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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Identifying The Interconnection Between Maine's Lobster Industry And The North Atlantic Right Whale Population In Order To Guide Federal Action, Devon Lammert Apr 2023

Identifying The Interconnection Between Maine's Lobster Industry And The North Atlantic Right Whale Population In Order To Guide Federal Action, Devon Lammert

Honors College

North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) are on the verge of going extinct because of human activity. Entanglements in fixed fishing gear and vessel strikes are killing NARW at such a rate that their extinction is inevitable unless human-caused deaths are significantly reduced. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has subjected Maine’s lobster fishery to regulations aimed at protecting whales since 1997 as part of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. Recently proposed changes to the plan would effectively regulate Maine’s lobster industry out of existence. Lobstering is a cultural and …


Exploring Reusable Takeout Packaging As An Alternative To Disposable Plastics In Maine's Restaurant Industry, Jared Wildwistle Dec 2022

Exploring Reusable Takeout Packaging As An Alternative To Disposable Plastics In Maine's Restaurant Industry, Jared Wildwistle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the emergence of plastic over 100 years ago, businesses have increasingly relied on them to protect products. While convenient, the proliferation of plastic packaging is a major contributor to pollutants in the soil, oceans, and bodies of humans and animals alike. Goals in states like Maine seek to reduce the amount of waste and alleviate these issues. However, the deeply embedded popularity of disposable packaging and lack of reliable waste processing capabilities has caused Maine to fall short of its goals. While solutions need to focus on reducing the amount of packaging entering the economy, most businesses rely on …


Examining The Northern Shrimp Fishery In A Changing Gulf Of Maine, Ashley N. Charleson May 2020

Examining The Northern Shrimp Fishery In A Changing Gulf Of Maine, Ashley N. Charleson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) once supported a key commercial fishery in the State of Maine. Since its closure in 2013, the stock has remained in a particularly vulnerable state following recruitment failure, overfishing, and rising water temperatures. Furthermore, without this source of supplemental income, local fishermen have also experienced financial stress following unstable fishing conditions in other fisheries. The collective goal of this research project was to assess factors impacting the feasibility of reopening and maintaining this vulnerable winter fishery. These goals are addressed over 4 chapters. Chapter two offers insight regarding what is most often omitted from the regulatory …


Battle Over Black Bears: Investigating Perceptions Of The Black Bear Hunting Referendums In Maine, Francesca A. Gundrum Aug 2019

Battle Over Black Bears: Investigating Perceptions Of The Black Bear Hunting Referendums In Maine, Francesca A. Gundrum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human dimensions of wildlife is an emerging discipline that seeks to understand the complex relationships between people, wildlife, and their conflicts and/or interactions (Decker, Riley, & Siemer, 2012). Human dimensions utilizes several tested theoretical frameworks to investigate these complexities, such as cognitive hierarchy theory and wildlife value orientations (WVOs). Both of these theoretical frameworks were examined in this study, which investigated the content of news media during controversial American black bear (Ursus americanus) hunting referenda in Maine, and key stakeholder perceptions of black bear management. Maine is the only state that allows hunters to take a black bear over bait, …


Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes Scapularis) Distribution In Maine, Usa, As Related To Climate Change, White-Tailed Deer, And The Landscape, Susan P. Elias May 2019

Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes Scapularis) Distribution In Maine, Usa, As Related To Climate Change, White-Tailed Deer, And The Landscape, Susan P. Elias

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged (deer) tick (Ixodes scapularis). Geographic invasion of I. scapularis in North America has been attributed to causes including 20th century reforestation and suburbanization, burgeoning populations of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) which is the primary reproductive host of I. scapularis, tick-associated non-native plant invasions, and climate change. Maine, USA, is a high Lyme disease incidence state, with a history of increasing I. scapularis abundance and northward range expansion. This thesis addresses the question: “To …


A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Risks Of The Impacts Of Moose-Winter Tick Interactions On Human Health, Maine Economy, And Maine Culture, Asha Dimatteo-Lepape Apr 2019

A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Risks Of The Impacts Of Moose-Winter Tick Interactions On Human Health, Maine Economy, And Maine Culture, Asha Dimatteo-Lepape

Honors College

In order to answer the question of how people perceive the interactions between winter ticks and moose, and the impacts that these interactions may have on culture, economy, and recreational practices in Maine, interviews were conducted with participants from four stakeholder groups: hunters, outfitters, Wabanaki citizens, and wildlife managers. By using a case study methodology, I was able to explore moose health risk perceptions as described by participants from the four stakeholder groups, and the likely impacts on recreation behavior, livelihoods and economic viability, cultural maintenance, and wildlife management. In this study, multiple data generation techniques (i.e., semi-structured interviews, archival …


