October 28, 2021
Different Bays, Similar Spirit
Photographers connect by documenting those who work on the water
I first discovered Jay Fleming back in 2017 shortly after I became the Island Institute’s multimedia storyteller. My research led me to a contemporary counterpart who has been doing similar work for many years in the Chesapeake Bay region where the fisheries...
October 25, 2021
A lifeline for island communities
Affordable, reliable transportation to and from Maine's islands is a crucial link for sustainability
Whether you live on an island in one of the Great Lakes or off of the coast of Maine, the commute to and from your community is over water. However, ferry, water taxi, and air services provide more than just transportation to and from island communities. They act as emergency medical transportation, provide school and extracurricular transportation, and deliver mail and other essential freight such as groceries and prescriptions.
September 20, 2021
Islands are Rising
New national network highlights challenges and opportunities faced by U.S. islands in building climate resilience
Throughout our nearly 40-year history, the Island Institute has often played a role to help connect Maine’s island communities to other, similarly situated communities in the U.S. and beyond. By participating in networks, learning exchanges, and even research publications, we’ve seen the value in helping Mainers expand their networks and even build their confidence as leaders by providing an avenue for them to share the stories of their hard work.
August 31, 2021
Legislative Update: Summer 2021
Investing in Economic and Climate Resilience
We work collaboratively with communities to tackle challenges and build resiliency. While this often means spending time in the places where we live and work, it also means focusing on what’s happening further inland at the State House. This “long” session of the Maine Legislature lived up to its name this year as significant legislative work happened well into mid-July. The policy landscape shifted dramatically during this session, with more than $300 million available to support economic and climate resilience work.
August 6, 2021
Archipelago Artist Profile: Gail Miller
For the next feature in our ongoing series of Archipelago artist profiles, the Island Institute’s Lisa Millette introduces us to Maine jewelry maker, Gail Miller, whose upcycled scrap metal jewelry has been featured in Archipelago since it opened in 2000.
August 5, 2021
Celebrating National Oyster Day
Hear from three Maine oyster farmers about this amazing bivalve and their work on the water
Today, we’re celebrating a delicious bivalve that grows in Maine’s cold, clean waters—the oyster. Oyster farming, and other types of shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, offer an array of benefits for our ocean and Maine’s island and coastal working communities. We asked three Maine oyster farmers 10 questions about their work on the water and what it means for our coast.
July 30, 2021
Island student shares semester at sea experience
Islesboro sophomore uses educational support to learn about career on the water
Since 2013, the Island Institute has been able to offer Geiger Scholarships to island students to help them pursue off-island enrichment experiences like summer camp or a semester abroad. Islesboro sophomore Dylan Frank, a Geiger scholar who also received a Compass Workforce Grant, recently spent his Spring semester aboard a schooner with Sailing Ships Maine and gained skills to help him pursue a career on the water.
July 22, 2021
Why workforce?
Broadening our focus to address this critical need
The workforce shortage in Maine is nothing new, but it has become even more acute and highly visible as we emerge from the pandemic. In our work supporting Maine’s island and coastal communities, we've heard a lot about the workforce issues they are facing, and it is a top area of concern for the partners we work with. In response, we are broadening our education work to better focus on this critical issue.
July 16, 2021
Archipelago Artist Profile: Helene Farrar
For the next feature in our ongoing series of Archipelago artist profiles, the Island Institute’s Lisa Millette introduces us to encaustic painter, Helene Farrar, whose nature-inspired pieces create a profound connection to Maine and the world around us.
July 13, 2021
Energy resilience planning begins in Eastport and Islesboro
What communities everywhere can learn about clean energy from Maine's islands and coast
How do you cope with electricity outages and plan for energy resilience when you’re a small, isolated community—either at the end of a 40-mile power line or on an island several miles out to sea? Eastport and Islesboro, both off Maine’s coast, were selected to tackle these issues through a U.S. Department of Energy program, the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP).
