Refuge hit by economic hard times > Lack of volunteers, funding jeopardize programs to schools

AMITY — The Arthur E. Howell Wildlife Refuge in Amity is facing tough times and may be forced to eliminate some programs and cancel future expansion.

The refuge was founded almost 10 years ago by Arthur E. Howell Jr., a native of Massachusetts who came to Maine with the goal of establishing a wildlife sanctuary and providing wildlife-education programs to area schools.

Now, a sluggish economy and a lack of volunteer help have placed some of those programs in jeopardy.

The refuge is funded entirely by donations, including some from Howell. But the sluggish area economy has meant that fewer people are willing or able to donate. As a result, Howell has found that he must rely more and more on personal money to pay for refuge operations. It’s money he doesn’t have.

His house already is mortgaged, and he recently sold his van and helped his wife sell Tupperware products to help raise money.

“I’m a little bit distressed,” he said Wednesday. “Things are not working out the way I planned.”

He said the refuge and its programs have continued to grow, but he has found it more and more difficult to raise the money needed to buy supplies.

“Some people are probably tired of hearing it, but the bottom line is, if we try to save the refuge, I’m going to lose the school programs,” he said. “The refuge will stay open come hell or high water, but I can’t do it all alone.”

Howell has more than 20 slide programs, dozens of video presentations and file drawers full of literature, which he makes available to area schools.

A renowned expert on raptors, he makes several visits to Aroostook County schools and organizations to provide workshops on wildlife and the environment.

Howell is particularly concerned that the refuge’s caribou program might be lost. Two caribou that became domesticated and could not be used in the Maine Caribou Project were supposed to arrive at the refuge next month for study and for the public to see.

Several Houlton area businesses have donated materials to help construct the 2 1/2 acre enclosure and shelters needed, and others have donated equipment to be used for the construction. However, there are no volunteers to work with those supplies.

Howell, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, emphysema, colitus, and a fused hip, finds it difficult to do all of the construction himself, along with help from family members.

“Myself and my family can do only so much,” he said. “We have people who promise us help and then they never show up. I’m getting sick and tired of it.”

He said visitors to the refuge are excited about the caribou, but now he doesn’t know when the animals will arrive. He said he had hoped to have them at the refuge in time for the annual Back to Nature Day on Sept. 8.

He said organizers of the Maine Caribou Project could delay sending the animals to Amity for a while, but the offer could not be extended indefinitely.

He said if the caribou didn’t come to Amity, it would be a terrible loss, especially for the children.

“I don’t want to see this project fail,” he said. “I’ve put too much into it.”