Published by Downeast Magazine on June, 2024.  In 1999, fresh out of college, two women signed up to be dropped into small island communities as part of the Rockland-based nonprofit Island Institute’s fellowship program. Except that there was no fellowship program, at least not really. The institute’s mission, since its founding 16 years earlier, had been to support the economic and social well-being of coastal towns, but it had never tried this before. The inaugural fellows were Jes Stevens and Susan Olcott. Stevens was assigned to Monhegan, 10 miles offshore, Olcott to Chebeague, tucke ..read more

Three times each year, the full cohort of 10 Island Institute fellows meet in person for retreats. At the start of the fellowship year in September, the fellows meet for orientation and then gather two more times on retreat. Our winter retreat this year was held on Vinalhaven where Kaylin Wu is living and working for her fellowship. Winter, with its natural tendency for us to go inward, is a great time to do a deep dive on a single topic and had the fellows and support staff discussing two sections of “All We Can Save”, a collection of essays from mostly BIPOC women on climate & community ..read more

Published by Portland Press Herald on June 18, 2024.  Scientists and working groups weigh in on all aspects of climate change, from heat waves to soaring pollen counts to sea level rise, to help the Maine Climate Council set new goals for the second installment of Maine Won’t Wait, the state’s climate action plan. Maine must pick up the pace of climate preparations by redoubling its efforts and opening up its wallet to prepare for the warmer, wetter, stormier future that scientists say, in many cases, is already here, according to the Maine Climate Council. One council member after ..read more

January’s storms tested the resilience of Maine’s coastal communities like no other time in recent history. During the weekend after the Jan. 13th storm, Island Institute’s team quickly decided to expand and redirect its Business Resilience grant program toward providing storm response grants to help rebuild critical coastal infrastructure.    Maine’s wharves, piers, and other landing sites are the connecting point between our fishery and a global market for Maine’s sea products.  According to a 2023 report prepared for the Seafood Economic Accelerator for Maine, our state ..read more

Published by Maine Public on June 5, 2024.  Many coastal communities were impacted by several major storms during the winter of 2024. That’s put a spotlight on a major question facing the state: just how vulnerable is Maine’s coast to a warming world, and what steps do we need to take to prepare? That’s what we dive into in this episode of Maine Explained. Experts say flood hazard maps are one of the best ways of assessing the risk of damage from coastal events. Here’s what the labels and numbers on the maps mean, in an area of Higgins Beach in Scarborough. Here is a link to t ..read more

Published by Maine Town & City in April, 2024.  This article is the second in a series by Island Institute exploring the topic of digital equity in relation to Maine’s municipalities. “I went to fill my prescription, but my pharmacist said I needed to make an online profile first.” “I wanted to get a commercial driver’s license, but the training was online, and I don’t have a computer.” “I wanted to attend the housing committee meeting, but I couldn’t find childcare in time.” These seemingly unrelated insights have one thing in common: the need for digital equity. Maine often prides ..read more

As more electric outboard motors quietly emerge on Maine’s harbors, lakes, and waterways, a pressing question surfaces: who will maintain and repair them? As an organization dedicated to the long-term goal of electrifying Maine’s working waterfront, Island Institute convened a team of partners to develop a pioneering two-part education and training initiative. These courses are a collaboration between Island Institute, educators and administrators from Mid-Coast School of Technology (MCST) with critical curriculum and funding from Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) through the Maine Jobs ..read more

Published by News Center Maine on April 29, 2024.  PORTLAND, Maine — The last week of April brings about a type of harvest growing in popularity in the Gulf of Maine—kelp. In what is arguably the most famous fishing region in the United States, kelp is a harvest Mainers are still learning. So, we joined a boat trip into Casco Bay to see kelp farming in action in an event hosted by the Island Institute and attended by elected officials and business leaders. The Maine Department of Marine Resources lists 35 active kelp faming leases, with 13 others pending. Many of those farmers ar ..read more

In May of 2023, while installing our spring gallery show, Birds and Blooms, I discovered Dylan Metrano’s remarkable paper cutting work and learned of his role as co-founder of La Nef Chocolate. This popular and beloved Maine-made chocolate brand is aligned with Archipelago and Island Institute’s mission of supporting local artists and building community. Through La Nef, Dylan champions Maine’s art community by collaborating with visual artists to create package designs. Intrigued by Dylan’s entrepreneurial journey which has been supported by multiple Island Institute business development ..read more

This article is the first in a series by Island Institute published in Maine Town and City that explores the topic of broadband and digital equity in relation to Maine’s municipalities. Mainers love their dirigo moments – those opportunities to lead the nation with shining examples of how we git ‘er done.  Last month featured one of those moments, when Maine’s Digital Equity Plan was the first in the nation to be approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). When congratulating the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) “for being the first in the nation t ..read more