US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE • March 5, 2023
Sunkhaze Meadows is the Clark Kent of refuges. Tucked in the Maine woods and accessible only by dirt road, this unassuming, little-known unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System has been quietly providing high-quality wildlife habitat and recreation while moonlighting as a climate superhero. For the last 35 years, we've managed the peatland and surrounding forest for wildlife — like bald eagles, black terns, least bitterns, sedge wrens and yellow rails — and people, including hikers, birdwatchers, canoeists and cross-country skiers. But for thousands of years, Sunkhaze Meadows has been forming carbon-capturing peat, an ability that has made it a superhero in the fight against climate change.