Along the fifty miles of coastline between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth, Maine are ten portions of lands encompassing nearly 9,125 acres, which make up the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge is named for Rachel Carson who was a world-renowned marine biologist, author and environmentalist. As the author of the famed book "Silent Spring", Carson launched the contemporary environmental movement and prompted the awareness of Americans of the environment.

Since its founding in 1966, the Refuge has enjoyed visits from thousands of visitors each year. The proximity of the various sections of the Refuge to the coast of Maine and their placement between deciduous forest and boreal forests forms a combination of animals and plants not found anywhere else in the State of Maine. Forested upland, barrier beach/dune, rocky coasts, tidal salt marshes and coastal meadows are all forms of natural habitats found within the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.