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Community Science In Support Of Ecosystem-Based Management: A Case Study From The Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, Usa, Sarah C. Risley, Kara E. Pellowe, Melissa L. Britsch, Meredith M. White, Heather M. Leslie
Community Science In Support Of Ecosystem-Based Management: A Case Study From The Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, Usa, Sarah C. Risley, Kara E. Pellowe, Melissa L. Britsch, Meredith M. White, Heather M. Leslie
Maine Policy Review
Coastal marine ecosystems are dynamic social-ecological systems (SESs) that support diverse ecosystem services and human activities. The complexity of SESs means that ecosystem-based approaches are increasingly used to support coastal marine ecosystem stewardship. We report how a community science program in Maine, USA offers a model of organizational innovation to expand capacities for shellfish research and management. Since 2019, we have collaborated with local students, shellfish harvesters, and others in data collection, interpretation, and application, contributing to local shellfish management and ecosystem sustainability. We demonstrate how community-based social and ecological research can build adaptive capacities by centering local knowledge; generating …
A Smiling Face Is Half The Meal: The Role Of Cooperation In Sustaining Maine’S Local Food Industry, Ethan Tremblay, Timothy Waring
A Smiling Face Is Half The Meal: The Role Of Cooperation In Sustaining Maine’S Local Food Industry, Ethan Tremblay, Timothy Waring
Maine Policy Review
The U.S. is experiencing a renaissance in local food production, and Maine is among the states leading that resurgence. This renaissance is influenced by many factors, and has both economic and social dimensions. This article examines the role of cooperation in the local food industry across a range of local food organizations. The authors conclude that cooperation plays different yet crucial roles in all local food organizations, and is an important part of the success of the local food industry as whole. The article considers the policy implications of these findings, and suggests that while the prevalence of cooperation is …
The Demographic Transformation In Maine (And Beyond) Is In Full Swing, Lenard W. Kaye
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.
Never Too Old To Lead: Activating Leadership Among Maine's Older Adults, Jennifer A. Crittenden, Lelia Deandrade
Never Too Old To Lead: Activating Leadership Among Maine's Older Adults, Jennifer A. Crittenden, Lelia Deandrade
Maine Policy Review
As Maine’s population ages, there will be a growing need to mobilize older Mainers to effect change in their local communities. There are few models available nationally that illustrate how to effectively train and engage baby boomers and older adults as leaders within community contexts. This article examines what is known about leadership development generally and highlights how one program in Maine is training and supporting older leaders who are using volunteer work to improve the health and well-being of their local communities.
The Power Of Language In Changing A Community's Story, Linda Cross Godfrey
The Power Of Language In Changing A Community's Story, Linda Cross Godfrey
Maine Policy Review
To revive the community and reverse negative images of the town, community leaders in Eastport, Maine relied on the power of language. This article illustrates their efforts to inspire change by using words from well known leaders and replacing DE-words such as depressed and decline with RE-words such as rebound and renew.
The Economic Implications Of Maine’S Changing Age Structure, James Breece, Glenn Mills, Todd Gabe
The Economic Implications Of Maine’S Changing Age Structure, James Breece, Glenn Mills, Todd Gabe
Maine Policy Review
The authors analyze the major implications of Maine’s aging population on the state’s workforce and economy. They note that there are steps that can be taken to partially mitigate the negative impacts and capitalize on the opportunities associated with an aging population.
Immigrant Elders: What Can Maine Learn From Other States?, Linda Silka
Immigrant Elders: What Can Maine Learn From Other States?, Linda Silka
Maine Policy Review
Maine is not yet home to large numbers of immigrants, but that may soon change. Linda Silka presents lessons from elsewhere about elder immigrants and considers their implications for Maine. She suggests that attention to the topic of immigrant elders will help Maine to create policy and opportunity for all elders.
Aging, Diversity, And Difference In Rural Perspective, Douglas Kimmel
Aging, Diversity, And Difference In Rural Perspective, Douglas Kimmel
Maine Policy Review
Recently, gender identity and sexual orientation have begun to be acknowledged as a dimension of diversity among older Mainers. Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) Maine conducted a needs assessment and determined four key goals that are important for its work: provide support for GLBT elders, create networks of providers who are knowledgeable and affirmative about GLBT aging, increase opportunities for intergenerational GLBT social activities, and develop a referral networks of GLBT-affirmative long-term care facilities and resources.
