Category Archives: Off-Campus

Off Campus Event: Our Changing Coastline- Greater Portland Prepares for Sea Level Rise, June 8 7PM

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Our Changing Coastline: Greater Portland Prepares for Sea Level Rise
June 8 7PM
Gulf of Maine Research Institute, 350 Commercial St., Portland, ME

Join us for the fifth and final session of our Spring 2017 Joan M. Kelly Sea State Lecture Series, “Motion of the Ocean.”

Throughout the series, our speakers will reflect on the many ways water moves — predictably and unpredictably — and how communities respond. Our exploration ends with GMRI Education Program Manager, Gayle Bowness. Join us in June to hear her talk, “Our Changing Coastline: Greater Portland Prepares for Sea Level Rise.”

This is a free event open to the public. Register early; seating is limited. To register, please fill out the form below.
http://www.gmri.org/events/calendar/our-changing-coastline-greater-portland-prepares-sea-level-rise

Doors open at 6:30 pm. Free parking is available.

Questions? Contact Rachel Katyl at [email protected] or 207-228-1699.

Off Campus Event: Maine Summer Adventure Race, Sat. June 24

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Maine Summer Adventure Race
Saturday, June 24 9AM-4:PM
Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, ME

Midcoast Conservancy and Strong Arm Racing are joining forces again to host the 2nd Maine Summer Adventure Race on June 24th, 2017 at Hidden Valley Nature Center.

This year, like our inaugural year, the race will be at the Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, Maine. For the premier race, we’ve upped the time cutoff to 10 hours to give racers more time explore all the beautiful places this year’s course will visit. The race will be point-to-point (no circles!) involving trail running (or hiking) and off-trail orienteering through pristine forests, biking on Maine’s bucolic roads (and an optional mountain biking leg), and a sea kayaking route specially designed by our local partner Tidal Transit Kayaks. New for this year, the 10-hour race will be a USARA regional qualifier, with the top four finishing teams qualifying for the USARA National Championship in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania.

For beginners and families, our 3-hour race – also on Saturday, June 24 – will combine hiking, canoeing and Amazing Race-style challenges. Racers can do as much or as little of the course as they choose and special prizes will be given for the top family team, the best team name and the best costumes.

Just like last year, we’ll be throwing a big party for all racers and their guests, featuring as much local fare as we can get our hands on  – including beer from Oxbow Brewing, just down the road in Newcastle, Maine.

Both races are being designed by the members of Strong Machine Adventure Racing and all proceeds from the race benefit the Midcoast Conservancy.

– See more at: https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/maine-summer-adventure-race-71517/#sthash.D4HZU6nH.dpuf

Off Campus Event: Protection of Climate Corridors, Supporting a Diversity of Plants and Wildlife in a Changing Climate (June 29, 2017)

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Protection of Climate Corridors: Supporting a Diversity of Plants and Wildlife in a Changing Climate

June 29, 2017, 9:30am – 4:00pm

Location: Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells

Presenter: Abigail Weinberg, Director of Research, Open Space Institute; Maria Whitehead, PhD, Land Project Manager, Open Space Institute; and David Patrick, PhD, Director of Conservation, TNC NH Chapter

Cost: FREE

Plants and animals are shifting their distributions in response to climate change to find suitable microclimates. These shifts require time – generations – and space; yet climate is changing faster than at any time in recorded history, and the landscape is fragmented by roads, dams, development, and other barriers to movement. How do we ensure that Northern New England will continue to support a diversity of plants and animals?

Presented jointly by Land Trust Alliance, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, New Hampshire Extension, New Hampshire Land Trust Coalition, Open Space Institute, and The Nature Conservancy, this workshop is dedicated to understanding not only the sites – or forest cores – that will sustain species in place, but the critical connections between cores that will be necessary for sustaining populations.

The workshop will examine how populations move across the region, where critical connectors are located across the Northern New England landscape, and how they connect to the north and southern parts of the landscape. In addition, attendees will walk away from the workshop with the following information and tools:

  • A refresher on climate resilient sites and identification of resilient characteristics
  • An understanding of the underlying concepts critical to species migration
  • Experience using new datasets to assess cores and corridor options in your service area
  • Knowledge of ongoing initiatives focused on connectivity
  • Case studies detailing the opportunities and challenges to protecting species migration routes

To register:

Contact Donna Bissett by email or phone at 207-729-7366.

