Amanda Mahaffey recently wrote in the Portland Press Herald about the threats to Maine’s wildlife refuges and the important work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees that care for these amazing places. Read more here.
Credit: Betsy Wish
Friends Intern Battles Invasive Plants!
The Friends created a new internship program this summer that’s been funded by generous member donations. Our first intern Patrick Cadogan - who studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut - is working in the Refuge team with Visitor Services Manager Thomas Wall. Saco Bay News recently reported on their heroic efforts to remove destructive invasive plants at the Refuge’s important Goosefare Brook division. Read more here.
Credit: Tracy Birchall
Not All Prescriptions Come In A Bottle
Friends board member Sarvi Maisak - microbiologist and teacher at Southern Maine Community College - recently wrote an important opinion piece in the Portland Press Herald. She speaks powerfully about the importance of protecting natural places like the Rachel Carson Refuge, and the benefits to our health and well-being. You can read more here.
Credit: Jack Coughlin
Friends Hire First Executive Director To Strengthen Organization
The Friends Board of Directors voted unanimously at its recent March Board meeting to appoint its first Executive Director. Board member Kelly Clark has agreed to fill the position.
Bill Durkin, Friends President, noted, “I’m very excited about this move. The Friends have been totally volunteer for 38 years which has stretched us at times, particularly with fundraising. Creating this position will strengthen the organization and allow it to grow in new ways.”
Kelly has a background in marketing, but recently decided to switch careers and is studying forestry at University of New Hampshire. Friends Board member Natalie Lord met Kelly in a class she was teaching and encouraged him to intern with the Friends for a degree requirement. While interning to help both the Friends and the Refuge, Kelly was impressed with what the Friends were doing and the Board asked if Kelly was interested in staying involved by joining the Board. Living in Kittery, Kelly was already familiar with the Refuge’s Brave Boat Harbor Division and saw his involvement with the Friends as a great way to combine his interests in forestry and conservation with his marketing skills.
As Executive Director, Kelly will work to elevate the Friends presence in the community while developing a broader base of funding support. This will help the Friends achieve its goals of running a nature store for visitors and providing support to the Refuge and its programs in the soon to be Multipurpose/Visitor Center off Brown Street in Kennebunk. Part of that process will be the Executive Director overseeing an expanded and more robust Friends internship program.
Kelly stated, “I’m really excited to work with Board members, Refuge staff, donors, and volunteers to contribute to the Refuge’s important mission. Threats to the Refuge system are frightening and increasing, so it’s never been more important that we all rally to support the incredible work done by the Refuge team. Together we will make a big difference.”
Temporary Online Shop!
Visit the shop: https://rachelcarsonnwr2025.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Friends Opinion Piece in the Portland Press Herald
On Sunday, March 9, 2025 a Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge opinion piece was printed in the Portland Press Herald titled, “We must commit to protecting our national wildlife refuges: Drastic federal funding cuts threaten Maine lands, lives and livelihoods.” To read the full article, please visit here.
Preparing for climate change: An epic conservation collaboration
An important 47.5-acre parcel of land along the upper York River was recently acquired by Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in a unique partnership between York Land Trust, Maine Coast Heritage Trust and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Read the article below to see how this collaboration came about following a private landowner’s efforts and willingness to work toward conservation of this ecologically significant parcel of land.
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"A Deepening Friendship"
A big thank you to Lauri Monroe-Hultman at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for writing this piece on our inspiring helmsman Bill Durkin! It features the important role the Friends, and particularly Bill, have played through the years and highlights our expanding partnership opportunities in the future headquarters on Brown Street in Kennebunk! Read the article here: https://www.fws.gov/story/deepening-friendship
Shrub Potting Volunteer Opportunity!
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is holding their annual shrub potting volunteer event, just a few days after Earth Day 2024. They will be receiving a large order of bareroot native shrub seedlings and will get to work potting nearly 1500 shrubs as fast as folks can get to them. This is great opportunity to get your hands dirty, learn about growing container stock, and check out the greenhouse in Wells! They have selected specific native shrubs with habitat goals in mind for the New England cottontail- many of these shrubs will be outplanted for early successional/young forest habitat restoration projects.
Wednesday, 4/24/24:
The plants will be picked up in Dover, NH in the morning, so they should be ready to start planting at the greenhouse at 12:00 PM.
Thursday, 4/25/24
There will still be plenty of plants to get potted, so they will start at the greenhouse at 9:00 AM and go until they run out.
Garden gloves, sunscreen and hats are recommended, and they will have extra gloves and sunscreen for those who need them.
Please contact Colin McKevitt at colin_mckevitt@fws.gov if you are interested in helping out, even for just an hour or two. He will be sending a follow up email to anyone interested to firm up the details.