We’re looking for volunteers to help run the Friends Nature Store at the new Rachel Carson Center for People and Nature at 188 Brown Street in Kennebunk! We’re hoping to find individuals who can commit to 3-hour shifts weekly (9am-noon and noon-3pm on weekdays, and 9am-noon on Saturdays). If interested, please email friendsofrachelcarsonnwr@gmail.com with “Nature Store” in the subject line and indicate available hours. If you love Rachel Carson NWR, meeting new people from all over, and have a little extra time to spare, this volunteer opportunity is for you!
News from Friends of Rachel Carson
Read about happenings at the Refuge this spring in our recent newsletter.
Photo credit: Bill Gingras
The Carson Trail in Wells is Open Again!
With more parking…
Photo credit: Tom Wall/USFWS
And here’s a Red fox, just because…
Photo credit: Karen Suhrhoff
Volunteer on Earth Day! Shrub Potting Event April 22-23
Announcement: The Carson Trail Temporarily Closed
Update: Rachel Carson Center for People and Nature Opens April 6!
The new Rachel Carson Center for People and Nature will open April 6, 2026! This will be a visitor center, educational destination, community hub, and nature store to welcome many of the 300,000 people who visit this special wildlife refuge every year. There will be a “Sense of Wonder” trail along the Mousam River with amazing birding, photography, and recreation opportunities. Please note: the grounds and trail will not be accessible in April and not everything will be open yet, but Refuge and Friends staff and volunteers will be on site as we get up and running. Please come see us as part of your visit to this special place here on the magical Maine coast, and you can learn more here.
Credit: Tom Wall/FWS
Credit: Matt Poole/FWS
summer job opportunities for conservationists ages 15-18!
Details below, and you can read more and learn how to apply here.
Make a difference for wildlife…Apply for important Learning Experiences at the Refuge!
The Friends exist to support the Refuge’s mission: to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
One of the ways we do this is by providing funding and other support for internships and work experiences that promote science, local community engagement, and recreation. There are some amazing opportunities at the Refuge this summer. Find out more here.
Credit: Matt Poole/FWS
Please Take the National Wildlife Refuge System "Mission Alignment" Survey
We are asking our partners, members, and supporters to stand up for the Refuge and vote for wildlife! In December, Brian Nesvik, US Fish & Wildlife Service Director, issued an order to identify National Wildlife Refuges that are no longer “in alignment with their original mission.”
Our President Bill Durkin is responding on behalf of the Friends of Rachel Carson. We are asking everyone who cares about the amazing wildlife, waters, and lands along our magical Maine coast to speak up and complete the survey in support of the Rachel Carson Refuge.
The deadline is February 6. Here's the link…answer “Yes” to question 3 to complete the full 10-question survey:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=urWTBhhLe02TQfMvQApUlOvYbyvLAT9JmNl3cgBECdtUNEFBU05RUk5XVVZCQVNXVkwxM0oyVFhNUC4u
Credit: Matt Poole/FWS
What does government review of national wildlife refuges mean for Maine?
Friends President Bill Durkin recently spoke with The Maine Monitor about what a current federal government review could mean for Rachel Carson Refuge and why National Wildlife Refuges are so important, in Maine and across the country. You can write to our congressional representatives here to voice your support for wildlife refuges.
Credit: Claudia Northway