In the public eye: RSU 14’s Katahdin Program administrator essential to student success

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Rich Meserve considers himself fortunate to work with a team of talented colleagues that help students find their way in school after having struggled in other settings.

Rich Meserve has led RSU 14's 
Katahdin Program as its Head of
School since 2016 and will be 
entering his 15th year this fall
of working for the school district.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

As the Head of School of the Katahdin Program, RSU 14’s alternative high school program, Meserve says that seeing students embrace the opportunities and challenges that they are presented with at Katahdin is inspiring.

“In one way, shape or form, I am almost always thinking about the students I work with and how I can best support them,” Meserve said.

His duties as school administrator include supervising and evaluating all professional and support staff, helping to plan, organize and directly implement all school activities, assisting in the development, revision, and evaluation of the curriculum, and establishing and maintaining an effective learning climate in the school. He also prepares the Katahdin program’s budget, monitors expenditures, and coordinates school transportation and logistics.

The upcoming 2025-2026 school year will be Meserve’s 15th year working for RSU 14.

“I first started with RSU 14 in 2004 working as a teacher at the REAL School for a number of years,” Meserve said. “I then served as the assistant principal for REAL School until becoming the Katahdin Head of School in 2016. I served in that capacity for almost three years and then left to take a position as Director of School and Student Supports at the Maine Department of Education. I then returned for a year at Windham Middle School assisting with starting their Altitude Program and I am now back in my role as Head of School at Katahdin.

According to Meserve, the most challenging aspect of his job is breaking down the stigma of what an alternative program is.

“The Katahdin Program has the same graduation requirements as Windham High School, but we are small enough that we can tailor school to be a bit more individualized as well as having the flexibility in our schedule to incorporate experiential learning into the mix,” he said.

He was born in Augusta and graduated from Falmouth High School and has lived all his life in Maine except while attending college and eight years that he spent in the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts. 

“I moved back to Maine over the summer of 2004 and had three jobs offered to me, from three different districts, on the same day,” Meserve said. “Weighing all three offers, I felt the most comfortable with the position at RSU 14. This initially had to do with the three people at my interview, Pender Makin, Lillie Hanlon and Rod Nadeau, and the way they painted a picture of what working with them would be like. Since that time, I have been incredibly impressed by the leadership of the district from the members of the superintendent’s team to the school board.”

Education is a second career for Meserve.

“I first got involved working with students as a part-time tutor in Massachusetts in my early 30s. Shortly after that I went back to school at UMass Amherst and became an Ed Tech for two years and then a classroom teacher,” he said. “I have been a regular ed as well as a special education teacher/case manager. I have served as Assistant Principal, and Head of School, as well as in a director position at the Department of Education. I have volunteered for a number of education-related boards and committees and have been a member of the Teacher of the Year State Review Team for the last 11 years.”

His most memorable moments in his career with RSU 14 involve connecting with students a few years after they have graduated.

“They are so thankful for the opportunity that the Katahdin Program provided them to not only earn their high school diploma but also the many other skills and experiences they were afforded by being part of the program,” he said.

Meserve says the most important thing he has learned while working for RSU 14 is simple.

“Every human being has potential and supporting all students is paramount to giving everyone the best opportunity to live a happy and successful life,” he said. <

Raymond to apply for community resilience grant

By Dina Mendros

Raymond will apply for a grant later this summer to help the town prepare for climate change. The Raymond Select Board held a workshop on Tuesday where residents and Select Board members discussed priorities of how the grant, if approved, could be best put to use.

The Town of Raymond intends to apply for a
grant through the Community Resilience
Partnership that supports projects to reduce
energy use and make communities more
resilient to climate change. FILE PHOTO  

During the workshop, led by Lucy Perkins of Siler Climate Consulting, community members were invited to share their thoughts about how the town could use grant funding to make the town more resilient in planning for climate change. Funds can be used to support projects that reduce energy use and costs and make communities more resilient to climate change effects, such as flooding, extreme weather, drought, and public health impacts.

The town of Raymond has contracted with Siler Climate Consulting, together with North Star Planning, for assistance in enrolling in the Community Resilience Partnership, a program under the Maine Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, and applying for a Community Action Grant that would range between $50,000 and $75,000. The grants are funded through a mix of federal and state sources.

