The Maine State Library and the Kennebec Historical Society will host the society’s July presentation about “Up For Grabs!” with speaker Thomas Urquhart at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at the library’s temporary location at 242 State St. in Augusta.

Thomas Urquhart Submitted photo

Urquhart was born in London, England, brought up in New York City, and received his secondary education in London. He has a Master of Arts degree in Geography from Oxford University, according to a news release from the society.

As well as his trans-Atlantic background, his career has been similarly split between the arts and wildlife conservation. After nine years working for performing arts organizations (two symphony orchestras and a theater company), he worked at the Massachusetts Audubon Society and Birdlife International in Cambridge, England. In 1988, he became the executive director of the Maine Audubon Society, and he has lived in Maine ever since.

Submitted photo

His most recent book, “Up For Grabs!” was published by Downeast Books in 2021. Subtitled Timber Pirates, Lumber Barons, and the Battles over Maine’s Public Lands, the book relates the long and twisted history of how, beginning under colonial and then Massachusetts rule, Maine sold or gave away its 20 million-acre public domain; and how it succeeded in clawing back 600,000 acres, which today make up the state’s much-loved Public Reserve Lands.

Throughout his career, Urquhart has written for numerous publications in Europe and America on environmental, wildlife and cultural topics. He is a frequent reviewer of books for the Maine Sunday Telegram. He has also consulted internationally, for the World Wildlife Fund (Geneva) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Paris). He has traveled extensively including most of the European countries; Mali, Botswana, and Nigeria in Africa; Peru and French Guyana in South America; and various islands.

A father of three, he and his wife, children’s author Amy MacDonald, divide their time between Vinalhaven and Portland.

The presentation is free to the public and donations will be accepted. Those who have any questions about the program can call Scott Wood, society executive director, at 207-622-7718.

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