Protecting Maine's Coast

4/26/10

Jessica Currier

The coast of Maine is on many minds of citizens in the state of Maine. Pollution, trash, global warming, and human destruction have been impairing the coast of Maine, so Mainers are in an act of protecting it.

The coast of Maine has been and still is attracting large coastal development. The natural land and coast is being converted to building grounds and other uses. Mainers want to start protecting their coast now, before it is already ruined.

In the state of Maine, there are many organizations and communities gathering together to help protect the coast of Maine. A group of organizations- Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Maine State Planning Office, Land Trust Alliance, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Service Center, and other small organizations- are partners in the Maine Coast Protective Initiative (2).

The Maine Coast Protective Initiative has implied three goals in order to protect the coast of Maine and maintain its character until the year 2025. Goal one was to conserve lands by protecting coastal and estuarine habitat and supporting commercial fisheries and recreational pursuits (2). Goal number two was concentrating with land trusts. The MCPI wanted land trusts with sustainable, professional, and technical capacity, engaged in proactive strategic land conservation (2). Lastly, funding and public support was goal three. MCPI wanted to increase support and increase funding for coastal land conservation (2). All three of the goals have been implemented into communities and have started to protect Maine’s coast.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Service Center, a member of MCPI, supports the strategic conservation planning process (3). They provide funding and technical support (3). The NOAA works with landowners, coastal land trusts, and federal and conservation partners to build a network of conserved land areas (6). They want to ensure that they protect the critical habitats and safeguard the scenic character and natural resources (6).

Another member of the MCPI, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, is an organization oriented to share information and bring together conservationists about protecting Maine’s coast (5). The MLTN, like the other organizations mentioned, provide programs, services, and resources to help sustain land conservation organizations throughout the state of Maine (5). The MLTN has more than 50 preserves along the cost of Maine, in order to maintain the natural character (10). A few rules that they imply to these preservations that ensure the natural character are that motorized vehicles are prohibited, pets must be under voice or leash control, and islands with nesting birds have seasonal restrictions during nesting periods (10).

MLTN's preservations along the coast of Maine

The Maine Coast Protective Initiative has gained more than 70 organizations, which comes to show that people in Maine are reacting now and not later, when it is too late to preserve the coast of Maine. To find out ways to help protect the coast of Maine visit the MCPI’s website, http://www.protectcoastalmaine.org/index.htm.

References:

1)Environment Maine. “Protecting Maine’s Coast.”

http://www.environmentmaine.org/clean-water/protect-maines-coast

2)Maine Coast Protection Initiative. “MCPI’s Vision for the Coast. “

http://www.protectcoastalmaine.org/index.htm

3)NOAA Coastal Services Center. “Protecting coasal Maine through collaboration and technical capacity building.”

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/conservation/mcpi.html

4)Coastal Conservation Association. Dick Anderson receives Lifetime Achievement Award from CCA Maine.”

http://www.cca-maine.org/

5)Maine Coast Heritage Trust. “Protecting the Character of Maine for Future Generations.”

http://www.mcht.org/index.shtml

6)NOAA Coastal Services Center. “Working Together to Protect Coast Maine.”

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/conservation/images/Protect%20Coastal%20Maine%20poster.pdf

7)NOAA Coastal Services Center. “Working to Increase the Pace and Quality of Coastal Land Conservation.”

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/conservation/images/initial_concept_poster.jpg

8)Google Images. “Lighthouse.”

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/multimedia/dynamic/00132/Maine_Coast_132141e.jpg

9)Google Images. “Maine Coast.”

http://www.mainerealestatenews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/campellis.jpg

10)Maine Coast Heritage Trust. “MCHT Preserves.”

http://www.mcht.org/preserves/index.shtml

Protecting Maine's Coast

Jessica Currier

4/22/10

I will be writing about the environmental issue of protecting Maine’s coast.

Environment Maine. “Protecting Maine’s Coast.”

http://www.environmentmaine.org/clean-water/protect-maines-coast

Maine Coast Protection Initiative. “MCPI’s Vision for the Coast."

http://www.protectcoastalmaine.org/index.htm

NOAA Coastal Services Center. “Protecting coasal Maine through collaboration and technical capacity building.”

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/conservation/mcpi.html

Coastal Conservation Association. Dick Anderson receives Lifetime Achievement Award from CCA Maine.”

http://www.cca-maine.org/

Maine Coast Heritage Trust. “Protecting the Character of Maine for Future Generations.”

http://www.mcht.org/index.shtml

Images:

NOAA Coastal Services Center. “Working Together to Protect Coast Maine.”

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/conservation/images/Protect%20Coastal%20Maine%20poster.pdf

NOAA Coastal Services Center. “Working to Increase the Pace and Quality of Coastal Land Conservation.”

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/conservation/images/initial_concept_poster.jpg

Google Images. “Lighthouse.”

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/multimedia/dynamic/00132/Maine_Coast_132141e.jpg

Google Images. “Maine Coast.”

http://www.mainerealestatenews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/campellis.jpg

Maine Coast Heritage Trust. “MCHT Preserves.”

http://www.mcht.org/preserves/index.shtml

Rivals Up For the Championship

Jessica Currier

4/15/10

The University of Maine’s campus recreation flag football league played their championship game on April 1, in the dome at the University of Maine. The two teams, Panic at 7A and the Big Lebowskis, were rivals, so tension was high.

The game started off with the Big Lebowskis having possession of the ball. Panic at 7A proved their defense to be alert. Defensive back, Travis Bouchard, snagged the flag off the running back as he headed towards the field goal, directing 7A to a strong beginning.

With the ball handed over to Panic at 7A, Quarter back, Caleb Rousser, threw the ball to Jack Keefer, the wide receiver, who dove for the catch and missed. In doing so, he strained his ACL and was out for the rest of the night.

The Big Lebowskis ran a play and scored the first touchdown of the game with a 25 yard run. Panic at 7A didn’t let this phase them and scored their first touchdown right after, making the score neck to neck and ending the first half.

The beginning of the second half brought in another touchdown for the Big Lebowskis, showing Panic at 7A that they needed a time-out for a huddle, in order to develop a new, strategic play.

Panic at 7A lined up on the line of scrimmage, center Jon Karlberg, hiked the ball and ran out for a 10 yard button hook. Karlberg then ran the ball 25 yards to tie up the game.

The Big Lebowskis didn’t let this turn them off. The quarterback threw a 15 yard pass to the tight-end, winning the University of Maine’s campus recreation flag football championship, 20 to 7.

After the game, the players exchanged handshakes, and the Big Lebowskis celebrated and Panic at 7A showed their respect. Defensive back, Allen Morales from Panic at 7A, quoted, “The Big Lebowskis played a tough game, I’m impressed by how my team presented themselves, and we’ll come back strong next fall.”