Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park

Earlier this summer I had the privilege visiting inaugural members of the American Climate Corps who were sworn into service by Secretary Deb Haaland. Serving in Acadia National Park, Stephanie Letourneau and Zoe Brumbaugh shared how their work researching worms in the inter-tidal zone is helping land managers and local communities who depend on healthy mudflats for livelihood understand how this ecosystem is changing and why.  The temperatures in the Gulf of Maine are rising three times faster than the global average, posing a threat that will profoundly affect this ecosystem and everything that depends on it. A highlight was joining them in their research alongside a local who had been harvesting worms and clams from this zone since he was 14, demonstrating the importance of bridging gap between scientific research and community knowledge.  While there, our Science Communications Assistant Nina Foster shared how she is amplifying the importance of these and other climate science efforts and I also spent time with Clare Burnet learning about her efforts to engage volunteers in climate mitigation efforts across the park and surround ecosystems.  As Nina and Stephanie wrap up their experience in the next few weeks, I want to wish them the very best in their next steps and look forward to further updates from Claire as she continues her service through the end of the year! U.S. Department of the InteriorAmeriCorpsSchoodic Institute at Acadia National Park

There’s only a few spaces left to join us in person at Schoodic Institute on 8/13 for an evening with Margie Patlak, award-winning science writer, photographer, and Corea, Maine resident! Register online to attend 'Nature’s Lessons on Life, Loss, Legacy, and Restorative Wonder' and enjoy a wine-and-cheese welcome reception and book signing (at 6pm), photography exhibit, and evening lecture (at 7pm in-person or online). For free registration, visit https://lnkd.in/ewXJeein While showcasing some of Maine’s wondrous scenery with her photos, Patlak will share what the nature in Maine taught her about life, loss, legacy, and restorative wonder. Within a short span of time, Patlak lost her mother and sole sibling. Reeling from those losses, she returned to Down East Maine, where she spent her childhood summers. While in mourning and writing about the wilder environment she experienced at her new home, Patlak uncovered many lessons from nature. Margie Patlak's memoir #MoreThanMeetsTheEye: Exploring Nature and Loss on the Coast of Maine was given the “Outstanding Book” award by the American Society for Journalists and Authors in 2022. Her photobook #WildandWondrous: Nature’s Artistry on the Coast of Maine, which was published in July of 2023, is “not just a book, but a stunning work of art that transports the reader to the magical shores of Maine,” award-winning nature photographer Steven Mandel noted. Patlak has degrees in Botany and Environmental Studies and divides her time between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Corea, Maine. 📷 Photos by Margie Patlak ✨Schoodic Institute’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. #SummerLectureSeries #MeetAtSchoodic #NaturesLessons #SchoodicPoint #NaturePhotography #MargiePatlak

Another amazing outing with Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park to map the seaweed strewn, rocky, offshore islands of Maine! By far the most diverse and healthy intertidal seaweed we’ve mapped to date. Thanks to Glen Mittelhauser and the Maine Natural History Observatory for getting us out there and showing us this amazing place. The MNHO is working on building the definitive seaweed guide to Maine with rich photography, descriptions, and complete taxonomies. We hope you’ll visit their website and support their efforts. The spectral data collected at this offshore site will be catalogued in Nearview’s spectral library CESL https://lnkd.in/eCfPuKZ7 within the next couple of weeks. #seaweed #dronesforgood #uas #marinescience #marineecology #intertidal #remotesensing #earthobservation #macroalgae #hyperspectral

Our Summer Lecture Series continues Tuesday, 8/13 with 'Nature’s Lessons on Life, Loss, Legacy, and Restorative Wonder' - a special evening lecture, photography exhibition, and welcome reception with award-winning science writer and photographer Margie Patlak! Join us at 6:00pm before the lecture as we welcome Margie Patlak to Schoodic Institute with wine, cheese, and conversation. During the lecture (beginning at 7:00pm), Patlak will share what the nature in Maine taught her about life, loss, legacy, and restorative wonder, while also showcasing some of Maine’s more wondrous scenery with her photos. Patlak’s books will be available for purchase before and after the lecture. 📍 In person at Schoodic Institute or online via Zoom 🕖 6pm - 8:30pm 🎟️ Free and open to the public - advanced registration is required Margie Patlak's memoir More Than Meets the Eye: Exploring Nature and Loss on the Coast of Maine was given the “Outstanding Book” award by the American Society for Journalists and Authors in 2022. Her photobook Wild and Wondrous: Nature’s Artistry on the Coast of Maine, which was published in July of 2023, is “not just a book, but a stunning work of art that transports the reader to the magical shores of Maine,” award-winning nature photographer Steven Mandel noted. Patlak’s personal essays and articles have appeared in a number of newspapers, magazines, and literary journals including Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post, and many others. She has degrees in Botany and Environmental Studies and divides her time between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Corea, Maine. RSVP HERE ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ewXJeein 📷 by Margie Patlak Schoodic Institute’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank and Trust. #SummerLectureSeries #MeetAtSchoodic #PublicLectures #FreeEvents #MargiePatlak #NaturePhotography #ScienceWriting #DowneastMaine #SchoodicInstituteSummerLectureSeries

