Maine’s Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge to build new visitor center

Shawn P. Sullivan, Portsmouth Herald
·4 min read
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KENNEBUNK, Maine — A new center to connect people with nature and celebrate the life, work and legacy of environmentalist Rachel Carson is now under construction.

Karl Stromayer, the manager of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, stood on the acreage at 188 Brown Street and stated that the crews broke ground on the project on Oct. 23.

“They’re hoping to get as much done as they can before winter,” Stromayer said.

Established in 1966, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Reserve is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The refuge manages approximately 5,700 acres along 50 miles of coastline from Kittery to Cape Elizabeth.

A rendering shows what the new visitor and office center for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge will look like on Brown Street in Kennebunk, Maine, once it is finished in 2026.
A rendering shows what the new visitor and office center for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge will look like on Brown Street in Kennebunk, Maine, once it is finished in 2026.

The project calls for the renovation of an existing, spacious home and the construction of a new, additional wing. When complete, the 11,666-square-foot facility will house the offices and visitor center for the refuge and the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program.

“This facility is going to be a wonderful resource to better support both refuge and coastal program staff and to connect people to the natural beauty and wildlife habitats here in southern coastal Maine,” Stromayer said.

Chris Meaney, the project leader for the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, also expressed excitement for the project.

"I'm looking forward to working more closely with the team at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge and being co-located at the multipurpose center will provide our respective programs a great opportunity to advance our shared conservation goals," Meaney said.

Elmina Sewall, a longtime resident of Kennebunk who died in 2005, designed the home that will become the refuge’s new center on Brown Street. Sewall was active in land protection and donated land to the refuge that surrounds the 15-acre parcel that was purchased by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2019.

The building will provide office space for approximately 15 full-time employees who manage the refuge and work on conservation projects with partners throughout southern Maine. According to Stromayer, an exhibit hall and trails will be accessible, and a multipurpose room will be equipped to welcome groups of up to 45 people for environmental education programs and other events.

Karl Stromayer, the project manager for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, is seen here at the breathtaking perch overlooking the Mousam River in Kennebunk, Maine, on Nov. 3, 2023. The spot is part of the land the refuge acquired in 2019.
Karl Stromayer, the project manager for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, is seen here at the breathtaking perch overlooking the Mousam River in Kennebunk, Maine, on Nov. 3, 2023. The spot is part of the land the refuge acquired in 2019.

According to the refuge, Rachel Carson is credited with launching the contemporary environmental movement through her 1962 book, “Silent Spring,” and advocated for environmental policies that protected human health and the environment.

For years, the refuge has existed at smaller quarters at 321 Port Road in Wells. That location will remain open, as it is home to a popular trail system, according to Stromayer.

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A look at the proposed new visitor center

The new center in Kennebunk is expected to be completed and open for the public in 2026, Stromayer added.

The facility was designed according to the Council on Environmental Quality’s Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings, according to the refuge.

This vacant home at 188 Brown Street in Kennebunk, Maine, is being transformed into the new main headquarters of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Crews will renovate and expand the home to accommodate a visitor center and office spaces.
This vacant home at 188 Brown Street in Kennebunk, Maine, is being transformed into the new main headquarters of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Crews will renovate and expand the home to accommodate a visitor center and office spaces.

The new center will not just be environmentally friendly and energy-efficient, the organization added – it will be friendly to its feathered visitors, as well, as windows designed to prevent bird collisions will be installed.

The facility was designed by Oak Point Associates, of Biddeford. Benchmark Construction, of Westbrook, which already has begun work on what will be the site’s landscaped parking lot, is handling the renovation and expansion.

A rendering shows what the front of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge's new visitor center and office space will look like, once its construction is complete in 2026.
A rendering shows what the front of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge's new visitor center and office space will look like, once its construction is complete in 2026.

Stromayer said the project is designed to “freeze the footprint” of the reserve – meaning that any new construction will be offset by the removal of existing structural space elsewhere. The new center will operate on solar power, he added.

“We’re building in a number of sustainable measures,” Stromayer said.

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New trail system part of the project

Part of the project includes establishing a trail system throughout the picturesque property. A covered footbridge, which crosses a pond created after the historic Fires of 1947, will remain, according to Stromayer.

“The site is stunning,” Stromayer said of the whole property. “It’s a great venue to welcome the public here and get the community connected to nature.”

The refuge and coastal program are part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, whose mission is to work with others to “conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

Project Manager Karl Stromayer stands on the covered bridge that nature enthusiasts will be able to enjoy once the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge opens its new visitor center and office complex at 188 Brown Street in Kennebunk, Maine.
Project Manager Karl Stromayer stands on the covered bridge that nature enthusiasts will be able to enjoy once the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge opens its new visitor center and office complex at 188 Brown Street in Kennebunk, Maine.

The refuge was established to protect salt marshes and tidal estuaries for migratory birds in York and Cumberland counties.  The refuge focuses on conserving land and protecting habitat for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and waterfowl.

Stromayer looked around and spoke to the future the refuge hopes to enjoy at its new site.

“We estimate that maybe about 60,000 people will visit this multipurpose center a year once it opens,” he said. “We’re thinking this is going to be one of our most attractive, sought-after sites.”

For more information about the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge, please visit www.fws.gov/refuge/rachel_carson/.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Rachel Carson Refuge breaks ground on new visitor center in Kennebunk