Maine Audubon Society

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH BY MAINE PARTNERS TO RESTORE COMMON LOON LOSSES RESULTING FROM THE BOUCHARD BARGE 120 OIL SPILL

MAINE AUDUBON WILL FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE PENOBSCOT RIVER WATERSHED, NEW ENGLAND'S SECOND LARGEST RIVER SYSTEM AND HOME TO THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON AND IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR SOME TEN OTHER MIGRATORY FISH SPECIES. MAINE AUDUBON AND PARTNERS WILL PROVIDE JOB-EMBEDDED TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FOURTEEN 5TH GRADE TEACHERS THROUGH FIELD EXPERIENCES, FIELD TRAINING INSTITUTES, AND ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING MODULES THAT ARE INTEGRATED WITHIN THEIR TEACHING PRACTICE. STUDENTS FROM THE ENTIRE BANGOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS 5TH GRADE CLASS (280 STUDENTS) WILL ENGAGE IN MULTIPLE OUTDOOR FIELD EXPERIENCES.

PRODUCE GIS MAPS TO BE USED FOR HABITAT PROTECTION

WILLIFE MANAGMENT

MIGRATORY BIRD HUSBANDRY

THIS AGREEMENT SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN MAINE WHICH ENDORSES TIMBER HARVESTING FOR THE BENEFIT OF MIGRATORY BIRD POPULATIONS.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT, BETWEEN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) AND MAINE A UDUBON SOCIETY (RECIPIENT), IS TO USE ECOLOGICAL FORESTRY PRACTICES AND THE BIRD-FRIENDLY MAPLE RECOGNITION PROGRAM FOR MAPLE PRODUCERS TO ENHANCE BREEDING BIRD HABITAT AND OVERALL BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE IN MAINE SUGARBUSHES.

MAINE AUDUBON IN FALMOUTH, MAINE, WILL COLLABORATE WITH WABANAKI TRIBES, PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND OTHERS TO EXTEND ENVIRONMENTAL/STEM EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES WHILE ENGAGING LEARNERS OF ALL AGES IN THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE WABANAKI. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED THE PERSISTENT, DISPROPORTIONATE VULNERABILITY AND SEEMING INVISIBILITY OF NATIVE COMMUNITIES. IN THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL LEARN THE HISTORY OF THE SIGNIFICANT AND NOW ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON AS INDIGENOUS SCIENTISTS, LEADERS, AND ELDERS PRESENT THEIR DEEP KNOWLEDGE, CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES, AND TRADITIONAL WAYS OF SUSTAINING THE FISH VIA FILMED INTERVIEWS. HIGH-QUALITY FILM WILL MEMORIALIZE CONTEMPORARY WABANAKI VOICES AND SHOWCASE LANDS AND RIVERS THAT HAVE SUSTAINED MAINE'S NATIVE COMMUNITIES FOR MORE THAN 600 GENERATIONS. THIS PROGRAM HAS INTERTWINED GOALS OF RAISING AWARENESS OF MAINE'S ENDURING FIRST INHABITANTS AND THEIR TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND TEACHING ABOUT SALMON, FISH BIOLOGY, HABITATS, AND CONSERVATION.

CONSERVING AT RISK SPECIES WITH A FOCUS ON SALTMARSH SPARROWS AND SHOREBIRDS

POLLINATOR GARDENS IN MAINE STATE PARKS: ENGAGING YOUTH AND UTILIZING LOCAL LEADERSHIP PIPELINES FOR POLLINATOR CONSERVATION AND PRJCT SUSTAINABILITY

