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Foliage Information
Foliage Report for September 28, 2011
Northern Half of Maine Now Has Moderate to High Foliage Color
AUGUSTA, Maine – Fall foliage color is now halfway toward peak from Moosehead Lake to Aroostook County, according to the third 2011 fall foliage report from the Maine Department of Conservation (MDOC).
Currently, Maine Forest Service and state park rangers are observing high leaf color, or 50 to 70 percent toward peak, along with very low leaf drop in northern tracking zones (Zones 7, 6, 5 northern, and 4 northern) covering Fort Kent, Presque Isle, Houlton, Millinocket, Greenville and Jackman.
Moderate color, or 30 to 50 percent toward peak, has reached the southern sections of Zones 5 and 4, and the northern section of Zone 3. These regions contain Rangeley, Bethel, Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft, Lincoln and Calais. Leaf drop in these areas is very low.
All coastal regions (Zones 1 and 2) and the Sebago Lake region, Androscoggin County and Kennebec County (southern Zone 3) now have low foliage color, or 10 to 30 percent toward peak, and very low leaf drop according the report.
“Although complete trees in bright reds, oranges and yellows are scarce, a significant percentage of hardwoods are showing some form of transition," said Rick Henion, a Maine Forest Service Ranger in the downeast town of Stueben. "Both birches and poplars are showing a fair amount of understory yellowing, and maples and ashes are transitioning to more golden hues in upper and exposed branches."
Maine's fall foliage conditions will be updated on this website each Wednesday through at least Oct. 19. The website has a new design that will enable faster, easier access on mobile devices. Visitors can now take foliage photos with their phone and instantly submit them to the website, and can sign up to receive the weekly reports by email. Maine foliage fans can also share photos and favorite viewing spots at the Maine Fall Foliage page on Facebook, or follow foliage news on Twitter using the "mainefoliage" hashtag.
The first MDOC ranger-guided foliage tour happens this Saturday at Peaks-Kenny State Park in Dover-Foxcroft. Mount Blue State Park and the Kennebec Highlands Public Lands will offer foliage tours on Oct. 8 and 9 respectively. Visit www.parksandlands.com for more information about each event.
Go to www.visitmaine.com or call the Maine Office of Tourism at 1-888-624-6345 for more information about fall activities and events in Maine.
Current Conditions - The Foliage Conditions map on this page is the foliage zone map used by Maine Forest Service Rangers when reporting fall foliage conditions.
| Zone Number | Color Change | Leaf Drop |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | High | Very Low |
| 6 | High | Very Low |
| 5 (North) | High | Very Low |
| 5 (South) | Moderate | Very Low |
| 4 (North) | High | Very Low |
| 4 (South) | Moderate | Very Low |
| 3 (North) | Moderate | Very Low |
| 3 (South) | Low | Very Low |
| 2 | Moderate | Very Low |
| 1 | Low | Very Low |
Foliage Zones
Zone 7: Northeastern Maine, including Fort Kent, Caribou, and Presque Isle
Zone 6: Northwestern Maine
Zone 5: Western Mid-Maine, including Greenville, Rangeley, Bethel
Zone 4: Eastern Mid-Maine, including Houlton, Millinocket, and Calais
Zone 3: Central and Southwestern Maine, including Bangor, Augusta, and Fryeburg
Zone 2: DowneastMaine, including Machias, Bar Harbor, and Penobscot Bay
Zone 1: Mid-Coast and South Coastal Maine, including Camden, Portland, Kennebunkport, and Kittery
