An old deer stand on a beech ridge in the North Woods. Photo by Ben Wyman I am an avid hunter and angler, and I am also a fierce environmentalist. I believe there is no reason why sportsmen and sportswomen need to be a mutually exclusive group from the environmental movement and alliance. I was lucky enough to be raised by very progressive parents in the 90s and 2000s who taught me the importance of environmentalism, fighting climate change, and promoting clean air and water policies while also encouraging me to hunt and fish for my own dinner. I suppose it stems from the old New England id ..read more

Testimony in Support of LD 1227, An Act to Balance Renewable Energy Development with Natural and Working Lands Conservation Senator Ingwersen, Representative Pluecker, Members of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. My name is Jack Shapiro, I am the Climate and Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. NRCM has been working for more than 60 years to protect, restore, and conserve Maine’s environment, on behalf of our 25,000 members and supporters. I’m here today to testify in support of LD 1227, An Act to Balance Renewable Energy Development with Natural ..read more

Testimony in Support of LD 1969, An Act to Expand the Use of Funds to Support Land Conservation Senator Ingwersen, Representative Pluecker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate the opportunity to testify in support of LD 1969.  The Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program is Maine’s most effective and popular land conservation program. Over the past three decades, the program has helped fund more than 300 projects and pro ..read more

Testimony in Opposition to LD 1685, An Act to Increase Acreage Eligibility and Change Requirements for Filing Plans Under the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law Senator Grohoski, Representative Perry, and members of the Committee on Taxation, I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony in opposition to LD 1685. The Tree Growth Tax Law is one of the few incentives in Maine for landowners to maintain their forests. It is one of Maine’s “current use” property tax programs, along with the Farm ..read more

Testimony in Support of LD 1285,  An Act to Extend Funding for the Land for Maine’s Future Program  Senator Ingwersen, Representative Pluecker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony in support of LD 1285.  The Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program is Maine’s most effective land conservation program. Over the past three decades, the program has helped fund more than 300 proj ..read more

Testimony in Opposition to LD 341,  An Act to Amend the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law to Encourage Housing Construction  Senator Grohoski, Representative Perry, and members of the Committee on Taxation, I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony in opposition to LD 341.  NRCM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for protecting, restoring, and conserving Maine’s environment, now and for future generations. For more than 60 years, NRCM has been protec ..read more

Some places are special for all sorts of reasons. Take Clarry Hill in Union. Its high elevation provides spectacular views of the Camden Hills, glimpses of Muscongus Bay, and acres upon acres of lowbush blueberries that are highly valuable to local jobs and Maine’s economy. These lands are also important for countless species of birds. Clarry Hill is, to quote the Midcoast Conservancy, “a vital place, where wildlife, agriculture, recreation, and Maine’s natural splendor all converge.” Clarry Hill provides vital habitat for many declining bird species, such as the Vesper Sparrow. Credit is Pho ..read more

December 14, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – Thousands of visitors and residents are drawn to Maine’s Moosehead Lake region every year to experience the spectacular clean waters, forests, and wildlife. The Plum Creek proposal in the early 2000s threatened to damage that unique character with sprawling development and was met with intense opposition. Eventually, the landowner, Weyerhaeuser, withdrew the plan in 2020.   Now, a new land use plan for the region charts a more positive path forward by balancing conservation with economic opportunities. The new zoning framework encourages development ..read more

Read highlights from December 2022 news stories and opinion pieces related to Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. December 1, 2022 We will kick off this month’s News & Noteworthy with an article that quotes NRCM Forests & Wildlife Director Melanie Sturm, as she talks about the Moosehead planning proposal, which the Land Use Planning Commission has been working on, with input from Mainers and organizations like NRCM over the past couple of years. Also in land conservation news, according to Maine Public, “A c ..read more

Read highlights from November 2022 news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. November 3, 2022 Let’s start the week off with some good news about land conservation. Frenchman Bay Conservancy recently added two easements on land along the northern part of the Union River and its tributaries, in the town of Aurora. They now have “forever wild” easements on more than 3,000 acres in that area, which will protect wetlands and forests from development. The Fed ..read more