Center for Sustainability Solutions

The Wabanaki Alliance proudly recognized Dr. Darren Ranco as one of six honorees at the 2026 Nihkaniyane celebration in Freeport. Dr. Ranco, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation, serves as Chair of Native American Programs and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Maine. Throughout his career, he has bridged settler academia and Indigenous advocacy—using […]

UMaine forestry professor and Center for Sustainability Solutions faculty fellow John Daigle has co-authored national guidance to help communities prepare for extreme weather and natural disasters. Published as part of the U.S. Climate Collection (AGU & AMS), the research highlights how Indigenous Knowledges and relational worldviews offer critical insights for climate adaptation, resilience, and community […]

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are gaining momentum across the U.S., forcing companies to pay for the cleanup and disposal of their packaging waste. As author Erin Victor highlights, while eco-modulated fees can incentivize businesses to design greener, more recyclable packaging, fragmented regulations across states risk creating confusion. For EPR to drive real environmental impact, […]

The University of Maine (UMaine) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help expand federal financial and technical support for American commercial fishing and seafood businesses. Through this collaboration, the Local Catch Network—a UMaine-based network led by Josh Stoll representing over 2,500 community-based seafood harvesters and producers across North America—will work directly […]

Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden is hosting a tour on September 15 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm The tour will feature the new Seed-to-Plate Internship pilot project, supported in part by the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions’ Sustainability Grants Program. This interdisciplinary initiative provides undergraduate students with experiential learning opportunities that connect sustainable food production, […]

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Congratulations to Jasmine Lamb who was recently awarded a 2026 Switzer Fellowship. This one-year fellowship is for graduate students from diverse academic and personal backgrounds whose career goals focus on environmental improvement. Switzer Fellows demonstrate leadership in their field, as well as commitment and competency to advance social equity as a fundamental part of their environmental […]

Rose Abramoff, an assistant professor in UMaine’s School of Forest Resources, is spearheading efforts to address a critical lack of research on how wild and prescribed fires impact Northeastern temperate forests through a Mitchell Center funded project. Abramoff explains that the region faces an increasing risk of wildfires due to rising droughts and an accumulation […]

Mitchell Center research Cressica Brazier was selected by the University Energy Institute Leadership Collaborative (UEILC) as one of six Bridge-Builder Fellows from university-based energy institutes across the United States. With generous support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, this inaugural cohort represents a significant step forward in UEILC’s mission to foster cross-institutional collaboration and leadership within […]

Rose Abramoff and Lydia Horne from UMaine’s School of Forest Resources invite you to participate in a Mitchell Center research project about the use of prescribed fire in Maine. They are interested in learning more about the knowledge, barriers, and motivations related to prescribed fire use and would like to hear your perspective and experiences. […]