Schoodic Institute

Acadian Arts Fall Retreat - Watercolor Painting and International Cooking
2022-10-18 - 2022-10-21 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Schoodic Point is arguably one of the most beautiful places in Acadia National Park! Stay on the Schoodic Education and Research Center (SERC) campus in the midst of Schoodic point to paint, cook, and enjoy one of the most beautiful places on the coast of Maine. Its scenic setting on the rugged coast of the Atlantic Ocean offers easy access to coastline habitat, intertidal zones, and spruce/fir forests. This location is a birding hotspot and has the darkest night skies in the United States, with more visible stars than anywhere else on the coast of Maine. Bring your camera, lawn chair and binoculars. Get ready for stargazing with Chris Toy, registered Maine Guide, and a bird walk with Schoodic Institute Bird Ecology Director, Seth Benz.
You’ll get to participate in these hands-on workshops in Watercolor Painting on the Coast of Maine, and International Cooking with an intimate group of artists and cooks:
Watercolor Painting is an exciting medium; it flows and moves and does beautiful things. Instructor Mary Laury has been recognized for her work by the Maine Arts Commission. Workshop participants will do landscapes and seascapes. If you have never painted in watercolors we will start at the beginning. If you have painted before, you will pick up some new tips and tricks as well. We all learn together! We’ll begin with a demo and lesson. Weather permitting, we will go outside for plein air painting. We will do studies of sky, water, and rocks, culminating in a finished painting (or two) of a seascape. Materials will be provided but bring what you have.
International Fusion Homestyle Cooking for a Crowd engages all the senses. Cooking instructor and author of 6 cookbooks, Chris Toy has been teaching Asian themed and fusion recipes privately, for community education statewide, Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School in York, La Roux Kitchen in Portland, and Now You’re Cooking in Bath. Together you’ll prepare great tasting lunches and hearty dinners for yourselves and fellow artists. Instruction will include selection and care of tools (knives, woks, cast iron), history of recipes (back stories), finding, choosing and preparing ingredients (shopping tips), and techniques for getting great results in record time (tips and tricks). All supplies and tools will be provided. We’ll be hands-on so bring your aprons, cutting boards, and hand towels. Your instructor will call to discuss materials and details.
Day students are also welcome at these workshops.
Two packages are available: Commuter for $499.00 and Residential for $775.00. To register for either, fill out the form below.

