The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a 5,400-acre (22 km2) National Wildlife Refuge made up of several parcels of land along 50 miles (80 km) of Maine's southern coast. Created in 1966, it is named for environmentalist and author Rachel Carson, whose book Silent Spring raised public awareness of the effects of DDT on migratory songbirds, and of other environmental issues.
The refuge's parcels include protected areas between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth, including land in Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Biddeford, Saco, and Scarborough.
The refuge protects 1,167-acre (5 km2) of estuary salt marsh and uplands that drain into the Webhannet River, or about one-ninth of the river's watershed.
The refuge's headquarters are on Route 9 in Wells.
The refuge protects various kinds of habitats, including barrier beach, dune, tidal estuary, salt marsh, and rocky coastline. The piping plover, an endangered species, nests on refuge land.
Read more about Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge: Wildlife and Habitat, External Links, Gallery
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—Rachel Carson (20th century)
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