The Community Resilience Partnership “helps towns plan for and fund projects that improve energy efficiency and local resilience,” according to Ben Smith, the founder of North Star Planning. The program, he said, “provides technical assistance and grant funding for community priorities and those could be town facilities, emergency preparedness, open space and trails, broadband access and a number of different kinds of projects related to resiliency, economy, public health and infrastructure.”

In the most recent grant awards that took place during the spring, some of the projects which received funding included modernizing municipal facilities through energy efficiency upgrades in Acton, conducting a municipal energy assessment in Alfred and a resilient outreach and education plan in Bath.

According to Perkins, so far 263 Maine municipalities have enrolled in the program, which encompasses about two-thirds of the state’s population; and a large percent of those communities have received funding.

There’s no guarantee Raymond will receive a grant, Smith said. However, he said, “priority is given to communities who haven’t received grant funding yet.”

The town learned about the grant opportunity, according to Town Manager Joseph Crocker, when “two members of the Comprehensive Plan Committee brought this to our attention in partnership with North Star Planning.”

In addition to Tuesday’s workshop and completing self-assessment forms, to enroll in the program, Crocker said, “the Select Board will need to pass a municipal resolution (written by the state) agreeing to join the partnership. … Raymond should complete enrollment by July to apply for a grant in August/September.”

During Tuesday’s workshop, several residents as well as Select Board members, named some of the priorities they thought the grant could go toward.

Select Board member Kaela Gonzalez said some of the priorities for the town that she would like to see the town address include weatherization and solar energy for town buildings, more community gardens, to incentivize energy efficiencies for new building and placing more EV chargers around town.

Shelter and disaster preparedness were mentioned by Age Friendly Raymond Coordinator Debby Tarr.

Increasing conservation and open space were noted by Loon Echo Land Trust Executive Director Matt Markot, as well as ensuring that use ordinances were aligned with community goals of where development should take place.

School Board member Grace Leavitt emphasized that communication and education were also important.

The benefits of enrolling in the Community Resilience Partnership, Smith said, are twofold. “The biggest payoff will be a successful grant award,” he said. “The other reason I think is that it starts some community conversations about resilience broadly (and) … how does Raymond balance community needs around facilities and infrastructure with open space and rural character and making improvements around housing and transportation.” <

Rogers Scholarship Dinner honors legacy of veteran who loved Windham community

By Ed Pierce

Everyone who met Don Rogers was impressed with his love for the community, his sense of humor and his dedication to helping others. It was what people admired about him and why more than five years after his death, Rogers is still fondly remembered in Windham.

World War II veteran Don Rogers of
Windham died in 2020 but before his
passing, the American Legion Post
148 chose to honor him by renaming
its annual student scholarship
program or him and it funds two
scholarships for local students 
through a special dinner every July.
This year's dinner will be at 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 19 at the Windham
Veterans Center. FILE PHOTO   

A graduate of Windham High School in the Class of 1944, Rogers was 94 when he passed away in May 2020, but he left behind a legacy that continues to benefit area students to this very day.

Rogers was born Sept. 21, 1925, and lived most of his life in Windham Center. He served in the Army Air Corps and trained to be a fighter pilot before World War II ended in August 1945. He returned to Windham and worked for his father, M. L. Rogers, as a construction equipment operator in town. In 1954, he married Norma Kimball, and they raised two sons, Donald Scott Rogers, and Dale K. Rogers, in Windham.

Friends and family say that Rogers loved sports and athletics, and played baseball, basketball, track, swimming, and horseshoes. Through the years, he formed a local basketball team and supplied uniforms for the players. He also coached Little League baseball for Windham children for many years.

Being active in the community was something Rogers embraced. He belonged to the Presumpscot Lodge #70 of Masons Scottish Rite, the WHS Alumni Association and the Windham Historical Society. Rogers joined American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in 1947 and served as Post Commander on four different occasions including 1965-66, 1968-69, 1972-77, and 1979-80.

“His father Maurice was one of the original Post 148 founders in 1938, and his brother, Wayne, was also a member,” said Legion Post 148 Adjutant David Tanguay. “Don believed in our youth. As the Post Commander, he presented students each year with the Legion School Leadership Award. I was a recipient in 1965 and continue to cherish that award.”

In 2019, Legion members chose to honor Rogers by renaming their annual student scholarship program for him and funds the scholarships through a special dinner held at the Windham Veterans Center every year in July.