Seabirds at Schoodic Point
2022-10-14 - 2022-10-17 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Registration for this event is now closed. Please contact Michelle at 207-288-1356 for more information.
In October, the waters off Schoodic Point are filled with migrating waterbirds: loons, sea ducks, and cormorants. A variety of other species may be seen during this workshop, including falcons, jaegers, gulls, shorebirds, and songbirds. 2022 will be the seventh season of daily monitoring of this phenomenal autumn flight. Participants will gain skills and an appreciation for identifying birds in flight and will contribute to this ongoing scientific effort by helping to spot birds and document the flight. We’ll discuss how to best use the Merlin and eBird apps and discuss how networks of bird observatories and bird tracking studies are contributing to migratory bird conservation.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, participants must provide their own ground transportation to and from Schoodic Institute and possibly during all field trips. If van use is prohibited, all field trips will be caravan style (carpooling is possible). All participants must be prepared to wear a facial mask that covers nose and mouth during all tour activities, especially when social distancing is not possible. Changes to the status of COVID-19 precautions are monitored closely by Schoodic Institute and are subject to the guidance of the Maine CDC (and U.S. CDC). We will adjust accordingly.
Participants should bring binoculars. A camera (optional) can be fun as all tours are fairly scenic. Spotting scopes are useful but optional and your guide will provide one for group use, as well as guidebooks. None of the tours require strenuous hiking. Birding will be slow moving and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery, but large boots are unnecessary. Mid-October can be chilly and wet. Bring appropriate clothing.
Registration is required. There are two packages available. The Commuter Package for $820.00 per participant is the base package and does not include lodging. The Residential Package for $980.00 per participant adds lodging for the first three nights.
Example Itinerary
Day 1: Begins on the Schoodic Institute campus at 3:00 PM with check-in and orientation at Rockefeller Hall. We’ll then take a leisurely stroll to Schoodic Point before dinner at 6:00 PM. An evening presentation on seabird identification and migration follows.
Day 2 and 3: Start at sunrise at Schoodic Point after which we’ll go back inside for breakfast. Following breakfast everyone returns to Schoodic Point to gain firsthand experience with monitoring the migration. Lunch will be at Schooner Commons. During the afternoon hours we’ll assess the day’s activity and determine whether classroom time, more field time, or a field trip to a nearby birding location would be most rewarding. We’ll break at 5:00 PM for some leisure time before the 6:00 PM dinner. An evening discussion on the day’s experience follows.
Day 4: Starts again with sunrise at Schoodic Point before breakfast. Breakfast is from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. We’ll return to Schoodic Point after breakfast in anticipation of migrating birds, including gannets, moving along the coastline. Wrap-up precedes checkout at 10:00 AM.
Housing: Lodging assignments are based on guests sleeping in a private bedroom in a shared apartment. In light of COVID-19 we recommend that guests in each apartment work together to coordinate use of the bathroom. We will place cleaning products in each bathroom and suggest that every person disinfect the space for the next user when they are done using it. All lodging provides a fully equipped kitchen, combined living/dining area with DirecTV and WiFi. Towels and linens are provided. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 if you have any questions regarding alternative lodging options or in the event you would like to bring a guest or extend your reservation. Private apartments can be reserved with an upcharge and based upon availability. We are happy to accommodate if space is available!
Should You Need to Cancel Your Event Registration
There is a $35 processing fee for any cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 14 days of the conference date.
Registration for this event is now closed. Please contact Michelle at 207-288-1356 for more information.

Contemporary Architecture in Rural Communities
2022-10-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Join us October 11, 2022 at 7:00 PM for an evening lecture with Todd Saunders, founder of Saunders Architecture.

Saunders Architecture has been making architecture in Scandinavia, and around the world, for 25 years. Our work has one foot in the past and one foot in the future to bridge the gap between the contemporary architecture of today and the existing vernacular architecture of the communities in which we work. We believe that contemporary architecture in rural communities can function as both a catalyst for positive change and a signifier of place. From the Aurland Lookout in Norway to the Fogo Island Inn and Studios in Newfoundland, such projects invite visitors from around the world, revitalize local economies, and help foster connections between people. This talk will showcase examples of our work and its role in the revitalization of local communities, as well as other examples from around North America and Scandinavia.

SAUNDERS ARCHITECTURE
Todd Saunders is a Norway-based Canadian architect known to infuse his contemporary buildings with an artistic sensibility that is deeply in tune with the uniqueness of northern terrains. His use of natural materials and simple yet striking geometries sets him apart as one of the most celebrated architects of his generation. He is recognized for constructing buildings that acknowledge and understand vernacular histories but create something entirely new.

Among his best-known projects is Aurland Lookout, overlooking the fjords of Norway, and Fogo Island Inn located off the coast of Newfoundland. The 29-room luxury inn is raised on stilts at one end to prevent disrupting the lichen-covered landscape and to provide visitors with a heightened view of the Atlantic shoreline. Many of Saunders’s projects share a similar trait of partial elevation to intensify the experiential relationship between landscape and built form.

Born in Gander, Newfoundland, Saunders studied architecture at McGill University in Montreal before moving to Norway and establishing Saunders Architecture in Bergen in 1998. His portfolio includes residential and cultural projects, national park landmarks and off-grid micro-houses that insert into isolated locations with little to no environmental disruption. The studio has won numerous awards and global accolades for its spectacular structures. It is also the subject of two books, including Todd Saunders: New Northern Houses, a lavish monograph featuring 11 residents in Canada and Scandinavia. Written by Dominic Bradbury, the book will be released in fall 2021 by Thames & Hudson.