This workshop is the first of a two part series on climate change resilience for land trusts and is free and open to land trusts and organizations working closely with land trust organizations to permanently protect land in Northern New England States including Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The second workshop in this series, Climate Change Communications, will be held Thursday December 7, 2017 at the Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center in Greenland NH. For more information, contact Amanda Stone.

Off Campus Event: New Meadows Watershed Partnership Spring Public Forum: Wed. May 3

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New Meadows Watershed Partnership Spring Public Forum
May 3, 2017 9:00am-1:00pm
West Bath Seaside Grange

Aquaculture in the New Meadows – What’s happening? Why here? What’s next?

9:00 Registration (Victoria Boundy, CBEP)

9:30-9:45 Welcome, overview of the agenda, summary of community interviews & introductions (Alicia Heyburn, New Meadows Watershed Partnership)

20 minute presentations, followed by 10 min Q&A

9:45-10:15 Aquaculture in Maine – Where is it now, where is it headed, what is happening on the New Meadows? (Dana Morse, Maine Sea Grant)

10:15-10:45 Research – Introduction to Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network – SEANET.
(Paul Anderson, Director, Sea Grant & Aquaculture Research Institute)

10:45-11:15 Location & Monitoring Conditions – What makes the New Meadows well suited to aquaculture? How can New Meadows communities benefit from SEANET?  What is the carrying capacity of the NM? What can we learn from the Damariscotta? What proactive planning can be done to ensure that optimal conditions are maintained?
(Damian Brady, Professor of Marine Sciences at Darling Marine Center)

11:15-11:45 Discussion of What’s Next – Opportunities for collaboration and data sharing. How do quahog/other wild harvests and oysters/aquacultre coexist? Vibrio? How do New Meadows Lakes impact downstream water quality? Opportunities for public participation in lease decisions.
(moderated by Jon Lewis, Aquaculture Program Lead, Maine Dept. Marine Resources,)

CONCLUSION of PRESENTATIONS

Working Lunch: Turning Knowledge into Action

12:00-1:00 CHOWDER LUNCH DOWNSTAIRS @ grange for those who have been engaged in the NMWP, or are interested in becoming involved. Tables arranged by topic.

12:00-12:10 Get food, table introductions

12:10 Discussion guidelines (Alicia) Timekeeper (Victoria)

12:15-12:45 Table Discussions

Facilitator guides discussion on objectives from the 2008 NMWP Action Plan and how to prioritize, brainstorming players/partners/next steps for action items. Scribe keeps parking lot lists of new ideas, indicates priorities. Identify a reporter.

12:45-1:00 Reporting 3 min each table
Top two priorities for action & why

1:00 Forum Concludes

TABLE TOPICS

Objective 1: Eliminate pollution, and prevent future water quality issues (OBD, NPS, setbacks)

  • Facilitator – HEATHER TRUE, CCSWCD
  • Scribe – West Bath, Selectman Hennessey

Objective 2: Improve Marine Resource Harvesting (wild harvest, aquaculture, water access)

  • Facilitator – DAN DEVERAUX, Brunswick Marine Patrol
  • Scribe – KELT, Ruth Indrick

Objective 3: Conduct Research and Monitoring

  • Facilitator – Mike Doan, FOCB
  • Scribe – Bowdoin College, Collin Roesler

Objective 4: Expand Climate Resiliency & Habitat Protection

  • Facilitator –  Mary Ann Nahf, Harpswell ConCom
  • Scribe –  BTLT, Margaret Gerber

Objective 5:  Explore Tidal Restriction Restoration (research, impacts, decision making process)