Grassroots Diplomacy And Vernacular Law: The Discourse Of Food Sovereignty In Maine, John Welton May 2017

Grassroots Diplomacy And Vernacular Law: The Discourse Of Food Sovereignty In Maine, John Welton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the discourse of food sovereignty in Maine, a coalition of small-scale farmers, consumers, and citizens building an alternative food system based on a distributed form of production, processing, selling, purchasing, and consumption. This distribution occurs at the municipal level through the enactment of ordinances. Using critical-rhetorical field methods, I argue that the discourse of food sovereignty in Maine develops a ‘constitutive’ rhetoric that composes rural society through affective relationships. Advocates engage the industrial food system to both expose its systemic bias against small-scale farming and construct their own discourse of belonging. Based upon agrarian values such as …


Moving Up The Waste Hierarchy In Maine: Learning From “Best Practice” State-Level Policy For Waste Reduction And Recovery, Cindy Isenhour, Travis Blackmer, Travis Wagner, Linda Silka, John Peckenham, David Hart, Jean Macrae Jan 2016

Moving Up The Waste Hierarchy In Maine: Learning From “Best Practice” State-Level Policy For Waste Reduction And Recovery, Cindy Isenhour, Travis Blackmer, Travis Wagner, Linda Silka, John Peckenham, David Hart, Jean Macrae

Maine Policy Review

As Maine residents look toward the future, it is increasingly clear that more sustainable waste and materials management solutions will be necessary. A recent stakeholder engagement process involving nearly 200 industry professionals, municipal representatives and citizen groups confirmed this point. As we move together toward a more sustainable waste management system, participants in the engagement process identified an outstanding need to learn more about policies options. This article responds to that need with a review of state level policies designed to reduce waste generation and increase material recovery rates. We find there are a wide variety of state-level policy tools …


Creating Sustainable, Cost-Effective, And Equitable Waste-Management Programs In Maine Communities, Luisa S. Deprez, Ron Deprez Jan 2016

Creating Sustainable, Cost-Effective, And Equitable Waste-Management Programs In Maine Communities, Luisa S. Deprez, Ron Deprez

Maine Policy Review

The authors present several perspectives on popular municipal solid waste (MSW) policies and programs that can help guide decision making to address the waste hierarchy as well as to extend thinking in regard to MSW.


Municipal Approaches In Maine To Reduce Single-Use Consumer Products, Travis Wagner Jan 2016

Municipal Approaches In Maine To Reduce Single-Use Consumer Products, Travis Wagner

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s solid waste management hierarchy prioritizes reduction and reuse over recycling. While most municipalities in Maine have focused on increasing recycling, they have undertaken minimal efforts to specifically foster source reduction and reuse. In this paper, Travis Wagner examines the approaches adopted in Maine by the state and by municipalities to reduce the consumption of single-use consumer products including bans, fees, consumer education, choice architecture, and retail take back.


Where Has Maine Been? Where Is Maine Going? Taking The Long View Of Maine’S Policy Context, Linda Silka Jan 2016

Where Has Maine Been? Where Is Maine Going? Taking The Long View Of Maine’S Policy Context, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

Linda Silka initiates what we hope will become a regular MPR column, which looks forward and looks back at policy issues in Maine. In this piece, she reflects on discussions she had with Aram Calhoun, Andy Coburn, Carla Dickstein, and Evan Richert.


Climate Policy 2015: Reports From The Congressional Trenches, Sharon Tisher, Peter Mills Jan 2016

Climate Policy 2015: Reports From The Congressional Trenches, Sharon Tisher, Peter Mills

Maine Policy Review

The bipartisan commentary by Peter Mills and Sharon Tisher urges action in Congress to address the problem of climate change, and stems from interviews with Senator Susan Collins, Senator Angus King, and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree regarding their climate-related initiatives in 2015.


The Importance Of The Humanities: Reflections From Leading Policymakers, Linda Silka Jan 2015

The Importance Of The Humanities: Reflections From Leading Policymakers, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

Maine is fortunate in being served by state policy leaders who care deeply about the humanities and who have devoted considerable thought to the role of the humanities in Maine’s past, present, and future. In this article, Linda Silka interviews four of these leading policymakers about the human­ities and policy: Tom Desjardin, Peter Mills, Margaret (Peggy) Rotundo, and Earle G. Shettleworth Jr.


