“What a difference,” said Sheryl Gilmore of her students: “kids that want to be here.” She was talking about kids from 12 to 18 who are so determined to be marine scientists they get recommendations from their science teachers and talk their parents into letting them try it out by attending a one- or two-week
Franklin USDA aquaculture center set to open
In Franklin, the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture will soon have a new neighbor, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is poised to complete a National Coldwater Marine Aquaculture Center right next door. Together, the two will comprise one of the largest and most important coldwater aquaculture research centers in the United
Coastal access is scarce, study finds
Since 2005, the Island Institute has led the Mapping Maine’s Working Waterfront project, recently completing a comprehensive inventory of the state’s working-waterfront and public-access infrastructure. Within the 142 coastal towns and 5,300 miles that make up the coast of Maine, 1,555 points were identified as providing saltwater access. This access includes everything from public boat
Running Out Is development drawing down the well in Town Hill?
Recently, turning on a faucet has been stressful for Mike Staggs; he isn’t sure how much longer his home will have water. Staggs lives in Town Hill, part of Bar Harbor, on Mount Desert Island, in a subdivision where water already is in short supply. The past two summers, he has had to manage his
Fresh Water
Fresh water has always seemed inexhaustible in Maine, a state with thousands of lakes, hundreds of miles of rivers and groundwater good enough to market in bottles all over the world. There’s plenty of evidence, however, that even in this water-rich region we’re facing some limits. This month we report on the frustrations of homeowners
Correction
An editing error in our page 1 story about composites (WWF March 06) resulted in a statement that Andre Cocquyt is an employee of Harbor Technologies, Inc. In fact, he is not an employee of the company, but does teach at the advanced composites training center as stated elsewhere in the story.
The Long View: Island Indicators
We are often asked “How are the islands doing?” Lurking behind this question are all sorts of motivations. Islanders want to show how they measure up in the state and the region, and to demonstrate to funders that islands are a sound place to invest in innovative programming. Legislators and policy makers need real data
Lobster Chic Shopping for “bugs” is getting more complicated
There’s a new guy in town selling lobsters — Whole Foods, which just opened Feb. 14 in Portland. At 45,350-square-feet, this supermarket is my town’s new epicenter for the animal-compassionate consumer who strongly believes in the humane killing of naturally fed animals who’ve lived a stress-free life. I, however, am feeling a tad overwhelmed —
On Portland’s waterfront,tugs pull (and push) their weight
From the wheelhouse of his tugboat, Girls of Fournier, Capt. Brian Fournier skillfully maneuvers broadside of the huge oil tanker Sks Skeena, readying for departure from the Portland Pipe Line Company. Two tugs, the Vicki McAllister and the Girls of Fournier, are needed to push the ship to the correct course by keeping it in
Event celebrates Maine oysters and mussels
What could be slower for the average person than opening and consuming oysters on the half shell? At the recent oyster and mussel event sponsored by Slow Food Portland, attendees didn’t have to go through the entire process — professional shuckers were on hand — but in the Slow Food tradition, they were able to