Seagrass Summit

YOU'RE INVITED TO

Seagrass summit 2025
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0210.JPG
Sign up here!

You are invited to this year’s Seagrass Summit, a gathering of eelgrass enthusiasts to share information, brainstorm ideas, and connect with one another.

Often hidden beneath the ocean, eelgrass meadows in Maine are tall, lush, and teeming with wildlife. Unfortunately, they are also declining at an alarming rate. Join us to learn about the critical importance of eelgrass and what’s happening in Maine to research, manage, and protect it. 

What: Seagrass Summit
Where: Lemont Hall, 2 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011
Date: Monday, November 17, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 7:30 p.m. 

Finger food provided and beverages available for purchase

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AGENDA
(Details will be finalized closer to the event)

The Summit’s afternoon session will be more technical, and the evening will be a little more informal. Feel free to attend either or both sessions; registration required.

Session One | Maine Seagrass Consortium Meeting (2:00 – 5:00 p.m.)

The first session will be formal presentations on their recent work from eelgrass experts in the state, followed by a facilitated discussion of the recently drafted Maine Seagrass Action Plan. Light snacks and beverages will be provided.

Presentations:
  • Angie Brewer, Maine Department of Environmental Protection – Update on the status of seagrass in Maine
  • Jill Carr, MassBays National Estuary Partnership – Seagrass Strategies in Sync: Lessons from Nearby Waters
  • Janelle Goeke, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership – Diving deep into seagrass stressors in Casco Bay
  • Jaret Reblin, Bowdoin Schiller Coastal Studies Center – Constructing a modular seed processing and maturation facility to support eelgrass restoration
  • Glenn Page, Team Zostera – Lessons learned addressing key bottlenecks to seed based seagrass restoration
  • Ivy Frignoca, Friends of Casco Bay – Defining and determining healthy eelgrass habitat

Session Two | Community Connections (5:30 – 7:30 p.m.)

Come connect with others who care about Maine’s coastal habitats! This event is especially for those who volunteer or work with eelgrass and other coastal resources, however others are welcome. The second session will feature a short panel discussion and Q&A with experts after which attendees can explore informational tables and enjoy free heavier finger food and beverages for purchase. This portion is kid friendly. 

Panel: Seeing Yourself in Seagrass
Hear from state employees, municipal officials, and community members about how they interact with and consider seagrass in their work and lives. Discussion topics will include ways panelists have found seagrass to be important to their work and how you may be impacted by seagrass even if you don’t work with it directly.
 
Panelists include:
  • Cheyenne Adams, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
  • Dan Devereaux, Coastal Resource Manager, Town of Brunswick
  • Paul Plummer, Harbormaster & Marine Resource Administrator, Town of Harpswell

Sign up here! 

We hope to see you there! 

This event is hosted by Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Manomet, Maine Coastal Program, and Friends of Casco Bay.

Thank you to Lemont Hall for the generous donation of their space for this event. 

Photo credits: 
Banner photo: Maine DEP
Gallery photos (l to r): Maine DEP, Wells Reserve, CBEP 

For More Information:
Contact Janelle Goeke
CBEP Staff Scientist
Janelle.goeke@maine.edu