Why The Humanities Are Necessary To Public Policy, And How, Anna Sims Bartel Jan 2015

Why The Humanities Are Necessary To Public Policy, And How, Anna Sims Bartel

Maine Policy Review

To ask what this issue of Maine Policy Review asks is to assume that the humanities are valuable and/or useful, both in general and in particular to public policy. So we should be asking not only how policy can help the humanities but how the humanities can help policy. Anna S. Bartel sees several answers and tries to map them by exploring intersections of humanities and public policy and by asking what public policy needs that the humanities can contribute. Four stages of policy can all benefit from humanistic education, programming, and dispositions: conceptualization, crafting, implementation, and evaluation


Margaret Chase Smith Essay: Priorities Of The U.S. Senate Aging Committee, Susan M. Collins Jan 2015

Margaret Chase Smith Essay: Priorities Of The U.S. Senate Aging Committee, Susan M. Collins

Maine Policy Review

Senator Susan Collins of Maine discusses the three major priorities of the U.S. Senate Aging Committee: investing in biomedical research targeting diseases that dispro­portionately affect older Americans, such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes; protecting seniors against financial exploitation and scams; and improving retirement security.


The Demographic Transformation In Maine (And Beyond) Is In Full Swing, Lenard W. Kaye Jan 2015

The Demographic Transformation In Maine (And Beyond) Is In Full Swing, Lenard W. Kaye

Maine Policy Review

The article discusses the demographics of longevity and what it means for Maine. Lenard Kaye, guest editor, introduces the topic and describes the reasons for this special aging-focused issue of the Maine Policy Review.


The Emergence Of Age-Friendly Communities: The City Of Bangor, Benjamin Sprague Jan 2015

The Emergence Of Age-Friendly Communities: The City Of Bangor, Benjamin Sprague

Maine Policy Review

Although Bangor now has the youngest median age of any city in Maine, Benjamin Sprague describes the city’s efforts to engage its older residents, which has led to Bangor being ranked one of the top places to retire by Forbes Magazine and AARP.


The View From Augusta: Developments Growing Out Of The Speaker’S 2013 Round Table Discussions And 2014 Aging Summit, Mark Eves, Jessica Maurer Jan 2015

The View From Augusta: Developments Growing Out Of The Speaker’S 2013 Round Table Discussions And 2014 Aging Summit, Mark Eves, Jessica Maurer

Maine Policy Review

Mark Eves and Jessica Maurer describe the significant progress made in Maine since 2013 in addressing aging-related issues through collaboration between legislative and community-based efforts. The Maine Aging Initiative, formed in 2014 and coordinated through the Maine Council on Aging and the House Speaker’s office, plays a significant role in supporting these efforts.


The Evolution Of Elder Housing Design And Development, John Gallagher Jan 2015

The Evolution Of Elder Housing Design And Development, John Gallagher

Maine Policy Review

Maine faces a growing number of elderly households as the baby boomer generation ages, which will have a major impact on housing. John Gallagher discusses the availability of affordable housing for elder adults, and what is being done to address the widening gap between the needs and wants of elders with limited financial resources and what will actually be available to them.


Getting From Here To There: Maine's Elder Transportation Challenge, Katherine Freund Jan 2015

Getting From Here To There: Maine's Elder Transportation Challenge, Katherine Freund

Maine Policy Review

Surveys and studies have repeatedly pointed out the problem of transportation for elders in Maine. Katherine Freund reviews Maine transportation studies and policy and suggests that the solution lies in developing private transporta­tion alternatives that are supported by technology and by appropriate public policies.


The Age-Friendly Community Movement In Maine, Patrica Oh Jan 2015

The Age-Friendly Community Movement In Maine, Patrica Oh

Maine Policy Review

Patricia Oh describes how age-friendly communities can provide residents of all ages what they need and want from their communities. She presents the broad guidelines for the integrated community planning necessary to create environments that support optimal aging and gives examples from places in Maine that are adopting the age-friendly community approach.


Shaping The Health And Long-Term-Care Infrastructure Serving Older Adults: Historical Trends And Future Directions, Julie Fralich Jan 2015

Shaping The Health And Long-Term-Care Infrastructure Serving Older Adults: Historical Trends And Future Directions, Julie Fralich

Maine Policy Review

Over the last few decades, federal and state policy have been driving a shift away from nursing facility-based long term services and supports (LTSS) toward home and community-based services (HCBS). As Maine’s aging demographics generate increasing demand for LTSS, the state faces a number of significant challenges as it tries to make living at home longer a viable option for more and more older adults who need assistance in order to do so. This article reviews the confluence of demographic and policy shifts that will shape the future of Maine’s LTSS system.


