Working Waterfront

Stars in the sky, stars in the sea

As an EMT, I have found myself on a boat in the middle of the night more frequently than the average person. The medevac trip to Rockland is occupied by patient care, but the way back can be a peaceful, quiet time. Weather and temperature permitting, I've spent some pleasant… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Changes below—Can wild kelp survive?

“Change is the only constant.” That’s one of the memorable sayings of my graduate school advisor, Dr. Bob Steneck. I started my career in Steneck’s lab, researching how the abundance and composition of seaweeds on Caribbean coral reefs can make or break the start of life for baby corals. As… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Turning to the sun

NAME: Skye Butterson-Dunn TITLE: Community Development Officer FOCUS: I work in the Center for Climate and Community on the Resilient Energy team at Island Institute, where we support Maine’s island and coastal communities in building energy resilience. We do this through strategic energy planning, forming partnerships with national, state, and… SEE MORE

Lauren Stevens sang during an event in Veazie on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. At the event, the audio version was released of a report documenting how Wabanaki people have lost access to sea run fish. PHOTO: CATHERINE SCHMITT

Working Waterfront

How Wabanaki access to sea run fish is changing

For thousands of years, Wabanaki people were sustained by “sea run” fish that moved between rivers and the ocean. Fish evolved this migratory strategy to ensure they would reproduce successfully, but it also resulted in abundant and nutritious food for people, as hundreds of thousands of salmon and millions of… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Bringing our stories to our followers

NAME: Emma Perry TITLE: Impact and Event Specialist FOCUS: As the Impact and Event Specialist I play a key role in reporting on the impact of Island Institute’s work and overseeing the administration of the Glenn Fund Community Impact grants and scholarships. Through this work, I ensure our funding creates… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Lobster fishery uncertainty—stay engaged

With chaos at the federal level these days, it is more important than ever to pay attention and stay engaged on topics we care about and support. For many of us on the Maine coast, that includes the lobster fishery. There is a lot happening—climate change, a new stock assessment,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

An easier way to clean your (boat) bottom

In the 19th century, Plymouth, Mass. was home to a famous factory that produced much of the world’s rope and twine for ship rigging. Now, in the same factory space, a company is seeking to revolutionize ship maintenance through robotics. At the Cordage Commerce Center, Greensea IQ manufactures robots which… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

App tracks coastal change, flooding

Anyone living near the ocean knows the coastline changes often with the tides and the seasons, and that it can be difficult to keep track of the coast’s “normal” appearance. With climate change, it becomes even more difficult to distinguish between the normal historical flux of the coast and a… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Islesford, a birder’s paradise

On Little Cranberry Island, the ever-present birds are one of the biggest reasons I love my life here. The company of my fluffy little friends keeps me entertained throughout the year. Our two bird feeders attract all the year-round faithful and quite a few summer visitors. One of the feeders… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Bike lanes and a bumpy transition

The driver had strayed too close to the curb and caught her wheel on the sharp edge, it seemed. Not terribly surprising, as the street had recently been narrowed to make way for what’s quickly becoming the third rail of local politics in my area—bike lanes. SEE MORE