What is the “Desert of Maine”, and is it similar to other so-called deserts in Maine?
Most of these “deserts” originated in late-glacial time, when strong winds swept across the barren landscape that was freshly exposed by recession of the ice sheet. These winds eroded sandy marine deposits near the coast, as well as river valleys farther inland. The sand was blown downwind, usually to the east or southeast from its source, and deposited in dunes like those seen in deserts around the world. Most of the sand dunes eventually became vegetated and stabilized, but in some areas of Maine, grazing by farm animals exposed them to renewed wind erosion during historical times. The well-known deserts in Freeport and Wayne were reactivated in this fashion.
