NRCM Insider

Man Trapped in Polar Bear Costume

To raise awareness about global warming and to help raise funds to address it, one Natural Resources Council of Maine staffer has vowed to stay in a polar bear costume until NRCM reaches its pledge goals:

Help us get him out of that costume! Please support our work for clean energy and efficiency by participating in NRCM's Polar Dip and Dash or by making a pledge today. http://www.nrcm.org/dipdash.asp

Sea lamprey migration in the Sheepscot River, Maine

NRCM's Allison Wells and her young son happened upon the sea lamprey migration in the Sheepscot River, Coopers Mills, Maine, and captured this video. The sea lamprey is a native, parasitic fish that has a strange, disc-like mouth that it uses for feeding on the flesh of other fish. It also uses it to grasp onto rocks as it migrates up rivers from the ocean to spawn. Learn more about the fascinating sea lamprey at NRCM's Creature Feature at NRCM's Creature Feature.   (Produced by Allison Wells)

Alewives vs. Culvert Bremen, Maine

Poorly sited and under-sized culverts cause problems for fish and other aquatic creatures all around the state of Maine. Culverts are common in Maine and are used to channel streams under roads at thousands of places throughout the state where roads cross streams. As many as 90% of these prevent fish from moving upstream, something they need to do in order to escape predators, find mates and food, and escape water that is too hot. In 2009, the Natural Resources Council of Maine urged the Maine Legislature to address this problem. Ultimately, a bill was passed that will prevent these types of problems from occurring when new culverts are built for new roads.  However, replacement culverts on existing roads are a much bigger problem than new culverts, and the Legislature decided not to act on those until next year. This video captures the heroics efforts of David Wilkins from Bremen to save alewives in a stream that has, for decades, been blocked by a badly sited culvert.

500+ Maine Businesses Call for Federal Climate Action

Business leaders gathered at the State House to release a letter written to Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, urging strong and effective action to help address the threat of climate change. The letter was signed by more than 500 Maine businesses, including Hannaford Bros. Co., Lee Auto Malls, Oakhurst Dairy, Reed & Reed, Mattson Development, the Harraseeket Inn, and hundreds more from throughout Maine. Learn more.