NOAA ’bout it! Federal funding that supports Maine’s coast is at risk. Speak up to show policymakers these critical investments matter. Learn more and share your voice now!
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Island Fellow alum Gideon Davidson reflects on his year on Swan’s Island and shares a special memory that he says will last long beyond his time there — one about unexpected island hospitality.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Earlier this spring, we caught up with Brendan Parsons, the founder of BP’s Shuck Shack and overall oyster entrepreneur. We first got to know Brendan through the first round of our Aquaculture Business Development program in 2015. Less than a year after getting his first seed in the water, he’s started his own retail and wholesale operations and has plans for much more. Learn more about Brendan and how he’s influencing the local oyster market.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Mainers pay some of the highest energy costs in the nation, with costs being especially high on Maine’s islands. Learn how Maine communities are developing creative approaches to address these costs and reduce reliance on expensive and polluting fuels through community-based clean energy initiatives.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
They’re popping up everywhere! While coworking spaces may be the new trendy thing, they’ve also become another tool for communities trying to extend the shoulder seasons. When communities can attract seasonal residents and find ways for them to come earlier or stay longer, it can have social and economic benefits for everyone.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
In mid-July, 22 educators from 11 schools and organizations gathered at College of the Atlantic for an intensive three-day workshop focused on experiential and place-based learning. Learn more about the workshop and the important role differentiation plays in island education from Education Director Yvonne Thomas.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
What is leadership? — Does a title convey leadership? — What does it mean to lead by example versus lead from the front? These are just a few of the questions that MAP students grappled with during their three-day Leadership Intensive at Bowdoin College in early July. Read more about the event, and how this new program is supporting Maine island students as they explore their next steps after high school.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Increasingly, Maine communities are joining forces to take a regional approach in the pursuit of reliable, high-speed internet infrastructure and service (broadband). In addition to new county-level efforts across the state, individual communities are also seeking cost-efficiencies in potential broadband solutions.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
If you own a business, you know that nothing is free, although every once in a while, good advice comes at no cost. The Small Business Development Centers of Maine offer free and extensive business support services to entrepreneurs through their advisors. Learn more about these services from David Hill of Chebeague Island, an advisor for 16 years.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Now into our second year of our Aquaculture Business Development (ABD) program, we continue to be inspired by the impressive men and women who are looking to diversify their incomes through shellfish and seaweed aquaculture. Read about a recent trip our ABD 2017 participants took to Southern New England to gain information and inspiration for their own businesses.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Our government’s decisions project a story to the world about who we are as people. When we step off a plane in another country, we encounter these stories, as the people we meet repeat them back to us. Read more from Island Institute President Rob Snyder on how, when our leaders’ decisions do not represent us, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to tell our own stories.
