with the songs of Common Yellowthroats, Palm Warblers, Lincoln�s Sparrows, and Olive-sided Flycatchers�a mix […]
Maine Audubon goes to Washington!
Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox and I had the opportunity to take part in a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act with our partners in wildlife conservation across the country, who gathered in Washington, D.C., in September. This gathering brought much-needed attention to both the undeniable success of this landmark conservation law�s […]
From the Interns: Spending a Summer with the Piping Plovers
The Coastal Birds project hires seasonal biologists, technicians, and interns every summer to help with Piping Plover and Least Tern conservation on the beaches from York to Georgetown. Every summer, we are fortunate to have energetic students who are willing to do whatever it takes! Here, they share some thoughts about what their experiences were […]
Fighting for the Future of the Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act is turning 50 this year! Enacted in 1973, this law is one of our most important tools to conserve our nation�s most vulnerable species � which, right now, includes 740 animals and 940 plants. Fifty years of experience has proven that the Endangered Species Act works: the Act has prevented the […]