“The scholarship is now coupled with the Legion award from a fundraiser and dinner, and I think he would be humbled by the honor that it is named after him.” Tanguay said. “Don could light up a room with his stories and one-liners. Don was a prankster and loved a good laugh.”

This year’s annual Don Rogers Scholarship Dinner will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 19 with all proceeds from the meal to be used to help local graduating students, one male and one female, to pursue their dreams of higher education.
The popular dinner has become a favorite mid-summer tradition for many families in Windham, and organizers are hoping to raise at least $1,400 through this fundraiser for the scholarships. The meal is an old-fashioned bean supper.

A requested donation of $15 is asked and there will also be a 50/50 drawing and an American Legion Auxiliary homemade pie auction to benefit the scholarship program. Children under 12 will be admitted for free and additional donations for the scholarships will be welcomed.

This year’s American Legion Leadership Award/Commander Don Rogers Scholarships were presented to 2025 Windham High School graduates Ethan Fletcher and Addison Profenno. Fletcher will attend Northeastern University at the Boston Campus to study Mechanical Engineering this fall, while Profenno will attend Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts to study nursing.

For those who wish to donate to the Don Rogers Scholarship program but will not be able to attend the dinner, contributions can be sent to the Don Rogers Scholarship at: Post 148-Scholarship, PO Box 1776, Windham, Maine 04062. <

Author to discuss new book about writing in Windham

By Ed Pierce

As a writer, teacher, and creative encourager dedicated to helping people reclaim their stories and their voice, Anna Brooke believes everyone has a story worth telling and that writing it down can be a profound act of healing, clarity, and connection. It’s the basis of a new book “WRITE! Revealing the Writer Within” she co-wrote and will be discussing in Windham during an upcoming event.

Author Anna Brooke will appear
at Sherman's Maine Coast Book
Shop in Windham from 1 to 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 20 to promote her
latest book called '“WRITE!
Revealing the Writer Within.'
PHOTO BY ROBERT WHITE

 

Brooke will be at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop in Windham from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 20 to meet the public and answer questions about her new book.

She said that “WRITE! Revealing the Writer Within” is a warm, encouraging guide for anyone ready to bring their story to life.

“Whether you’ve been journaling for years or are just beginning to explore the idea of writing, WRITE is a friendly companion for the journey,” Brooke said. “It’s designed to demystify the writing process, the book offers a blend of inspiration and down-to-earth strategies that help you get your words onto the page – your way, in your voice.

According to Brooke, she co-wrote the book to remind people that their stories matter.

“This book is here to hold your hand and give you practical ways to start, continue, and finish your writing, whether it’s a journal entry, a memoir, or something else entirely,” she said.

Born and raised in New York City, Brooke attended Boston University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and then obtained a master’s degree at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London in Post-War Contemporary Art. She’s worked in the healing arts for the last 24 years as a counselor, body worker, and energy worker.

“I have also been a performer for the last 18 years and regularly host and perform in cabaret and variety shows,” she said. “Last but not least, I am also a full-time wedding officiant and use all of my writing skills in crafting custom ceremonies for couples from here and away.”

But Brooke has always loved stories and storytelling and writing was a natural progression for her.

“I was very fortunate to be raised in a house full of books with two parents who loved to read, and they still do,” she said. “I have always kept a journal and when I was younger, I would write short stories and turn them into handmade books. I guess I always wanted to share my work with the world. I have a very busy mind that is often disorganized, but writing helps me slow down and organize my thoughts. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to appreciate how storytelling transports readers to another time and space along with its power and potency for both imagination and inspiration.”

Her first book was called “Stripped Down: How Burlesque Led Me Home” which she is revising with the intention of reissuing it in 2026. She’s also contributed to a couple of anthologies “Awakened Leaders: Empowering Stories of Self-Healing, Triumph, and Transformation” and “Sex on Stage: Performing the Body Politic.”

The idea for her latest book came from when she started co-teaching writing classes with a fellow author, Vindy Teja, in 2021.

“We had both published our first books with the same publishing house which is how we met,” Brooke said. “She is a Punjabi Canadian and despite our different cultural backgrounds, we connected over the importance of not just telling stories but preserving them within our families and communities. This book is a product of our collaboration and the shared ethos of helping people get their stories out of their heads and down onto paper. As we like to say, we’re not going to tell you how to write, but we are going to tell you to write no matter what.”

She says in total, it took them about 18 months to write the new book.