MAINE AUDUBON URBAN YOUTH

DPS ROAD-STREAM CROSSING

MANAGEMENT OF LEAST TERNS AND PIPING PLOVERS AT RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

MAINE AUDUBON

LAND TRUST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REINVIGORATE AND EXPAND MAINE AUDUBON S PETS FOR PLOVERS OUTREACH PROGRAM TO FACILITATE RECOVERY OF THE FEDERALLY THREATENED PIPING PLOVER. THIS PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2017 AS A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE PET OWNERS IN MAINE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY AND COMMITMENT TO PIPING PLOVER CONSERVATION, BUT LIMITED STAFFING AND RESOURCES PRECLUDED THE PROGRAM FROM ACHIEVING THE DESIRED SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AND VISIBILITY ONLINE. POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM PET OWNERS ABOUT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THROUGH INTERACTIONS IN THE FIELD, HOWEVER THERE IS A NEED TO REVIVE OUTREACH AND MARKETING MATERIALS TO SUSTAIN PUBLIC SUPPORT. ALTHOUGH MAINE AUDUBON HAS A BUDGET FOR PIPING PLOVER CONSERVATION, THE GROWING POPULATION OF PIPING PLOVERS IN THE STATE HAS REQUIRED THAT THE LIMITED EXISTING FUNDING BE PRIMARILY ALLOTTED TO FIELD MONITORING AT THE EXPENSE OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. ALTHOUGH PIPING PLOVER NUMBERS IN MAINE ARE THE HIGHEST THEY VE BEEN SINCE MONITORING BEGAN IN 1981, THEIR POPULATION STATUS REMAINS PRECARIOUS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO NEED INTENSIVE MANAGEMENT. ONE OF THE MAJOR THREATS TO PIPING PLOVERS IN MAINE COMES FROM UNLEASHED DOGS AND OUTDOOR CATS, WHICH BOTH CAN CAUSE PLOVER MORTALITY AND NESTING DISRUPTIONS. SEVERAL IMPORTANT NESTING BEACHES ALLOW UNLEASHED DOGS, WHILE OTHERS HAVE LEASH RULES THAT THEY STRUGGLE TO ENFORCE. MAINE AUDUBON STAFF HAVE FOUND THAT THE BEST WAY TO CHANGE THESE BEHAVIORS IS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, AND THAT GIVING A STRONGER VOICE TO PET OWNERS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO CONSERVATION HELPS FOSTER A CULTURE OF PLOVER FRIENDLY BEHAVIORS. THE PETS FOR PLOVERS PROGRAM WILL HELP SHIFT THE NARRATIVE AWAY FROM NEGATIVE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PET OWNERS AND PIPING PLOVERS AND DEMONSTRATE THAT PET OWNERSHIP AND BIRD CONSERVATION ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. WE WILL CREATE A WEBSITE, INCREASE OUR PETS4PLOVERS SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, AND DEVELOP ADDITIONAL SWAG TO CONNECT WITH PET OWNERS. BY DOING THIS WORK AND ENGAGING WITH DOG AND CAT OWNERS THROUGH VET OFFICES, PET STORES, AND ONLINE WE WILL SHIFT THE NEGATIVE NARRATIVE AND EXPAND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS.

IMPROVING LOON PRODUCTIVITY IN GREATER SANBORN POND, MAINE

SHARP-TAILED SALTMARSH SPARROW INVENTORY AND MONITORING

MAINE AUDUBON IS SEEKING ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT ON OUR WORK PROTECTING FEDERALLY THREATENED PIPING PLOVERS ON SOUTHERN MAINE BEACHES. OUR WORK CONSISTS OF IDENTIFYING NESTING SITES, PROTECTING NESTING AREAS, WORKING WITH LANDOWNERS AND BEACH MANAGERS TO FACILITATE NEST SUCCESS, AND ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC SO PLOVERS AND PEOPLE CAN SHARE THE BEACH SAFELY.

MAINE AUDUBON AND USFWS WILL WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE AN OUTREACH PLAN GEARED TOWARDS REDUCING SHOREBIRD DISTURBANCE ON BEACHES DURING SPRING AND FALL MIGRATION. THIS PLAN WILL IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS, CONCRETE CONSERVATION AND TRAINING OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, DEVELOP CREATIVE STORYTELLING PRODUCTS, COORDINATED SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AS WELL AS CREATE INCENTIVES FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS.

POLLINATOR HABITAT CONSERVATION, FALMOUTH, ME