WE'RE HIRING! Schoodic Institute is currently hiring for multiple positions, including housekeepers and food prep/servers. Work with a great team in a beautiful location this summer! 🌱 Competitive starting pay 🌱 Flexible hours 🌱 10/10 location in Acadia National Park! To learn more and apply, visit https://lnkd.in/eBfaHbvT #WereHiring #ApplyNow #DowneastMaineJobs #HospitalityJobs #WorkAtSchoodic #FoodService #SchoodicPoint #VisitMaine #MeetAtSchoodic

I apologize for being a bit slow on posts lately, but I have been so busy being mesmerized by the change that can happen in people when they feel valued, accepted, and seen. #STEAMinthePARK provides opportunities for educators to step out of their comfort zone and truly experience the beauty and healing power of nature. As John Muir said, "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." This week has been a totally different experience at Acadia National Park. Sure, we had the tide pools, the crabs, THE porcupine, and the dark skies, but we also had the excitement of wonder and curiosity, the building of new friendships, the discovery of one's purpose, and the rekindling of the fire inside of us. We have one more full day together to learn, explore, and find value in who we are before everyone heads home tomorrow. But I promise you, this group will definitely stay connected. A special thanks to Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park for hosting #STEAMinthePARK for our 4th year. Day 42/82, here we go! Photos by Steve and Campers!

Bring your family and friends to Schoodic Institute this Saturday 7/13 for a meet-and-greet book signing with Maine children's book author Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs! Join us from 10am - 12pm at the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall (in Winter Harbor) to chat with Alexandra, purchase your own book, and have it signed.📚 Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs is the author of #TheLobsterLady, I Am Made of Mountains, and more. Her books have won awards including Maine’s #LupineAward and Wisconsin’s #OutstandingAchievementAward. They have also been featured on news outlets such as CBS News and The Washington Post. Before becoming a full-time author, Alex worked as a librarian in school, public, and academic libraries. She was also a historical researcher at American Girl. She lives in Bangor, Maine with her husband, three wild sons, and two tame cats. To learn more, visit us online https://lnkd.in/eu4S7dvu #BookSigning #LocalMaineAuthor #MaineWriter #LobsterLady #Education #MadeOfMountains #MeetAtSchoodic #ChildrensBooks #MeetTheAuthor #SchoodicPoint #DowneastMaine #WelcomeCenter #RockefellerHall

Finally – a publicly available spectral library of salt marsh plants for northern New England! Working with Schoodic Institute, Nearview has compiled a comprehensive spectral library of salt marsh species sampled in 2023 at three separate marsh sites across the coast of Maine. As stated by Schoodic Institute, “as the coast continues to experience pressure from changing land uses amid a changing climate, there is a need, recently expressed by the Maine Climate Council, to map and track changes in the distribution and abundance of coastal vegetation habitats.” The spectral library is a tool built to help with mapping and tracking change. This library can be downloaded from Nearview’s Speclib website: https://lnkd.in/eXi3B4R2. As a member of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), Nearview believes in the FAIR guiding principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse) for earth science digital data. While we have not completed our metadata to check all the FAIR boxes for this dataset, the survey season is upon us, and we want to make these data available to the scientific community as soon as possible. If you need help with mapping salt marsh for monitoring or restoration – reach out, we can do that! #saltmarsh #remotesensing #drones #dronesforgood #multispectral #hyperspectral #environmentalscience #marinescience Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park Nearview Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) #naturebasedsolutions #sealevelrise

Thank you for joining us in-person and online last week for Inspiring - and Surprising - Schoodic Science for a Changing World, featuring our very own Schoodic Institute Science Team! What a wonderful evening spent sharing how we study the rapidly changing world around us, what we are learning, and the chances we all have to contribute. A big thank you to our featured speakers - Science Information Specialist Emma Albee, Climate Change Adaptation Scientist Dr. Chris Nadeau, Marine Ecology Director Dr. Hannah Webber, Bird Ecology Director Seth Benz, Science Engagement Coordinator Shannon O’Brien, and Data Analyst Kyle Lima. In case you missed the talk (or want to relive it!), you can check out the recorded event, available now on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/egUBrSjh We hope to see you all again on July 16th for our next Summer Lecture Series event, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds with Scott Weidensaul. This year's #SummerLectureSeries is made possible by our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. #2024SummerLectureSeries #InspiringAndSurprising #SchoodicScience #ScienceForChange #SchoodicPoint #ScienceIsForEveryone #SchoodicPeninsula #DowneastMaine #MeetAtSchoodic

Each year the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park team gets a little bigger! This photo is from our All Staff meeting last week which includes year round and seasonal workers. It felt like a bit of a treat as we don't usually get to be in one space together!