Maine

Elizabeth R. Purdy

LOCATED AT THE northeastern tip of the United States, Maine is known chiefly for its wood and seafood products. Nearly 90 percent of its land area is forested, and 21,000 acres (85 sq. km.) are designated as state forests. Maine has 3,478 mi. (597 km.) of tidally influenced shoreline. These forests and coastlines are particularly vulnerable to climate changes caused by global warming. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that rainfall in parts of Maine has decreased by 20 percent over the last century. In the future, the sea level in Rockland is predicted to rise as high as 14 in. (36 cm.), leading to coastal flooding, beach erosion, and the loss of valuable wetlands. As a result of this vulnerability, Maine has taken decisive action in establishing policies, priorities, and actions designed to modify human behaviors associated with global warming and climate change. Between 1990 and 2001, the population ...

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