Stories
On a cold, sunny day in a remote part of Vermont’s rugged Northeast Kingdom, Nick Fortin — Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s lead moose biologist — holds onto his snowmobile helmet as he gestures to some young trees. The new growth from logging at this spot, in addition to its remote and mountainous setting, makes for…
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Every day, dozens of trucks loaded with waste drive through the gates of Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town. Near the entrance, they’re greeted by a sign listing banned items, including refrigerators, propane tanks and dead animals. And at the bottom, in large red letters, is a warning: “Juniper Ridge Landfill only accepts waste generated…
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Maine lawmakers heard hours of testimony this week in support of a proposal to create a $100 million fund to help the growing number of Maine farms that are discovering so-called “forever chemicals” in their water or on their land. But some advocates are warning that massive sum of money still may not be enough.…
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New research shows that ocean environments off New England contain the most diverse array of marine mammals to be found on the entire eastern seaboard. Lead scientist Brooke Hodge of the New England Aquarium says that the highest variety of mammals is found in and around giant underwater mountains and canyons. In those areas, she says,…
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On a frigid winter day, University of Maine Farmington professors Julia Daly and Rachel Hovel load up their gear on a sled and head out on skis and snowshoes to Midway Pond near Saddleback Mountain in Western Maine. While this area is well known for outdoor recreation, scientists are also beginning to learn just…
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As Maine’s lobstermen fight national conservation groups over federal gear rules and fishery closures intended to protect endangered whales, they have found fierce allies among the state’s political leaders. That’s left some local advocates for the whales feeling sidelined by the powerful industry. A few weeks ago, lobstermen joined lawmakers to support a bill that…
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Agricultural and environmental groups are calling on state lawmakers to pass a bill prohibiting sludge spreading in Maine as additional farmers come forward to disclose PFAS contamination on their land or in their water. Click here to listen to the audio version from MainePublic.org. Standing outside of the Maine State House on Wednesday, Brendan Holmes…
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The temperature had finally crept above zero on a recent morning as Johanna Davis and Adam Nordell walked along the snowy path leading to one of three greenhouses on their organic farm in Unity, Maine. The unheated, 3,000-square-foot greenhouse was less frigid, but still cold. Adam sang the praises of spinach as Johanna pulled back…
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Health care workers in Maine have been besieged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest surge in hospitalizations has pushed an already overextended workforce to the brink. To get a better sense of what hospital workers are facing, we asked frontline staff to record audio diaries. The first audio diary was submitted by ICU nurse Cynthia…
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Papy Bangibo is the president of the Congolese Community of Maine. But when he steps onto the mat at Fournier’s Leadership Karate Center in Westbrook, he goes by a different title — sensei. Bongibo is a third-degree black belt in judo, the Japanese martial art with a name that means “the gentle way.” Rather than…
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