Above photo: Loon and young at Fields Pond; photo by Wayne Foote “This year, three eggs have been laid on one raft, which is exceptionally rare!” says Maine Audubon Loon Restoration Project lead scientist Tracy Hart. Her note reveals her delight in the ways loons continue to surprise us. “Sometimes,” she says, “a new egg […]
Media Release
Maine Audubon Comments on CMP’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) Conservation Plan
First proposed back in 2017, New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) is a transmission line designed to bring electricity from hydropower facilities in Quebec to consumers in Massachusetts as part of the regional electrical grid. The construction route includes clearing a 150-foot-wide, 53-mile-long line through undeveloped Maine woods between the Canadian border and The Forks […]
School’s out: Our school-year programming recap!
It’s the end of school for many students here in Maine, and in the greater Portland area we are celebrating having worked with 5,000 students this school year (and that doesn’t even include vacation camps, festivals, or our public programming!). Through outdoor exploration, observation, experimentation, songs and games, art and storytelling, and engagement with the […]
Maine Legislature Passes Bill to Increase Protections for Vernal Pools
Maine Audubon is pleased to announce the passage of LD 497, An Act Regarding the Regulation of Significant Vernal Pools Under the Natural Resources Protection Act in the Maine Legislature. Formerly worked within LD 1882 in the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, this effort seeks to better protect state-recognized “Significant Vernal Pools,” essential breeding habitat […]
Maine Audubon Celebrates Passage of Neonicotinoid Pesticide Legislation
Maine Audubon is pleased to announce the passage of LD 1323, Resolve: Directing the Board of Pesticides Control to Evaluate the Impacts of Neonicotinoids on Pollinators, Humans and the Environment in the Maine Legislature. The bill requires the state to further evaluate impacts of neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”) on pollinators and people. LD 1323 secured bipartisan […]
Maine Audubon comments on passage of seawall bill
Statement on the Passage of LD 228, “An Act to Allow Coastal Seawalls to Be Raised by up to 2 Feet in Order to Accommodate Predicted Sea Level Rise” On May 29, 2025, Governor Mills signed LD 228, “An Act to Allow Coastal Seawalls to Be Raised by up to 2 Feet in Order to […]
Pollinator Parade Celebrates 10 Years!
Local families, including pollinator enthusiasts of all ages, will gather at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm on Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 1 pm, for the 10th annual Pollinator Parade and Picnic, to honor the winged species essential to our ecosystems. Since 2015, Birth Roots and Maine Audubon have partnered to raise awareness about the […]
Preparing for the Emerald Ash Borer: Announcing our spring webinar series
Background: Emerald Ash Borer poses a uniquely devastating threat to Maine’s ecology, economy, and cultural history. Three native species of ash, all of which are key ecological and economic keystones, are being destroyed by the invasive pest which has been introduced in North American temperate forests. Climate change has aided the insect’s broadening range, while […]
Exciting Changes Coming to Gilsland Farm
Maine Audubon’s Native Plants Program Expanding into New Building Maine Audubon has unveiled plans for the Ann and Jim Hancock Native Plants Education Center and expanded, adjacent growing area, to be built at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm headquarters in greater Portland. Supported initially by generous donations from Ann and Jim Hancock, the new structure will […]