New England has the most beautiful fall foliage in the world! This may be my extremely biased opinion, but it is backed up by the millions of leaf peepers who visit every single year to witness the magnificent display put on by our native trees. For a long time, scientists believed that red fall colors […]
Maine Native Plants
Bangor Beautiful and Maine Audubon Collaborate on Bird Mural and Native Plantings on Broadway in Bangor
Bangor Beautiful and Maine Audubon are partnering to transform a cement retaining wall on Broadway in Bangor with a powerful combination of public art and native plantings. The project will feature five large-scale murals by Eastport artist Alison Ross (schematic mockup of one of the five murals above), smaller companion murals created by students from […]
August Phenology Report: Hummingbird Pollination Syndrome
Last week, I saw a couple of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds whizzing around the nursery and perching in nearby trees. I love spotting these tiny and shiny birds—the only hummingbird native to New England. Even though this is the only species we typically see on the East Coast, they really pull their weight as pollinators; many native […]
Visit Our “Monarchs & Maine” Outreach Table at August Festivals
As Maine Audubon ramps up its activities and outreach in both DownEast/Eastern and Western Maine, we look for ways to share content and resources with the communities there. One great mechanism for doing this is by participating in popular summer festivals that occur and draw hundreds of people each year. Given that it is August […]
Community Tree Nurseries: Midsummer Update
2025 marked the launch of Maine Audubon’s four Community Tree Nurseries in Portland, Auburn, Bangor, and East Machias. Working with professional partners in municipal public works, urban forestry, vocational education, and habitat restoration, these nurseries will produce native species of trees and other plants for city arborists to use in replacing canopy trees in Maine’s […]
July Phenology Report: Native Plants and Climate Change
As we reach peak summer in southern Maine, it is hard not to think about climate change with every day that hits 90+ degrees. In addition to the heat, there are other extreme conditions that are being exacerbated by climate change. Although our native plants are adapted to a range of regional conditions, hitting those […]
June Phenology Report: Ecological Traps
June Phenology Report: Ecological Traps By Jocelyn LaClair, Seasonal Horticulture & Sales Assistant In the modern horticultural world, native species often take a backseat to non-native species selected for aesthetics and fast growth. But these choices can have devastating impacts on wildlife that often go unnoticed. Insects rely on specific host plants to develop due […]
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 […]
Bangor Fifth Graders Leave Living Legacy with Art and Plants
This year, students in Mrs. Grunder’s 5th grade class at Mary Snow School in Bangor embarked on a journey of environmental learning, creative expression, and community action. In January 2025, the class joined a Maine Audubon “Curious by Nature” online education session, where they met Annette Dodds and Greg Edwards, co-founders of Bangor Beautiful. The […]