Organizing Voices In Maine To Support Successful Aging, David C. Wihry
Organizing Voices In Maine To Support Successful Aging, David C. Wihry
Maine Policy Review
David Wihry discusses the efforts of four associations in Maine that are supporting successful aging by organizing the voluntary, private, and public sectors; embracing a multidisciplinary perspective; and bringing together partners from across the state to make a larger impact on policy, attitudes about aging, and the well-being of older adults.
The Fabulous Promise And Practical Need For The Humanities In The Twenty-First Century, Liam Riordan
The Fabulous Promise And Practical Need For The Humanities In The Twenty-First Century, Liam Riordan
Maine Policy Review
Guest editor Liam Riordan in this overview article explores the relationship between the humanities and policy in general terms, identifying the recurring themes in the other articles in this special issue of Maine Policy Review. He contends that the humanities offer fabulous promise to enrich the quality of civic life in Maine and that this promise is firmly rooted in how the humanities address our practical need for meaningful human experiences.
Libraries + Irw = Big Read Success!, Jan Coates
Libraries + Irw = Big Read Success!, Jan Coates
Maine Policy Review
Jan Coates presents a case study of how Island Readers and Writers collaborated with local libraries in the Mt. Desert Island (Maine) area to encourage reading and community engagement through two "Big Read” events.
Libraries In The Community: Changing Opportunities, Stephanie Zurinski, Valerie Osborne, Mamie Anthoine-Ney, Janet Mckenney
Libraries In The Community: Changing Opportunities, Stephanie Zurinski, Valerie Osborne, Mamie Anthoine-Ney, Janet Mckenney
Maine Policy Review
When libraries first began, books were scarce and expensive. We live now in the Information Age. Public expectations about information are rapidly evolving. To remain relevant, libraries are expanding on sociologist Ray Oldenburg’s “Third Place” concept – public spaces which are “anchors of community life and important places for civic engagement”. Libraries have always offered a place for the community to come together. Now, libraries are becoming destinations by offering experiences ranging from the traditional story-telling to creation spaces and business incubators. Even with all the changes occurring in the world, libraries will remain the glue that holds the community …
Ripples From The East Coast Stream: Contributions From Migrant Hispanic Workers To Maine’S Wild Blueberry Industry, Vaishali Mamgain
Ripples From The East Coast Stream: Contributions From Migrant Hispanic Workers To Maine’S Wild Blueberry Industry, Vaishali Mamgain
Maine Policy Review
Interviews with 46 Hispanic migrant workers in the wild blueberry industry in Maine revealed they harvest different crops in several states and come to Maine at the end of the “East Coast Stream.” Although workers varied in productivity (and hence income), overall the group earned good income and contributed significantly to the Maine economy as workers and consumers. Based on these findings, governmental laws and policies are discussed in terms of their potential impact. A consideration of Maine’s aging population and interviews with employers demonstrate these workers’ importance: without them employers say, the wild blueberry industry would not be competitive.
Policy Changes For A Nutrition Education Program In Maine: Issues And Implications, Alan Majka, Janet C. Fairman, Kathryn Yerxa
Policy Changes For A Nutrition Education Program In Maine: Issues And Implications, Alan Majka, Janet C. Fairman, Kathryn Yerxa
Maine Policy Review
Food insecurity and preventable chronic disease have profound impacts on quality of life and health care costs in Maine. Many government programs have been developed to address these issues; however, effectiveness has often been limited by restrictive policies and less than optimal coordination. In this paper the authors draw upon their research and experiences in Maine, research conducted by others, and state and national statistics to elucidate some of these programs, including their efficacy, limitations, potential and threats to their sustainability. The authors contend that recent federal rule changes allow for greater impact through implementation of evidence-based strategies at the …
Two Maine Forest Pests: A Comparison Of Approaches To Understanding Threats To Hemlock And Ash Trees In Maine, Darren Ranco, Amy Arnett, Erika Latty, Alysa Remsburg, Kathleen Dunckel, Erin Quigley, Rob Lillieholm, John Daigle, Bill Livingston, Jennifer Neptune, Theresa Secord
Two Maine Forest Pests: A Comparison Of Approaches To Understanding Threats To Hemlock And Ash Trees In Maine, Darren Ranco, Amy Arnett, Erika Latty, Alysa Remsburg, Kathleen Dunckel, Erin Quigley, Rob Lillieholm, John Daigle, Bill Livingston, Jennifer Neptune, Theresa Secord
Maine Policy Review
The authors describe two invasive insect forest pests; the hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA) has already arrived in Maine, and the emerald ash borer (EAB) has not yet reached Maine, but will have a devastating effect on the state’s Indian basketmakers when it does arrive. With funding through Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative, teams based at the University of Maine and Unity College are bringing together faculty, students, and stakeholders to better understand the threats that infestations pose to the ecology and economy of the Maine’s forests and to longstanding cultural practices.