“Co-writing was a new experience for me, so we would get together every other Friday for three hours to just work on the book together,” Brooke said. “We would write on our own and keep each other updated for feedback, edits, or additions. It was a pretty seamless process once we found our groove. We also made sure that we didn't rush anything.”

She likes to write when the mood strikes her, but if she’s working on a deadline or a piece that is time-sensitive, she’ll schedule daily writing time into her calendar.

“When I wrote my first book, I discovered that setting aside an hour was too much time for me,” Brooke said. “In retrospect, I was feeling overwhelmed. I landed on scheduling only 15 minutes per day. That way, if the muse was speaking, I could fill that 15-minute window and let it flow until the inspiration dried up. If, however, the muse was not speaking, 15 minutes of proverbially squeezing blood from a stone felt a lot easier than 30 or 60 minutes.”

Those attending Brooke’s appearance at Sherman’s in Windham are encouraged to bring their questions about writing, creativity, and self-expression. She will also have copies of “WRITE! Revealing the Writer Within” available for purchase on site. <

Beech leaf disease spreads into Lakes Region

By Kendra Raymond

Residents and visitors to the area may have noticed something strange is going on with the local beech tree population. Where lush, deep green serrated leaves should be present, Lakes Region residents are noticing stunted, shriveled, or even missing leaves throughout the local beech tree population.

A healthy doe is shown on the Raymond Cape, whose primary
food source includes beech nuts. Also shown is a beech branch
at a Raymond home exhibiting classic symptoms of what's
known as Beech Leaf Disease.
PHOTO COLLAGE BY NEILY RAYMOND

With the disease being spotted widespread throughout the state, property owners are becoming concerned.

The Maine Forest Service has published the following update about Beech leaf disease (BLD). “A disease that has been leading to decline and mortality of beech trees from Ohio to Southern New England is now impacting Maine’s forests. Beech leaf disease (BLD) was confirmed in Lincolnville, ME (Waldo County) in May 2021 by forest pathologists from the Maine Forest Service and US Forest Service.

The BLD-infested trees were brought to the attention of the Maine Forest Service by the forest owners. Reports from the public continue to play a critical role in understanding the distribution of the disease. BLD is widespread and severe throughout many areas of Maine and is now found at various levels of severity in 15 of Maine’s 16 counties.

This distribution does not include every town in each county, so efforts continue to track and document disease distribution through survey and reports from the public. In cooperation with the US Forest Service, nine long-term monitoring plots have been established to learn more about disease development and impacts at the individual tree and stand levels in Maine’s forests.”

With all this concern, property owners are wondering what can be done to slow or stop the spread. Then Maine Forest Service fact sheet offers a few FAQs:

• BLD can kill American beech, European beech, and many other beech cultivars of various origins;

• BLD symptoms are associated with the presence of a non-native foliar nematode (microscopic roundworm), Litylenchus crenatae mccannii;

• Disease symptoms tend to begin in smaller beech trees in the understory, however larger trees are also vulnerable to attack and decline;

• BLD may weaken beech trees over time, making them more vulnerable to secondary pests.

Symptoms include:

• Dark bands between the veins of leaves;

• Leaves are cupped, deformed, shriveled and may be smaller than usual;

• Leaves can be thick and have a leathery texture, unlike the papery texture of healthy leaves;

• Premature leaf drop;

• Aborted buds leading to sparse leaf cover;

• Thinning canopy.

Property owners are left with many questions and a feeling of helplessness with the situation. As with many diseases, BLD will eventually run it’s course. In the mean time, small efforts can make a difference.

While there is no cure for BLD, homeowners can help control symptoms by pruning or removing diseased trees. The refuse should be kept on site, to avoid infecting other areas. It is suggested that infected plant material is burned or composted. Make sure to obtain a burn permit. Other options include chipping and firewood, which should all be used on site.

Smaller infected trees will likely not survive BLD. Mature trees will likely also not survive but will last for a longer duration. While BLD may not directly kill older trees, they can be weakened and susceptible to secondary diseases and pests.

Pamela Hargest is a Horticulture Professional with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County.

“I recommend getting in touch with the Maine Forest Service as they are our go-to experts for tree diseases and pests that are impacting our forests,” she said. “They also have a lot of helpful information on their website about Beech Leaf Disease.”

Forest Pathologist Aaron Bergdahl is with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, & Forestry Maine Forest Service, Forest Health & Monitoring. He says that the disease is pretty serious.

