Marti Blair

Maine Department of Marine Resources conducted monitoring of phytoplankton in Casco Bay in 2017. A presentation of results is available here.

OTISFIELD — The Western Foothills Land Trust recently purchased a 74-acre forested parcel on the Crooked River, with funding provided by conservation partners working to protect water quality in Sebago Lake. Full story here.

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $630,000 grant to the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, which is housed at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. The funds will go towards efforts to reduce nutrient pollution; protect and restore key habitats and improve resilience and community education around the Casco Bay Watershed. … Read more

9/14/17, Lewiston Sun Journal, “Improved Fish Passage Insures Brook Trout Return to Brandy Brook” 3/21/17, The Portland Forecaster, ‘Wharfside Stories help unwrap history of Portland’s working waterfront 3/6/17, Portland Press Herald, Chebeague Island native’s the driving force behind new aquaculture festival 2/26/17, Seacoast Online, Wharfside Series 2/3/17, South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Sentry, Conservation commission plans public … Read more

The new Casco Bay Climate Change Vulnerability Report, authored by CBEP, Natural Choices and Waterview Consulting, contains sections on climate trends in the Casco Bay region, management of climate risks, and a climate adaptation resource guide for Casco Bay communities. Here is the Report,  a Summary Report and a fact sheet.

A new report commissioned by CBEP suggests some good news for Casco Bay: Concentrations of legacy pollutants – heavy metals and organic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) – tend to be declining. The Casco Bay Sediment Assessment 1991 – 2011, prepared by Ramboll Environ for CBEP, is available here.

The 2017 Casco Bay Sediment Report and associated fact sheets can be found here. The Casco Bay Sediment Assessment 1991 – 2011, prepared by Ramboll Environ for CBEP, analyzed results from sediment monitoring of Casco Bay that was conducted from 1991 through 2011.

One of the primary goals in the updated Casco Bay Plan (2016-2021) is to “Foster resilient communities and their connections to Casco Bay.” To that end, CBEP hired Victoria Boundy as the new Community Engagement Coordinator. Victoria will work collaboratively with CBEP partners to increase public engagement in the Bay through promoting sense of place, … Read more

In conjunction with the recent New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference Annual Meeting, Bates College and CBEP produced a report, “The ecogeomorphology of two salt marshes in midcoast Maine: Natural history and human impacts,” which is available on the Publications page.

Grant funding from the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership Habitat Protection Fund has supported PRLT’s successful efforts to establish the Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook.  The growing conservation area has been made possible thanks to the generosity of local residents, who are donating land to PRLT because they want to see the stream corridor protected in … Read more