WCSH-TV6 • January 18, 2023
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce hosted its first "Economics of Climate Change" webinar on Wednesday. Pat Strauch, executive director of Maine Forest Products Council, said the forestry industry is already adapting to Maine's changing climate. Most of the tree and wood removal happens when the ground is frozen to avoid causing mud. And it's a way of being more sustainable. “The northward migration of insects and diseases it’s perhaps our greatest threat," he said. “Our natural environment is really what brings people to the state," said Rauni Kew, green program manager at the Inn By The Sea. Kew said Maine's hospitality and tourism industry is an "enormous" sector for the state, as it is connected to more than 100,000 jobs and billions of dollars for the economy.