“Well, it’s certainly gaining genetic resistance. The outlook is not great for beech,” he said. Bergdahl said that the prognosis for smaller trees is 3-5 years and 5-7 for larger trees, with 10 years being the maximum survival time. Many trees may have pre-existing issues which can tip the scales toward decline. The concerning asked is that there are a lot of beech trees in our native forests. It will become more apparent we start to see decline.”

Aside from the impact on Maine’s visual landscape, the potential catastrophic loss of the beech tree population could affect mammals in the forests. Beech nuts are well-known for serving as a food source for deer and are also consumed by bears. Additionally, the trees can serve as valuable shelter in the woods for various mammals.

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife staff members are monitoring the situation and planning accordingly.

At the Region A headquarters in Gray, biologists are not overly concerned at this tenure and Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist Joshua Matijas is cautiously optimistic.

“It is a shame that we have yet another disease negatively affecting our native Beech trees. Unfortunately, Beech leaf disease (BLD) seems to be spreading fairly rapidly and at varying levels of severity,” he said. “Beech nuts are one of many food sources for deer when they are available, but they are produced on a very cyclic and sometimes irregular basis. Depending on a variety of factors a mature and healthy Beech tree might produce nuts every two to six years.”

Matijas reassured residents that the deer will likely come out unscathed. “Deer are browsers meaning they feed on a variety of leaves, buds, grasses, twigs, shrubs, as well as soft and hard mast. Beech nuts by themselves are not sustaining our deer population by any means and with the many other options available on the landscape I do not foresee impacts to our deer population,” said Matijas.

The Maine Forest Service website has provided the following information sheet: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/beech_leaf_disease.htm

Homeowners can also take advantage of the Disease identification/management resource at: https://extension.umaine.edu/ipm/plant-disease/digital-diagnostic-submission-form/

The Maine Forest Service can be reached at: foresthealth@maine.gov or by phone at 207-287-2431. <

Town of Windham considers creating Forbes Lane pocket park

By Ed Pierce

During the Windham Town council meeting on June 12, councilors voted unanimously to explore the possibility of creating a pocket park for the Forbes Lane and Misty Drive neighborhood off Varney Mill Road.

A vacant lot on Forbes Lane off
Varney Mill Road in Windham 
could eventually become a new
pocket park for Forbes Lane and
Misty Drive residents.
PHOTYO BY ED PIERCE    

In April, Cumberland County Commissioners awarded $40,000 in Community Development Block Grant Funds to Windham for the purpose of eventually constructing a park in the Forbes Lane neighborhood based upon an application received from the town.

The funding is subject to an environmental review by Cumberland County to ensure compliance with the State Historic Preservation Office, local Historic Preservation Ordinances and other environmental regulations.

Community Development Block Grants supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. Activities may address needs such as infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities installation, community centers, housing rehabilitation, public services, clearance/acquisition, microenterprise assistance, code enforcement, and homeowner assistance.

Windham used CDBG Block Grant funding in 2020 for assistance in expanding a parking lot at 35 Main St. in South Windham to encourage economic development and recreational purposes. Through CDBG funding, Cumberland County contributed $205,295 to the project for surfaces and materials.

The site for the proposed pocket park in the Forbes Lane neighborhood is a vacant lot between adjoining neighborhoods. A pocket park is defined as a small park accessible to residents and the public which can be used for recreational purposes including picnic tables, benches, flower beds and greenery.

Councilors voted to establish a committee to research and explore the development of a pocket park in the Forbes Lane community area.

Jarrod Maxfield, Windham Town Council chair, said that committee members will recommend to the council a concept plan establishing connectivity with trails suitable for walking and biking to serve area residents and the public as well as an optional picnic pavilion, benches and recreational amenities suitably sized for the 1.33-acre land parcel.

Committee membership will be made up of up to four individuals who reside on Forbes Lane or Misty Drive, two town staff members and a Windham Town Councilor.

In voting to establish the committee, councilors mandated that town staff members would serve in an advisory capacity and not be voting members of the committee. The council also appointed Councilor Mark Morrison as the council’s representative to the Forbes Lane Misty Drive ad hoc park committee.

Members of the committee at the direction of the Council will research and explore property information to facilitate desired park amenities interconnectivity, access, and parking accommodations.