Introduction, Linda Silka, Bridie Mcgreavy, Brittany Cline, Laura Lindenfeld
Introduction, Linda Silka, Bridie Mcgreavy, Brittany Cline, Laura Lindenfeld
Maine Policy Review
Introduces special issue of Maine Policy Review focused on Maine's "Sustainability Solutions Initiative," an NSF/EPSCoR-funded project that brings together faculty from higher education institutions around the state to work with stakeholders on sustainability issues through the lens of sustainability science.
Sustainability And Workforce Development In Maine, Catherine S. Renault, Linda Silka, James (Jake) S. Ward
Sustainability And Workforce Development In Maine, Catherine S. Renault, Linda Silka, James (Jake) S. Ward
Maine Policy Review
Maine is facing challenges in terms of its workforce: education levels lag behind those in the other New England states; population growth is slow; and the economy is undergoing a change that has shifted from manufacturing to more knowledge-based jobs. Catherine Renault, Linda Silka and Jake Ward discuss these challenges, looking at what employers want in their employees and at the kinds of jobs the state is likely to see in the future. They point out that the Sustainability Solutions Initiative, with its emphasis on a boundary-crossing approach to education, is an example of a way to train today’s students …
Advancing Science And Improving Quality Of Place: Linking Knowledge With Action In Maine’S Sustainability Solutions Initiative, Damon Hall, Linda Silka, Laura Lindenfeld
Advancing Science And Improving Quality Of Place: Linking Knowledge With Action In Maine’S Sustainability Solutions Initiative, Damon Hall, Linda Silka, Laura Lindenfeld
Maine Policy Review
The authors give an overview of how research carried out through Maine’s Sustainabilty Solutions Initiative (SSI) improves traditional models of science by providing a fuller picture of the interaction between social and ecological systems. They provide examples of university-community research partnerships, where there is a continuous communication and feedback process that identifies problems and develops projects with a solutions-oriented focus. SSI projects, they argue, “focus on issues that may make lasting improvements to Maine’s quality of place.”
Building Statewide Community-University Partnerships: Working With The Maine Municipal Association, Karen Hutchins, Eric Conrad
Building Statewide Community-University Partnerships: Working With The Maine Municipal Association, Karen Hutchins, Eric Conrad
Maine Policy Review
Karen Hutchins and Eric Conrad’s “dialogue” illustrates the relationship between researchers from the University of Maine and the Maine Municipal Association (MMA). The stimulus for this unfolding relationship was the administration of a survey by the Sustainability Solutions Initiative Knowledge-to-Action group to Maine town officials about their experiences with, interest in, and preferences for university-community partnerships. Although municipal officials are interested in such partnerships, Hutchins and Conrad point out the need for improved communication and relationships with officials, so that they recognize researchers’ abilities (and limitations) in addressing municipal concerns.
Healthy Lakes And Vibrant Economies: Linking History, Sense Of Place, And Watershed Protection In The Belgrade Lakes Region, James Rodger Fleming, Erin A. Love
Healthy Lakes And Vibrant Economies: Linking History, Sense Of Place, And Watershed Protection In The Belgrade Lakes Region, James Rodger Fleming, Erin A. Love
Maine Policy Review
Using interviews, targeted questionnaires, and historical documents, James Fleming and Erin Love show how history and “sense of place” can help encourage individuals to support environmental protection. The project they describe focuses on watershed protection in the Belgrade Lakes region of Maine, and is part of a larger Sustainability Solutions Initiative project in that region. They argue that “connection to place leads to caring about it.”