Maine’S Initiatives In Geriatric Medical Care: Commentary From The Front Lines, Cliff Singer, Roger Renfrew Jan 2015

Maine’S Initiatives In Geriatric Medical Care: Commentary From The Front Lines, Cliff Singer, Roger Renfrew

Maine Policy Review

Cliff Singer and Roger Renfrew write from their perspectives as medical practitioners and leaders in geriatric medi­cine to examine issues affecting health care and outcomes for older adults in Maine. Focusing on the acute and primary care systems, they highlight issues and policy recommendations they think are most urgent or helpful.


The Aging And Developmental Disabilities Networks: Can The Silos Be Dismantled?, Lenard W. Kaye, Lucille A. Zeph, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis Jan 2015

The Aging And Developmental Disabilities Networks: Can The Silos Be Dismantled?, Lenard W. Kaye, Lucille A. Zeph, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis

Maine Policy Review

The authors discuss the service networks for aging and developmental and physical disabilities, which have traditionally functioned in distinctly separate camps. They present the case for greater crossover between these networks and endorse increased alignment of the aging and disability networks in all arenas, including policy making, program development, education, and research.


The Emergence Of Age-Friendly Communities: Highlighting The Town Of Bucksport, James Bradney Jan 2015

The Emergence Of Age-Friendly Communities: Highlighting The Town Of Bucksport, James Bradney

Maine Policy Review

James Bradney highlights the activities and services available in Bucksport, Maine, that are enabling the town to meet the needs of its older adult population. The town is one that is participating in the Thriving in Place Initiative of the Maine Health Access Foundation.


Accessing Healthcare: The Experience Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Maine, Alan Kurtz, Angie Schickle, Margaret Carr, Marnie Bragdon-Morneault, Susan Russell, Debra Rainey, Jill Downs, Nancy Cronin Jun 2014

Accessing Healthcare: The Experience Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Maine, Alan Kurtz, Angie Schickle, Margaret Carr, Marnie Bragdon-Morneault, Susan Russell, Debra Rainey, Jill Downs, Nancy Cronin

Health and Well-Being

Previous research has revealed that children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are significantly more likely to have both unmet healthcare needs than those with other disabilities. In addition, they are more likely to have difficulty accessing primary or specialized medical care. Minority status, living in a rural location, and low income can exacerbate these disparities. Other obstacles to effective healthcare for individuals with ASD include the following: (1) severity of symptoms associated with ASD; (2) lack of knowledge or skill by medical practitioners; (3) lack of access to comprehensive healthcare supports or a medical home; and (4) lack …


Impacts Of Pay-As-You-Throw And Other Residential Solid Waste Policy Options: Southern Maine 2007–2013, Travis Blackmer, George Criner Jan 2014

Impacts Of Pay-As-You-Throw And Other Residential Solid Waste Policy Options: Southern Maine 2007–2013, Travis Blackmer, George Criner

Maine Policy Review

Municipal solid waste management in the U.S. began a transformation in the 1980s as a result of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation requiring the closure of municipal “dumps.” This legislation, coupled with increasing total and per capita waste, resulted in waste management receiving national attention. Maine and other states began broad efforts to reduce and wisely manage their municipal solid wastes. Many states established solid waste goals, with Maine targeting a waste diversion rate of 50 percent. Four common residential waste management programs in Maine include curbside trash collection, curbside recyclable collection, single-stream recycling, and pay-as-you-throw programs. This article …


R&D: Cornerstone Of The Knowledge Economy, Evan Richert Jan 2014

R&D: Cornerstone Of The Knowledge Economy, Evan Richert

Maine Policy Review

Maine has made progress toward achieving the goals set out 13 years ago in the State Planning Office’s publication “30 and 1000.” That publication projected that if 30 percent of the state’s adults had at least four-year degrees and if businesses, academia, and government were spending $1,000 per employed worker on research and development, Maine’s per capita income would reach the national average. The state still has a ways to go. Today it is estimated that the R&D threshold is about $1,600 per employed worker. Business will need to nearly double its effort to reach its share of the goal. …


Maine As A Bulwark Of Democracy, Peter Mills Jan 2014

Maine As A Bulwark Of Democracy, Peter Mills

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.


The Maine School And Library Network, Thomas L. Welch Jan 2013

The Maine School And Library Network, Thomas L. Welch

Maine Policy Review

Although Maine is a rural state, it has had success in keeping pace with technological changes since the rise of the Internet 20 years ago. In this section, authors describe some of these successes and the challenges faced by both consumers and libraries in the new digital environment. Tom Welch describes the development and importance of the Maine School and Library Network [MSLN], a pioneering effort that has brought inexpensive high-speed connectivity to all schools and libraries in Maine.