Anticipating this committee work taking up to two years, the group will make recommendations for a design concept and plan for the Forbes Lane Community Park and eventually present a concept plan for the park to the Windham Town Council. The effort satisfies a requirement by the federal government to replace recreational land which was reclaimed when RSU 14 upgraded the high school campus years ago.

If the council approves a design concept and before the park could be built, a series of public hearings to solicit public input would be held and it will also require approval from the Windham Planning Board. When and if the park is constructed, it will be overseen by the Windham Parks & Recreation Department, a town agency whose mission is to develop, operate, and maintain a park and recreation system that enriches the quality of life for residents and visitors, fosters a sense of community, and preserves and protects community open spaces. Windham’s Parks and Recreation Department currently maintains nearly 500 acres of parks and preserves for Windham residents.

The council is asking that any residents of the Forbes Lane or Misty Drive neighborhoods who are interested in serving on the ad hoc park committee to call the Windham Town Manager’s Office at 207-894-5900 and leave their name and contact information. <

Volunteers still needed for Sebago Lake loon count

By Ed Pierce

Maine Audubon is still seeking volunteers to assist with the 42nd Annual Loon Count to be conducted on Sebago Lake later this month.

Maine Audubon is seeking volunteers to assist with the 42nd
Annual Loon Count to be conducted 9n Sebago Lake 
early in the morning of Saturday, July 19. The annual
event is part of a statewide initiative to count loons and 
chicks and track the population changes.
COURTESY PHOTO  

The Sebago Lake count is part of a statewide initiative to count Maine loons and chicks and track the population changes and trends in the population. Information collected during the count helps Maine Audubon to assess the impacts of conservation efforts and to address any significant changes in the population and offer better management solutions in future years.

On Saturday, July 19, a contingent of volunteers will gather at Sebago Lake early in the morning for the count.

“The data volunteers collect is used to track population trends over time,” says Maine Audubon Director of Conservation Sally Stockwell. “We expect some fluctuations year to year, but the numbers indicate a healthy loon population, with a slowly increasing adult population and relatively stable chick numbers.” Maine has the largest population of loons in the eastern United States, which makes the breeding success of loons here critical to the regional population at large.

For years, counting Sebago Lake’s 100-plus miles of shorefront on nearly one trillion gallons of fresh water and at 49 different survey areas presented a significant challenge to Maine Audubon. And despite the efforts of many volunteers, the entire lake was never fully counted.

In 2022, volunteer counters were recruited from each of the seven municipalities that border Sebago Lake and other volunteers signed up as well who wanted to be part of the count. What resulted was the first-ever full Sebago Lake count thanks to more than 50 volunteers who participated and covered more than 30,000 acres of water.

Statewide in 2024, Maine Audubon drew its greatest amount of volunteer participants for the annual event and counted 1,624 loons on 407 lakes. Because of this, Maine Audubon estimated a Common Loon population in Maine of 3,146 adults, south of the 45th parallel. However, the organization says not enough lakes were surveyed north of the 45th parallel to estimate the loon population for the entire state.

Therefore, to expand its reach and involve more volunteers in the count, Maine Audubon will conduct Extended Duration Surveys this summer. This pilot program will count loon populations on remote lakes not surveyed in previous years from July 19 to July 26 while scouting, accessing, and conducting a one-hour survey of their assigned lakes

Most loons nest within one foot of the water’s edge, so they are especially vulnerable to washout from large waves. All motorboats on Maine lakes are required to travel at no-wake speeds when they are within 200 feet of shore or islands. Boats that facilitate wake surfing create even larger waves and can impact loon nests even when operating as far as 500-600 feet offshore. In 2024, a new state law was implemented to address wakesurfing activity and requires individuals “from operating a motorboat in less than 15 feet of water or within 300 feet of the shoreline when the motorboat is engaged in a wakesurfing activity.”

The Common Loon faces all kinds of threats including from boat strikes, nest flooding, lead tackle, eagle predators and despite that with the help of an ever-growing volunteer base, the population remains robust.

“There are so many people looking out for loons,” says Loon Count Data Coordinator Ethan Daly. “Loons are something Mainers can appreciate and unite behind. More people are educating their neighbors, more people are involved in our loon restoration program, more people are getting rid of lead tackle, and more people are considering how shoreline management can impact freshwater ecosystems.”

For more information about the annual count or the Maine Loon Project, or to volunteer as a counter on Sebago Lake, contact SebagoLakeLoonCount@gmail.com or visit maineaudubon.org/loons. <