In wake of January storms, Maine’s fish wharves and working waterfronts are starting to rebuild
Island Institute
by Laura England
2d ago
Published by MaineBiz on March 21, 2024.  Less than a week after the first of the back-to-back January storms that destroyed much infrastructure along Maine’s working waterfronts, the Island Institute launched a storm response grant program, received applications and began sending out funds to coastal businesses. On Mount Desert Island, Thurston’s Lobster Pound was particularly hard hit, with extensive damage to its wharf. “Island Institute was the first organization that was right there within days after the storm offering a grant to help rebuild,” said Derek LaPointe, the pound’s genera ..read more
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Maine Seacoast Mission announces 2024 Sunbeam Awards
Island Institute
by Laura England
2d ago
Story published by The Ellsworth American on March 5, 2024. MOUNT DESERT — Maine Seacoast Mission President John Zavodny has announced the two recipients of the Sunbeam Award for 2024: Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, in Bethesda, Md., and the Island Institute. This year’s awardees were chosen for their commitment to the communities the Mission serves. Both awardees will be recognized at this year’s Sunbeam Award Gala. The Gala is the Mission’s annual opportunity to celebrate those who embody the ideals of the community and whose work has made a lasting impact. The 2024 event will take place ..read more
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Visiting Mount Desert Island, Stonington & Deer Isle
Island Institute
by Laura England
1M ago
Island Institute believes in showing up and listening. A recent community visit tour took President Kimberly Hamilton, Chief Programs Officer Jennifer Seavey, Chief Policy Officer Nick Battista, and Public Policy Director Stephanie Welch to Mount Desert Island, Stonington, and Deer Isle. Over two days, the Island Institute staff made 15 stops, visiting with 31 community members, gaining new insights into their respective communities along the way.   To fuel up for the field trip, the group met for lunch. Around the table sat Island Institute Fellows assigned to community-ba ..read more
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Preemptive Action Pays Off for Hog Island Audubon
Island Institute
by Brenna Cohen, Community Development Officer
1M ago
Historic Queen Mary building in present day Credit: National Audubon Society In the wake of increasing storm intensity and climate change concerns, Hog Island Audubon proactively fortified its structures to prepare for sea level rise. The organization applied for and received a ShoreUp grant in 2021 to reinforce the historic Queen Mary building prior to eventually lifting it 3ft higher. When January storms battered the coast, Audubon’s campus suffered significant damage. However, amidst the chaos, the Queen Mary building stood tall and unscathed, a testament to the effectiveness of preemptive ..read more
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Opinion: Now is the time for a down payment on our coastal communities
Island Institute
by Jack Sullivan
1M ago
Story published by Portland Press Herald on February 6, 2024. January’s back-to-back coastal storms eroded our coastlines, destroyed family homes and wharves, and swept years of hopes and dreams out to sea. Even for those of us who work on the impact of climate change on Maine’s coastal communities, these scenes were shocking. There remains no doubt that we need to imagine a different future coast, one where our infrastructure, businesses and homes can withstand storms like these and the forces of climate change. Read More   ..read more
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Upcycling, Island Style
Island Institute
by Jack Sullivan
1M ago
Maine has a long and celebrated history of shipping by sea. It’s ingrained in our history, culture, and economy. Through the centuries, ships have transported granite, lumber, ice, shoes, canned sardines, and numerous other products from Maine to markets in the U.S. and around the globe. They’ve brought cargo to Maine as diverse as coal, cotton for our mills, guano for fertilizer, and even molasses for rum distilleries. While the product mix has changed, Maine continues to import and export products by sea, primarily through the deep-water ports of Portland, Searsport, and Eastport, thanks to ..read more
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Webinar Recording: Storm Science | Understanding the New Normal
Island Institute
by Renny Sabina
2M ago
On January 30, Island Institute hosted a webinar with Susie Arnold, Ph.D., Co-chair, Science and Technical Subcommittee, Maine Climate Council; Director of Center for Climate and Community, Island Institute, Hannah Baranes, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Gabe McPhail, Founder, Resilient Communities, L3C, and moderated by Jennifer Seavey, Chief Programs Officer, Island Institute. Listen in and hear directly from a panel of expert scientists to learn: How severe were the January storms? What is sea level rise, and how did it influence the January storms? How ..read more
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The Ebb and Flows of Maine’s Three-Port Strategy
Island Institute
by Jack Sullivan
2M ago
Maine has a long and celebrated history of shipping by sea. It’s ingrained in our history, culture, and economy. Through the centuries, ships have transported granite, lumber, ice, shoes, canned sardines, and numerous other products from Maine to markets in the U.S. and around the globe. They’ve brought cargo to Maine as diverse as coal, cotton for our mills, guano for fertilizer, and even molasses for rum distilleries. While the product mix has changed, Maine continues to import and export products by sea, primarily through the deep-water ports of Portland, Searsport, and Eastport, thanks to ..read more
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Homework without High-speed Internet
Island Institute
by Amber Blum, Associate Community Development Officer
2M ago
Imagine being a math teacher, but only half of your class has access to calculators at home. Or imagine being an English teacher, but only a fraction of your students are able to take the book home. How would you adapt? This isn’t far from reality for many students in Maine who lack internet access at home. As part of Island Institute’s work supporting digital equity planning in Waldo county, my colleague Zuzy and I recently visited Belfast high school, to hear from students and teachers about the impact the digital divide on education.   We learned most students at Belfast High Scho ..read more
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Reflections on Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition
Island Institute
by Phoebe Walsh, Marine Economy Community Development Officer
2M ago
Phoebe Walsh, Island Institute’s new Marine Economy Community Development Officer I had my first day at Island Institute on a Monday, and by Wednesday I was boarding a train to RI to attend the Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition (NACE). The Amtrak was buzzing with excited chatter between industry acquittances, old friends, and colleagues, thrilled to remove the awkward veil of a zoom encounter.  NACE is a biennial opportunity for producers, researchers, vendors, students, service providers and nonprofits to share the latest updates on everything ranging from shrimp farming in ..read more
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