Our Environment: A Glimpse At What Mainers Value, Mark W. Anderson, Caroline Noblet, Mario Teisl
Our Environment: A Glimpse At What Mainers Value, Mark W. Anderson, Caroline Noblet, Mario Teisl
Maine Policy Review
Understanding environmental worldviews is important because values can play a strong part in defining and resolving policy debates. Mark Anderson, Caroline Noblet and Mario Teisl present analysis of a survey that included questions about Mainers’ environmental values. They note that people can value the environment in multiple ways at the same time, and that these values are not necessarily mutually exclusive. In the end, they say, “values matter” in environmental policy.
Research For The Sustainable Development Of Tidal Power In Maine, Teresa Johnson, Gayle B. Zydlewski
Research For The Sustainable Development Of Tidal Power In Maine, Teresa Johnson, Gayle B. Zydlewski
Maine Policy Review
Generating electricity from Maine’s substantial tides has been a dream for generations. Today, the state is poised for a new era in sustainable tidal-power development. A pilot project is already underway in the Cobscook Bay/Western Passage area near Eastport and Lubec. Tidal-power development presents technical, environmental, and social challenges, however, and the authors discuss how the Maine Tidal Power Initiative is working to develop a cooperative framework that integrates stakeholders, developers, and policymakers to tackle some of these challenges.
Education On Food, Fisheries And Agriculture, Molly Anderson
Education On Food, Fisheries And Agriculture, Molly Anderson
Maine Policy Review
This article describes the important role of education in helping the growing workforce in food-related industries, as well as the general population. The author notes that education in Maine about food, fisheries, and agriculture is provided in a wide variety of venues: formal degrees at colleges and universities; Cooperative Extension; farm-to-school programs; the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA); and even educational farms. A sidebar by John Rebar discusses the work of University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Challenges To Food Access Among Lewiston’S African Immigrants, Michelle Vasquez Jacobus, Reza Jalali
Challenges To Food Access Among Lewiston’S African Immigrants, Michelle Vasquez Jacobus, Reza Jalali
Maine Policy Review
Michelle Vasquez Jacobus and Reza Jelali present a case study of challenges to food access among African immigrants in Lewiston, Maine
It’S Growing Season For Maine’S Food System, Deborah Felder
It’S Growing Season For Maine’S Food System, Deborah Felder
Maine Policy Review
In the introduction to this special issue, guest editor Deb Felder lays out the elements of a sustainable food system. She notes that the increased interest in more ecologically sustainable, safe, humane, and economical community-supported food systems has “put Maine in the forefront of the food movement.”
Building A Sustainable Seafood System For Maine, Robin Alden
Building A Sustainable Seafood System For Maine, Robin Alden
Maine Policy Review
In this article, Robin Alden notes that Maine could have one of the premier marine food systems in the world. However, that means adequate stewardship of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and diversifying the fishing industry beyond lobster by creating innovative public policy and a food system that supports community fishing.
By Land And By Sea, Amanda Beal
By Land And By Sea, Amanda Beal
Maine Policy Review
This short article discusses the results of the By Land and By Sea project, in which Maine fishermen and farmers came together to discuss common concerns and to forge new solutions aimed at re-envisioning a unified food system.
Hunger In Maine, Donna Yellen, Mark Swann, Elena Schmidt
Hunger In Maine, Donna Yellen, Mark Swann, Elena Schmidt
Maine Policy Review
Hunger and food insecurity is on the rise in Maine. Mainers are experiencing a food emergency made graver by the economic recession and rising health costs. The authors of this article discuss hunger in Maine, focusing on private efforts to alleviate it.
Local Food For Lewiston: Exploring The Role Of Food Assessment As Part Of Broader Work In Community-Engaged Food Systems, Kirsten Walter
Local Food For Lewiston: Exploring The Role Of Food Assessment As Part Of Broader Work In Community-Engaged Food Systems, Kirsten Walter
Maine Policy Review
Kirsten Walter’s case study discusses the community food assessment in Lewiston, Maine and the recommendations stemming from it.
When The Politics Of Food And Politics Of Immigration Collide— Who Wins?, Barbara Ginley
When The Politics Of Food And Politics Of Immigration Collide— Who Wins?, Barbara Ginley
Maine Policy Review
This commentary discusses how migrant workers play a key role in Maine and national agriculture, a key fact that is sometimes lost in the political rhetoric about “illegal immigrants.”