February 2020
Talk – The Shifting Dynamics of Rural Economic Development
Speakers: Vicki Rusbult and Lee Umphrey, Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC) Eastern Maine Development Corporation, a Maine designated economic development district, has developed a new model of economic development. Economic Opportunity Response Teams (EORT) components enhance traditional technical assistance services by fostering fully integrated, collaborative relationships with businesses, communities, and individuals. The process is enhanced by creating Targeted Development Roadmap that support client-specific and long-term partnerships. Lee Umphrey, President and CEO, EMDC Following decades of professional experience connecting people and communities with…
Find out more »Talk – Dams, Culverts and the Art of Decision Making
Speaker: Sam Roy, Research Assistant Professor, Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions Dam removal is now common practice for restoring natural flow connectivity in rivers, with significant benefits for migratory fish and their freshwater/marine ecosystems. However, dams are only one of several types of infrastructure fragmenting aquatic habitat. Though dams generally have greater impact, other man-made barriers like road culverts also limit migration. We explore the potential for combining dam removals and road culvert improvements to improve the costs and benefits…
Find out more »Talk – Sustainable, Livable Communities for All: MDI’s affordable housing problem
Speaker: Ted Koffman Affordable housing for low- and middle-income employees is nearly out of reach in some Maine communities. Mount Desert Island (MDI) is one community struggling with affordable housing for its year-round workforce. Data from the US Census Bureau indicates a growing trend for MDI’s workers to commute from off the island. This figure reached more than 60% in 2014. Additionally, data indicates that Hancock County has a large share of unaffordable housing compared to the rest of the…
Find out more »March 2020
Talk – Tick, Talk: Integrating biological and social science research to address ticks and Lyme disease in Maine
Speaker: Carly Sponarski, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Conservation Biology, Faculty Fellow, Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
Find out more »Talk – Shifting paradigms to manage for change in Acadia National Park
Shifting paradigms to manage for change in Acadia National Park: Our approach and where we need your help Speaker: Abe Miller-Rushing, Science Coordinator, Acadia National Park Agencies charged with protecting natural and cultural resources can no longer simply work to maintain historical conditions. Rather, these agencies must manage resources in a rapidly changing environment. They must adopt a mix of practices designed to resist, accept, and direct change. Dr. Miller-Rushing, Science Coordinator at Acadia National Park, will discuss how the…
Find out more »Talk – Defining Food Security in the Modern World
Defining Food Security in the Modern World: Nutritional and Food Management Policies in the US, Canada, and Great Britain in the Post-World War Two Era Speaker: Brian Payne, Associate Professor, Bridgewater State University When the United Nations released its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals on September 25, 2015, it listed “zero hunger” as its second priority, only after “no poverty.” While many commentators have since noted that these goals marked a significant redirection for the United Nations’ understanding of global development,…
Find out more »April 2020
Talk – Stories from the Sea: Fishing Communities Revealed
Speaker: Natalie Springuel, University of Maine Sea Grant Scattered among Maine’s coastal communities, in historical societies, museums, libraries, community radio stations and schools, the voices of Maine’s fishing community members have been recorded for posterity. These voices can illustrate the past and help us plan for the future. With ecological shifts happening today as a result of climate change and other drivers, the local fisheries knowledge contained in Maine’s rich oral history archives is a critical source of information about…
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