Growing up, Maine was always a wilderness to me — a place blanketed by trees, populated by moose and a few hardy souls. Later, I learned that was not exactly true (after all, there are deer too). In all seriousness though, visiting the mountains and forests of Maine made me realize that this is where I wanted to be.

But things are changing.

Across the nation, we are losing our wild places, little chunks of ourselves bit by bit. As environmental devastation encroaches and the impacts of climate change continue to mount, the cost of inaction is steep. More and more species are threatened or going extinct. The Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest warming bodies of water in the world, which already is impacting the lobster fishery. These problems are happening to us, right now.

This is why we need to protect 30% of our lands and ocean by 2030. Protecting critical habitat protects the deer, moose, and smaller critters who call our forests home. Forests also lock away carbon, creating “carbon sinks”. This conservation plan is completely feasible in Maine and would protect the natural beauty that makes us, us.

So I ask you to raise your voices. Please encourage Sen. Susan Collins to support the “Thirty by Thirty Resolution to Save Nature.” Spread the word. Some things are too precious to let this moment slip by,

Here Maine has a chance to lead, if we take it.

 

Laura Sokoloski

Waterville