  • Facilitator – MATT CRAIG, CBEP
  • Scribe – tbd

Objective 6: Broaden Municipal Engagement and Community Outreach

  • Facilitator – Julia McLeod, HHLT
  • Scribe – Phippsburg, Lynda Doughty

Off Campus Event: Earth Day Reading April 22nd at 4 PM

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On Earth Day (Saturday. April 22) at 4 PM Gulf of Maine Books (134 Maine Street, Brunswick) will host author Brooke Williams, reading from his new book “Open Midnight –Where Ancestors & Wilderness Meet”. Brooke Williams has spent the past 30 years advocating for wilderness. He has published four books and numerous articles. He and his wife, author Terry Tempest Williams, divide their time between Utah and Wyoming. “Open Midnight weaves two parallel stories about the wilderness – that of Brooke Williams’ year alone, ground truthing backcountry maps of southern Utah by road and on foot, with his dog Rio, and the story of his great-great-great-grandfather, who in 1863 came with a group of Mormons from England to cross the ocean with his family, headed for the American West.

Come join us in celebrating Earth Day with Brooke Williams. The event is free, and open to the public. For more information please call Gulf of Maine Bookstore at 729-5083. For our Spring reading schedule, go to http://gulfofmainebooks.blogspot.com

Off Campus Event: E2Tech Spring Networking Reception, 4/13

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E2Tech Spring Networking Reception with Cleantech Open Northeast
Thursday, April 13  5:30 -7:30 pm
Cloudport, 63 Federal St., Portland
Cost: $15          

Come join us at Cloudport in Portland for our Spring Networking Reception! Start off the spring season by catching up with old friends and making new, valuable connections. There will be food, and local beer from Baxter Brewing Co., and you will have the opportunity to explore Cloudport, a cool new coworking space, and the home of the E2Tech office. Click here to: Register

In addition, we will hear a few words from Cleantech Open Northeast leaders as they kickoff their 2017 Cleantech Open Accelerator & Competition. More information on this program can be found below. 

Speakers:

  • David Markley- Co-Founder & CEO, Surge Hydro (invited)
  • Tony Wood – CEO, F.E. Wood Natural Energy
  • Kathryn Elmes- Executive Director, Cleantech Open Northeast
  • Jeff Marks- Executive Director, E2Tech

The Cleantech Open is the oldest and largest cleantech startup accelerator program, with the mission to find, fund, and foster entrepreneurs with ideas to solve our greatest environmental and energy challenges. Through their annual business competition and accelerator program, they connect cleantech startups with the people and resources that will accelerate their success, and provide a national platform for public visibility.
You will hear from Cleantech Open Northeast leaders and learn more about how the program can help you grow your cleantech venture, expand your businesses’ services to young companies, or mentor entrepreneurs looking to solve our biggest environmental and energy challenges. In addition, you will hear from business owners who successfully competed in the Cleantech Open last year.
Last year two Maine companies, Delta Dewatering and F.E. Wood Natural Energy were semi-finalists, and Surge Hydro was one of four regional winners, and was awarded a recognition at the national competition in California! Surge Hydro joins two other Maine companies, Pika Energy and Rapport, who have won the regional award in the last five years.
Carry on Maine’s success and apply today!
You can learn about the Cleantech Open 2017
and the requirements for applying on the
Cleantech Open Northeast Website. 
Cleantech Open Applications are due by May 1, 2017
 
Office hours with Cleantech Open Northeast Executive Director, Kathryn Elmes, will be held prior to the event- let us know if you’re interested in meeting with her to discuss your company and this great opportunity.
E2Tech would love to help!
Contact E2Tech’s Executive Director, Jeff Marks, at [email protected]. 

Off Campus Events: Maine Sustainability and Water Conference (3/30)

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Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
2017 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference

Thursday, March 30
Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine

Keynote Speaker: Conserving Vulnerable Wetlands and Watersheds: A Portfolio Approach
Aram Calhoun, Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, UMaine

To learn more and to register, see the website:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8d0889470befa3a8cb3a8ef9d&id=a9d2acc032&e=eb2bfec6b3

Androscoggin River Watershed Conference (5/4)

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The 2017 ARWC Conference will be held on May 4th at the Bethel Inn in Bethel, Maine. We have some very interesting speakers and presentation to keep you informed about the Androscoggin watershed and what is new and exciting at the Watershed Council.

Check out the full conference schedule and register to attend. Note our new email address is [email protected] For more information contact Becky Secrest at 207-824-3813 or 207-754-8158 or at the email address listed above.