Maine Audubon

The future of Maine wildlife and habitat conservation policies and programs depends upon decisions made by our elected officials. Maine Audubon does not endorse candidates in any election; however, we are able to ask questions and educate candidates on wildlife and habitat issues. As we have done for past elections, we invited all candidates running to be our state’s next Governor who qualified for the upcoming primary election to participate in a survey covering a variety of wildlife-related topics. Four candidates completed our survey by the May 1 deadline. You can read their answers below. https://lnkd.in/e8V26n52

Maine Audubon is pleased to announce the selection of Judy Camuso as its new president. Camuso brings more than 25 years of experience in wildlife conservation and protection leadership to the statewide nonprofit organization. She began her career at Maine Audubon, starting as a seasonal biologist and then as the staff naturalist and Gilsland Farm center director for eleven years. In 2007, she left to join the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, where she advanced from assistant regional biologist to special projects coordinator, then director of the wildlife division, and was ultimately named Commissioner in 2019. She is the first woman to lead Maine Audubon since its founding more than 100 years ago. Camuso will assume the role held by long-time leader Andy Beahm, who will retire in May. She says, “I’m looking forward to leading Maine Audubon to new levels as the premier conservation organization in the state, and beyond. I truly believe people protect what they love, and I want more people to love the wildlife and natural resources of the state.”

Maine’s rivers and streams carry rainwater and snowmelt downstream to the sea. Yet across the state, thousands of undersized and aging road-stream crossings are quietly choking those arteries. If we are serious about climate resilience, public safety, and protecting Maine’s outdoor heritage, we must significantly increase funding for improved stream crossings that meet Stream Smart standards. Maine Audubon conservation biologist, Sarah Haggerty, and Lance Farrar, town manager for Brownville, wrote this op-ed in today's Bangor Daily News about why it's both important and smart to increase funding for these "Stream Smart" road crossings in order to accelerate the replacement of high-risk crossings, protect public safety, reduce future disaster costs, protect wildlife, and strengthen Maine communities.

One billion birds die every year after colliding with glass windows, from windows on homes, to corporate headquarters, to college campuses. Across the nation, college campuses have found themselves on the cutting edge of bird safe architecture, so we've planned the 2026 Bird Safe Maine Campus Symposium to provide an opportunity to hear from experts, ask questions, and share information about work being done around the state. Are you a facilities professional on a college campus in Maine? Join representatives from colleges and universities all around the state to talk about the issues of bird / glass collisions.  Date: Thursday, March 5 Time: 9 am-3:30 pm Location: University of New England (UNE) North, 1075 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103 $50 (regular registration)/$25 (student registration) Full agenda and registration available here > https://lnkd.in/erwSZGvq

Look for more news this spring as this project enters the home stretch!

We're standing up for Maine's forests and joining other conservation groups to appeal approval of Central Maine Power’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project's Conservation Plan. Learn more here https://lnkd.in/ehp_-uZj

Maine universities are leading the charge in updating to bird-safe windows on their campuses. Here is a great read about bird-safe glass efforts at Bowdoin College, where studies like these help bring awareness to bird strikes and what can be done to prevent them. https://tr.ee/YlMmfx

The numbers are in! It was another great year for the Loon Count and for Common Loons. Every single number associated with the Annual Loon Count was higher in 2025 than it was in 2024—the number of adult loons, loon chicks, lakes counted, and volunteers—and scientists at Maine Audubon say it’s a great indication that the Common Loon population is healthy in Maine. Read the full results and details here >

We would not be able to do the work we do, on behalf of wildlife and wildlife habitat, without our dedicated volunteers!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it 🗣️! Our monthly newsletter for all things Maine Audubon is almost here. Get the latest Maine Audubon news, register for upcoming programs, and stay up to date on what's happening at all of our centers and sanctuaries. Sign up below! https://lnkd.in/eMt4mp2Z