Service to open new Office and Visitor Center in Kennebunk, ME
Center to showcase the career and contributions of Rachel Carson
Work has begun on a multipurpose center in Kennebunk, Maine that will be a focal point for connecting people to the rich natural wonders of coastal southern Maine and celebrating the life and work of Rachel Carson. The 11,000-square foot home located at 188 Brown Street in Kennebunk will become an office and visitor center for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program and the Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Features will include an exhibit hall and trails that will be accessible, a multipurpose room equipped to welcome groups of up to 45 persons for environmental education programs and other events, and a nature store. The facility is expected to welcome some 60,000 visitors a year and likely will open to the public in 2026.
Enjoy the full press release published by Seacostonline.
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge and Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge Berwick-York Focus Area Offer Hunting Opportunities
Rachel Carson NWR and Great Thicket NWR are seeking public review and comment on its Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) for hunting. The refuges will eliminate use of lead ammunition for all hunting starting September 1, 2026. Until then, over the next 3 years we will provide outreach and education opportunities for hunters to learn about lead impacts and available alternatives. We will initially encourage the voluntary use of non-lead ammunition for hunting.
Please note that we have not made any significant changes to the previous September 2022 hunting plan -- there are no new changes to species, seasons, acreages, methods of take, or regulations. The Supplemental EA is focused on the further analysis of potential impacts of lead ammunition and utilizes the latest research and best available science where applicable. The updated information provides another opportunity for public review and comment; however, much of the written text transferred from the 2022 plan remains unchanged.
Draft documents are available online here:…Final Hunt Plan 2023-2024
Become a Junior Ranger
Earn one of three junior ranger badges by completing the level of engagement that you choose. Meet Rachel Carson, walk the trail through the forest, past the saltmarsh and end at the sea. Explore animal tracks and bird calls as well as the Junior Duck Stamp Program. Bring your book to the visitor center where a ranger will issue you a badge.
Download your guide! Remember if you print to set your printer to "print two sided and flip on short edge".
Also available in Portuguese
Visit Us
Coastal Maine is a destination for both national and international visitors. Visitors are drawn to the area's beaches, rocky coastline, and forests every year. Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge offers an alternative for those seeking solitude and a connection with nature.
While our main purpose is to protect wildlife and natural resources, the refuge offers a variety of ways for the public to experience and appreciate its protected public lands including three main nature trails and many wildlife observation stations featuring every habitat type found on the refuge, hunting and fishing opportunities, interpretive and educational programs, a visitor information center, many volunteering opportunities, as well as other recreational activities.
For information on trails, wildlife viewing and photography, and other recreational opportunities at the refuge, click on the button below.
Location and Contact Information
What We Do
Land Acquisition
Across the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is interested in continuing the work of protecting natural and working lands, restoring habitat on open land and salt marshes and acquiring properties from willing sellers that lie in close proximity to existing refuge lands. Here in southern Maine, the refuge is currently purchasing lands and conservation easements from willing sellers. A conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.
Learn more about conservation easement is a transaction where the owner retains the land as their private property but conveys certain rights that protect the property’s wildlife habitat in perpetuity. We also gratefully accept land donations when they contribute to refuge purposes.
If you would like to talk about the benefits of protecting your land and integrating it into the National Wildlife Refuge System, please reach out to me by phone or e-mail using my contact information below. I have attached links describing the work of the Rachel Carson NWR and our Realty Division for your review on the second page of this letter. I hope to hear from you soon!
Karl Stromayer, Refuge Manager
Phone: 207-206-6735
Email: Karl_Stromayer@fws.gov
Our Organization
Our Species
Southern coastal Maine contains a greater diversity of upland plant and animal species than any other part of the state. Yet, this biologically rich area is the most densely populated part of Maine, and continues to experience rapid growth. The refuge divisions, distributed along 50 miles of Maine's southern coast, lie in the heart of that region. Along with salt marshes the refuge supports other coastal habitats including dune grassland, beach, subtidal and intertidal mudflats, marine open water, tidal river, maritime shrubland, and upland forest. Those habitats provide critical buffers for the salt marsh salt marsh
Salt marshes are found in tidal areas near the coast, where freshwater mixes with saltwater.
Learn more about salt marsh and habitat for many aquatic and upland species of conservation concern.
Get Involved
There are so many ways to get involved at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Some activities may involve tasks such as winter rabbit tracking, habitat restoration, plant propagation, and invasive plant removal. Share your knowledge of the natural world by performing surveys or lend a hand at our visitor center by helping orient visitors to the area. We also host several volunteer days throughout the year that will appeal to anyone who would like to get their hands dirty. This is a great opportunity to learn about the refuge, what we do to protect wildlife and their habitat, gain experience, meet new people, and have fun!
Please call (207) 535-9145, to sign up for the volunteer email list and learn more about the refuge.
Projects and Research
Refuge staff conserves, creates, and restores habitats to benefit a diversity of wildlife. We focus on the highest priority lands; salt marshes, tidal rivers, forests, beaches, and thickets. These areas are home to many animals, both common and rare. Of course we don’t do it alone, we work closely with our conservation partners and communities.