Forest Society of Maine

06/16/2026

FSM would like to introduce you to our newest Forestland Steward, Rue Teel!

Rue got her BS in Wildlife & Conservation Biology with a minor in Forestry from UNH in 2019, and her MS in Natural Resources in 2025. She brings with her a background of stewardship and work for land trusts in southern New Hampshire, along with experience as a research scientist. Outside of work she loves to hike, swim, kayak, snowshoe, ski, read, and knit.

FSM is grateful to have her on board, stewarding the lands we help to conserve. Welcome, Rue!

06/12/2026

06/08/2026

Did you know you can donate to FSM with your Clynk balance? Hannaford's bottle return service, Clynk, partners with nonprofits using Clynk to Give, and FSM is now accepting donations through the program.

If you're interested in using your returnables to support a cause, you can:

🌳Log into your Clynk account
🌳From the "Donations" tab, search for Forest Society of Maine.
🌳Donations can be kept anonymous if desired

Help contribute to a sustainable Maine future by recycling with Clynk and helping FSM continue our work to conserve Maine's forestlands. Thank you so much for supporting us!

06/05/2026

Today is World Environment Day!

Here in Maine, the forests are a key part of fighting climate change. Forests cover nearly 90% of our state, more than any other.

Maine’s forests capture and store carbon, they are home to more than 20,000 species of wildlife, and they directly employ nearly 23,000 and many more indirectly who help make some of the wood products we use in our daily lives, like toilet paper, lumber, and pencils. Forests provide us with recreation opportunities like hiking, mountain biking, hunting, birding, and many others that create lasting memories.

Conserving these forests promotes biodiversity, supports local economies, and ensures our forests can continue to do this vital work for generations to come.

On World Environment Day, you can help:
🌲Support land conservation here in Maine
🌲 Get outside and experience a conserved forest (you can find a list of FSM conserved lands on our website)
🌲 Share why Maine’s woods matter to you

While they are just one part of the world’s environment, we invite you to celebrate forests with us today, so we keep them as forests for tomorrow.

📷 Attean Lake

05/28/2026

In 2009, the Stetson Mountain Fund was established at FSM with funding from First Wind. This fund provides grants to local groups and communities seeking to maintain and enhance access to recreational opportunities in the Baskahegan Stream watershed, which arises from the slopes of Stetson Mountain in Washington County. In April, FSM celebrated 15 years of awarding grants, with a special event for past recipients and community members that included a morning tour of Baskahegan Landing, a walk at Harlow Trail, and a luncheon.

FSM is grateful for the opportunity to work with these local groups and fund projects that encourage recreation in the Baskahegan Stream watershed. This year, the Stetson Mountain Fund will support the following projects:

🌲 Woodie Wheaton Land Trust: Baskahegan Watershed Trail stewardship, including trail maintenance on the Cold Spring trail and East Grand Highlands trail

🌲 North Maine Woods: Support for grounds maintenance including mowing, trimming and trash removal of the parking and overflow area of the Baskahegan Landing

🌲Citizens Organization for Rural Education (CORE): Cold Spring Hill Hiking Trails Completion.

🌲Citizens Organization for Rural Education (CORE): The Baskahegan River Water Trails completion and remote campsite restoration

05/22/2026

Pollinators are referred to as a keystone species - a species that has a disproportionately large beneficial impact on an ecosystem. Typically, when we hear the word "pollinator," we think of bees. However, there are thousands of species of non-bee pollinators, from other insects to small mammals.

In FSM's spring newsletter, Francis Drummond, Professor Emeritus of Insect Ecology and Insect Pest Management, and Blueberry Extension Pollination Specialist at the University of Maine, wrote an article featuring these non-bee pollinators in Maine.

🔗 Want to read more? Find the article here: https://www.fsmaine.org/pollinators-beyond-the-bee/

📷 Ruby-throated hummingbird nectaring on bee balm. Photo credit: Mohan Nannapaneni.

05/19/2026

FSM would like to welcome our 2026 Swan Intern, Kaela Redman!

Kaela is a Master of Forest Conservation candidate at the University of Toronto and a recent Honours Bachelor of Arts graduate specializing in Forest Conservation and Environmental Studies. Her graduate work has focused on sustainable forest management, environmental policy and species at risk, oak wilt, and woodland caribou conservation. She is passionate about regeneration dynamics, forest pests and invasive species, environmental law, and community-centered conservation efforts.

Outside of her academic and professional work, Kaela enjoys exploring local trails and spotting new insects during hikes, sharing her passion for trees with her friends and family, and spending time out at camp. She is excited to work with FSM, explore hands-on experience with conservation easements, and spend time in the field!

The Swan Internship Program has been made possible by a generous bequest from long-time donors Hank and Freda Swan. To learn more about the program, visit www.fsmaine.org/swan-internship

05/15/2026

A sign of spring! Vernal pools are defined as “seasonal, semi-permanent or permanent bodies of water that are essential breeding habitat for certain amphibians and invertebrates and do not support fish” (Hunter, Calhoun, & McCollough, 1999). Vernal pools generally hold water for several months in the spring and early summer and are often dry by fall. They are essential habitats because several of Maine’s amphibian species breed in them almost exclusively, including the wood frog, spotted salamander, and blue-spotted salamander. Fairy shrimp are also considered an indicator species as they breed only in these vernal pools.

Forest managers and land stewards have the vital role of being the first in line to protect these sensitive habitats, which can be easily overlooked in other seasons. Maintaining canopy cover and shade is an important component of the habitat structure of vernal pools.

📷Craig Troeger, Vernal pool on FSM easement lands in Van Buren

05/10/2026

Today we celebrate the mothers whose care sustains life in our communities and across Maine’s forests, waters, and fields. Thank you to all the moms!

📷 Fox family by Pamela Wells

05/07/2026

It's Drinking Water Week! In our recent mailed spring Newsletter, we featured an article on headwaters - where the water comes from - and FSM's headwater conservation projects. Here's an excerpt:

"Headwaters have many roles. They are natural filters of sediment and contaminants; they collect and disperse nutrients that feed organisms downstream. They absorb rainfall, slow runoff, and reduce flood risk. Headwater ponds and wetlands store water, helping to maintain river flow during times of low water and drought. [...] FSM’s work is uniquely suited to headwater conservation for Maine’s largest and most famous rivers, because the origins of these rivers are deep in Maine’s North Woods."

Want to read more? Email us at [email protected] to make sure you get a mailed copy of our newsletter.

📷 Photo taken at Moosehead region conservation easement, a vast easement that conserves headwaters for both the Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers