It would also become the catalyst that would move the Old Town native to first invest money, then hard work, time and passion to develop a labor of love that may not even be fully appreciated in our lifetimes. In 1965, Larouche drew a line in the sand - or in this case, the Maine woods, buying the first of more than 1,000 acres of woodlands for what was to be the Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. It is a delineation that, like sand, shifts through the years as land parcels are added. At the same time, it is a line that designates responsibility to those who cross it. Enter Hirundo and be part of a wildlife refuge that is as natural as it is beautiful, as much a labor of love as a monument to all those who hold the environment sacred.
People are welcome, but only on nature's terms.
As far as Larouche is concerned, nature sets the rules here. He just obeys them - and makes sure everyone else does too. It isn't easy. There is a need for wildlife to have a haven in which to grow and be protected, an area in which they can live and survive. As man moves more and more to the rural areas, there is less and less land for the animals.