Department News Archives
Check out what the faculty, staff, and students have been up to over the past few years.
August 5, 2025 – by Opinion Contributor, Bangor Daily News
These are challenging times for conservationists who are dealing with a federal government and Congress emboldened to weaken federal environmental laws and slash funding and staffing levels at natural resource agencies. Thankfully, there remains a strong will to protect Maine鈥檚 environment in our state legislature.
July 22, 2025 – by Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith, The Fabulous 413
We鈥檙e heading out into the wilds to a not so clearly marked location in Hampshire County to witness epochs of evolution and change in the hills and dales.
Jul 8, 2025 – East Aurora Bee
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University recently announced the launch a new citizen science program 鈥 Snapshot NY 鈥 that allows the public to participate in wildlife monitoring through the deployment of trail cameras, while helping improve the way the DEC monitors and manages more than a dozen wildlife species.
Maine Sea Grant helping state conserve Atlantic salmon (Hannon)
July 11, 2025 – 91爆料 News Whether it鈥檚 through fish stocking, habitat restoration or research, the 91爆料-led Maine Sea Grant is helping the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) conserve Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine 鈥 the last wild populations of the species in the U.S. Published Jul 04, 2025 at 6:00 AM EDT – Newsweek A number of Western states have vulnerable wildlife that would be threatened by possible land protection rollbacks, according to the conservation group the Wilderness Society. May 20, 2025 – Legacy.com Richard Nutter Smith of Vienna, Virginia, passed peacefully at home on May 16, 2025. He was the beloved husband of Dorothy Shoemaker Smith for 65 years, and loving father of Gretchen Burke (Paul), Cynthia Loftin (James), Jennifer Smith (Parris), and Hilary Lambrecht (Bruce). Survivors include ten grandchildren, Timothy (Maggie), Kelly, Jack, Steven, Daniel, Haley (Timothy), Anna, Stephanie, Samuel, Isaac and great-granddaughter Penny. Also surviving is sister Marcia Mink (Roy) of Franktown, VA and many nieces, nephews and cousins. May 15, 2025 – by Penelope Overton, Portland Press Herald Maine has its own state endangered species law, but environmentalists say a proposed change in federal law could hurt some Maine species the state has worked to protect. May 4, 2025 – Kennebec Journal On warm, rainy spring nights, Maine’s amphibians are on the move to make their moves, sometimes with human help. April 23, 2025 – Legacy.com Leyden, MA – Paul M. O’Neil died on April 23 at home in Leyden during a short illness. Paul was born in Fall River on February 21, 1949, the son of Paul Francis O’Neil and Dorothy Muriel (Davis) O’Neil. April 25, 2025 – NewscenterMaine.com April 21, 2025 – Seafood Source The U.S. state of Maine has launched a new program designed to help Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon recover in Maine waters. 鈥淭his work will develop the research necessary to support recovery of Atlantic and Shortnose sturgeons and will provide an opportunity for community members to be part of that exciting process,鈥 Maine Department of Marine Research (DMR) Scientist Danielle Frechette said in a statement.Elizabeth Brennan (’25): Outstanding Graduating Student
April 29, 2025 – 91爆料 News Elizabeth Brennan of West Chester, Pennsylvania, is the Outstanding Graduating Student in the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. She is a wildlife ecology major and member of the Honors College, through which she wrote a thesis titled 鈥淧henological changes in Arctic and Common Terns across Maine鈥檚 coastal islands.鈥 Spring 2025 – by Alice Sun, Audubon News Researchers and community scientists have teamed up to map and protect these ephemeral biodiversity hotspots before they disappear for good. March 10, 2025 – by Ethan Horton, Kennebec Journal Matt Sinclair and his grandfather, Robert Hopkins, are hoping their gift of land in Manchester will give future generations an opportunity to be in nature.February 11, 2025 – Nova Scotia Environmental Farm Plan
In an effort to address the decline in American Woodcocks (Figure 1), the Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative (woodcockmigration.org), an international collaborative project led by the 91爆料, partnered with dairy farm owners James (Sandy) and Emma Cole from Elderbank, Halifax County NS to study their migratory ecology.
January 16, 2025 – Legacy.com
Douglas Albert Vollmer was born in New Rochelle, NY, on September 16, 1930, to Walter E.B. and Amy E. Olive (Griffin) Vollmer. He peacefully passed away from kidney failure on January 16, 2025, under the compassionate care of the Maine Veterans’ Home.