FISH FRIENDS
Maine currently has the last remaining wild population of Atlantic Salmon in the U.S. Maine Audubon and a number of schools in Maine and Canada participate in Fish Friends, an educational rearing program overseen by the Atlantic Salmon Federation in cooperation with the region’s federal fish hatcheries and agencies. Not only do we rear salmon at two of our centers, we help hundreds of schoolchildren learn about salmon, raise and release eggs, and more. Our resources include story walks and videos.
More about Fish Friends >
NATURE EXPLORER BACKPACKS
Maine Audubon Nature Explorer Backpacks are designed to encourage children and families to explore the outdoors together while learning about wildlife and habitat. We offer library packs for public library patrons to borrow and use in their communities. At Gilsland Farm, families can check out backpacks for a small fee to use on-site, and at Fields Pond, classroom sets are available.
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EMERALD ASH BORER
Emerald Ash Borer poses a uniquely devastating threat to Maine’s ecology, economy, and cultural history. Three native species of ash, all of which are key ecological and economic keystones, are being destroyed by the invasive pest which has been introduced in North American temperate forests. Climate change has aided the insect’s broadening range, while also adding to other stresses these trees and our forests face. We have learned from federal, state, and tribal officials and experts what to expect, how we can prepare, and actions we can take to make our forests and communities more resilient. Through this partnership, this project is helping develop a response to the EAB crisis as it unfolds across Maine, and will also contribute to the broader continental response by indigenous and settler governments and communities.
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PENOBSCOT CLASSROOMS
Penobscot Classrooms is a two-year collaboration between Maine Audubon and Bangor Schools, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s B-WET (Bay Watershed Education and Training) program, culminating in several community environmental learning projects spearheaded by students. Since 2023, Maine Audubon educators from Fields Pond have worked with all 13 of Bangor’s 5th grade classrooms—more than 500 students—bringing place-based environmental learning to life both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, Maine Audubon staff provided professional development, curriculum, equipment, and other community resources to Bangor teachers to assist with the integration of place-based environmental education into their curriculum.
More about Penobscot Classrooms >
WILDLIFE ON THE MOVE
The Wildlife on the Move project revolves around four board books, created by Maine Audubon and Maine publisher Islandport Press. The goal of the four-book series is to bring well-written, engaging stories about wildlife migration, conservation, and respectful human interaction with nature to a Pre-K through second-grade audience. Each book also has a companion teaching, and can also be created as a story walk that schools or libraries can borrow.
More about Wildlife on the Move >
ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY
Maine Audubon worked with Maine Environmental Education Association, the Maine Department of Education, and others to revise Maine’s Environmental Literacy Plan. This revision is critical for aligning Maine’s plan with the federal No Child Left Inside Act of 2021, especially in order for Maine students and communities to benefit from federal support for climate education, outdoor learning, and workforce development. The goals and strategies laid out in the revised plan, when implemented, will greatly advance environmental literacy resulting in increased health and wellness for Maine’s people, lands, and waters.
Visit the Maine Department of Education website to see the full plan.
JUNIOR DUCK STAMP
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is a dynamic, multidisciplinary curriculum that teaches wetland and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. Maine Audubon has served as a coordinator of the state program for years.
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