If you’ve felt the familiar itch of browntail moth rash, seen the grayish-green needles of an infested hemlock or watched as woodpeckers bore into ash trees for a meal hidden beneath the surface, you’ve experienced the devastating effects of non-native pests. Browntail moth, hemlock wooly adelgid and emerald ash borer are only three of the […]
Read more
The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) has restarted it’s publication funding program after a two-year pause. We are proud to announce that with the first cycle of 2024 funding, MAFES has supported seven peer-reviewed publications. These publications reflect the diverse research programs supported by the Experiment Station (see below). A second 2024 funding […]
Read more
May 24, 2024 Noah Charney, an assistant professor of conservation biology at the University of Maine, was featured in a profile by the New York Times for his work on understanding and interacting with landscapes. Charney practices reading the land around him — its past, present, potential for the future by picking up on patterns […]
Read more
Warm weather means many farms across Maine will be hosting public access hours and events (check Real Maine or local farm websites for hours and details). MAFES’ Aroostook, Blueberry Hill, Highmoor, and Rogers farms will all be hosting field days and other opportunities for public access throughout the summer (see our events page for details). […]
Read more
The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station has published MR449: Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visitor Survey 2019. Authors John J. Daigle, University of Maine Ashley Cooper, University of Maine Description Quality in outdoor recreation can be defined as the degree to which recreation opportunities provide the experiences for which they are designed and managed. Key to […]
Read more
Human dimensions of natural resources have become a recognized component of management that is just as necessary as ecological study. As the state of Maine faces emerging issues such as increased development, growing motorized recreation use, and changes in supply and demand for forest resources, this research fills a critical need. The coupled human-forest interactions […]
Read more
Without transportation systems sufficient to support a growing user population, many recreation areas are experiencing not only diminished resources, but declining visitor satisfaction. Included in the missions of all four federal land management agencies is the directive to manage resources so as to provide enjoyment, while meeting the needs of future generations of Americans. This […]
Read more
The tourism industry is central to the economic development of many rural communities in Maine. Trends suggest the number of visitors in Maine will keep increasing. In 2011, tourism was responsible for generating over 20% of jobs in the state and accounted for an estimated 16% of tax revenue. Global changes—including climatic, societal, technological, and […]
Read more
Tourism generates an array of economic, conservation, health, and societal benefits to residents and nonresidents of Maine. The state’s outstanding tourism assets and the diversity of outdoor recreation opportunities represent important drivers for attracting diverse in-state and out-of-state visitors. These unique natural and cultural tourism assets have ample growth capacity. Challenges to capturing these opportunities […]
Read more
There is global evidence of rapid environmental change as the result of climate change and in some cases introduction of invasive species. The environmental changes are often particularly severe to socially, economically, and disadvantaged populations with strong connections to natural resources for cultural, spiritual, economical, and health reasons. This research will bring diverse groups together […]
Read more