As a new year dawns, our thoughts inevitably turn to the year ahead. What will it bring? Where will we put our energy, focus, and resources? What will we accomplish?
At Maine Audubon, we’re thinking in particular about our personal goals as they relate to conservation, and to Maine’s wildlife and habitat. Below we’ve compiled some “Nature New Years Resolutions” from our staff and friends.
What’s your Nature New Years Resolution? Add it in the comments!
I want to learn to identify 12 more birds by sound in 2019! That’s one per month. I also want to become a stronger advocate for the environment by contacting my state representatives regularly.
-Laurie Gilman, Events & Visitor Experience Manager
My resolution is to explore Maine. I was born and raised here, but have been living away since 2010. I need to get reacquainted now that I’m back. I want to spend more time in the far Down East, and in Aroostook County. I want to climb in Camden Hills State Park, and swim in Range Pond State Park. I want to kayak on the Kennebec, the St. John, and the Piscataqua. I want to do things I don’t even know about!
-Nick Lund, Network and Outreach Manager
I have a resolution of finding a winter hobby like snowshoeing, or cross country skiing at Pineland or Smiling Hill. I also have the resolution to organize my finances/spending better in 2019!
-Katie Shorey, People’s United Bank, Maine Audubon Corporate Partner
I resolve to be more committed to my citizen science efforts at home in 2019. I’ll finish mapping my yard on YardMap, do a better job logging our bird sightings on eBird, and contribute to Signs of the Seasons by recording when my lilacs bud this spring.
-Eric Topper, Director of Education
My resolution is to learn to fly fish! Which means I’ll have to explore a lot of Maine that I haven’t seen yet, especially while hip-deep in water. And I’ll need to find a ecological but effective insect-repellent as well…
-Sarah Haggerty, Conservation Biologist & GIS Manager
Being new to Maine, I want to hike and explore as many state parks and preserves as possible (post-black fly season). I want to be involved with community science projects, too, like Piping Plover monitoring and the Annual Loon Count. Finally, I want to eat more local food; by supporting local farms and local produce I am also, indirectly, supporting habitat for birds like Kestrels, Bobolinks, and other grassland species which are losing habitat and turning to farmlands to nest.
-Jan Weyant, Retail & Rentals Manager
In 2019, I’m determined to hone my severely limited powers of patient outdoor observation. Every Friday morning, I’m going to sit quietly in the woods for at least 20 minutes, and then record what I see in our copy of The Naturalist’s Notebook.
-Jeremy Cluchey, Director of Communications
I am resolved to purchase and use more user-friendly bird identification books. Mine are embarrassingly outdated (Reader’s Digest from 1983?!) and not very easy to navigate.
-Eliza Donoghue, Senior Policy & Advocacy Specialist
My resolution is to continue reducing my carbon footprint by driving less and continuing my household conversion to using less fossil fuels. Also, I resolve to work on improving my native plant identification skills.
-Stanley Sampson, Environmental Educator
My 2019 resolution is to learn more about our native bee species and try putting up a mason bee house in my yard — and planting more native plants, of course!
-Molly Woodring, Early Childhood Education Program Manager
