Articles
Organic Aquaculture Standards Proposed
The National Organic Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a report proposing organic standards for aquaculture. Seafood from certified aquaculture enterprises could be sold with the “USDA Organic” label, and products not meeting the national standard would be prohibited from sale with an organic label in the United States. The USDA
North Haven school recognized for excellence
North Haven Community School has been recognized by the Maine Department of Education as a Consistently High Performing School for Grade 11 Reading and Grade 8 Reading and Math. To be considered a High Performing School for Reading, 70 percent of students must meet or exceed Maine Learning Results standards on the Maine Educational Assessment
Grant will help Vinalhaven School implement place-base education
A three-year grant to the Island Institute and Vinalhaven School from the Antioch New England Institute in Keene, New Hampshire, is enabling the Vinalhaven School to implement an innovative three-year education program. The program, called CO-SEED (Communities and Schools for Environmental Education), uses the island’s community and environment to teach a wide variety of subjects
$1.2 million grant to benefit island and coastal schools
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Island Institute a three-year, $1.2 million grant for a project designed to encourage students in a pilot group of Maine island and coastal schools to pursue technology-related careers. The project is called CREST (Community for Rural Education Stewardship and Technology). It will provide participating teacher-student teams with
Institute revises Island Lodging Program
The Island Institute has been obliged to cut back its popular Island Lodging Program because the sole funder is unable to continue support. However, the current level of support for medical emergencies will be extended through Dec. 31, 2006. Other requests for lodging support through this program, the Institute told island residents in a recent
Workshops on marine conflicts scheduled
“Saving Seas: Resolving Conflict and Finding Solutions in the Marine Realm” will be given at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster on Tuesday evenings from 6-9 p.m., Jan. 17 and 31, Feb. 14 and 28, March 14 and 28, April 11 and 25, and May 9 and 23, with one six-hour special
Institute adds three staff members
Ben Dudley recently joined the Island Institute as the Casco Bay Community Development Officer. He will be based in Portland and will be working closely with Casco Bay islands on self-governance issues and with the Maine Islands Coalition, building its capacity as an advocacy organization. Dudley comes to the Institute with six years’ experience representing
Youngest Member
Eden Aurora Aiken, 10, joined the Island Institute in November, becoming the organization’s youngest member. A Cushing resident, Eden “likes to get mail,” she says, and identifies with the Institute’s community mission. She’s an early starter: five years ago, as a “grandfathered” fisherman under the state’s trap limits law, she set out 6 traps and
Voting for Good Ideas
Maine voters did the right thing last month by supporting two initiatives to make the state’s coast more affordable and accessible. Passage of Question 7, the constitutional amendment that will allow properties used in connection with the fishing industry to be taxed at their current use, is a huge step in the right direction. Like
North Haven voters allow their new school to proceed
By a 62 to 38 percent margin, North Haven voters approved an amendment that will allow a $7.5 million dollar school construction project to move forward. Two hundred forty-two island residents cast their ballots, with 149 votes in favor of the amendment and 93 against. It was one of the largest turnouts in recent town