Even with an international reputation and projects located in ten countries, Todd has kept his firm relatively small, preferring to focus on a few projects at a time. He collaborates closely with clients to address their unique needs and understand the specifics of a given site. He is also involved in constructing his buildings, working with local artisans and carpenters to incorporate traditional materials and techniques into his designs.

In recent years, Saunders has focused more purposefully on philanthropic-based architecture that gives back to the community through cultural and economic enrichment. The Illusuak Cultural Centre in Labrador, Canada, is one such example, built by and for the self-governing people of Nunasiavut. The studio is currently working on a visitor center in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine, expected to reach completion in 2023.

Todd is a visiting professor at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut and Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and has been a jury member on over ten international design competitions, including the Norwegian National Architecture Prize. In 2020, he was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

This lecture will take place in-person at Schoodic Institute’s Moore Auditorium and remotely via Zoom.
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Schoodic Institute’s Evening Lecture Series is sponsored by Darling’s Auto Mall.

Downeast Maine Birding Hotspots
2022-09-30 - 2022-10-04 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Registration for this event is now closed. Please contact Michelle at 207-288-1356 for more information.
This tour begins in Bangor, Maine at 8:00 AM *. We’ll spend two nights at Schoodic Institute in Acadia National Park and two nights at Eastland Motel in Lubec, Maine’s easternmost town. From each lodge, day trips will investigate near intertidal areas flooded with migrating shorebirds and wood edges peppered with restless flocks of southbound warblers. We’ll also take a boat tour into Head Harbor Passage, a deep-water channel between Canada and the United States, where Bonaparte’s gulls forage by the thousands, joined by Black-legged Kittiwakes. Rarities such as Black-headed, Sabine’s and Little gull have been spotted here as well. The Downeast region is ideal for exploring the quieter reaches of Acadia National Park, spruce-bordered rocky headlands, nearby blueberry barrens, and diverse hotspots on the preserved lands of coastal Washington County.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, we are offering van transportation from Bangor (Odlin Road Park & Ride parking area is very near the Bangor Airport and a selection of excellent lodging facilities. We will pick you up at your inn or lodge) OR participants may provide their own ground transportation to and from Schoodic Institute. From Schoodic, if van use is prohibited, all field trips will be caravan style via carpooling. All participants must be prepared to wear a facial mask that covers nose and mouth during all tour activities, especially when social distancing is not possible. Changes to the status of COVID-19 precautions are monitored closely by Schoodic Institute and are subject to the guidance of the Maine CDC (and U.S. CDC). We will adjust accordingly.
Participants should bring binoculars. A camera (optional) can be fun as all tours are fairly scenic. Spotting scopes are useful but optional and your guide will provide one for group use, as well as guidebooks. None of the tours require strenuous hiking. Birding will be slow moving and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery, but large boots are unnecessary. The boat tour can be cold and damp. Bring appropriate clothing.
* participants may drive to Schoodic Institute for an 11:00 AM start.
Registration is required. The package cost is $1585.00 per participant.
Example Itinerary
Day 1: Begins in Bangor, Maine at 8:00 AM (transportation pick up available) OR on the Schoodic Institute campus at 11:00 AM, as the group convenes for this 5-day, 4-night tour. Check-in and orientation is at Rockefeller Hall. After check-in, introductions, and lunch, the afternoon will be spent exploring the Schoodic section of Acadia National Park. Dinner is at 6:00 PM in Schooner Commons. Following dinner, we will have an evening presentation to get acquainted with the history and ecology of the region.
Day 2: Starts with an optional bird walk before breakfast. Breakfast is from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. This day will feature birding hotspots in Acadia National Park and vicinity. We’ll return by 5:00 PM for an hour of leisure prior to a Lobster Dinner in the dining hall. After dinner discussion will focus on birds and events of the day, research and education work at the institute, and preview of days ahead.
Day 3: Following breakfast, we’ll transition from the Schoodic Peninsula by birding our way farther Downeast, arriving in Lubec by late afternoon. Along the way, we’ll visit Roque Bluffs State Park and another birding hotspot or two. Dinner will be at a local eatery in Lubec. After dinner we’ll do a checklist review and preparation for the next day’s adventure.
Day 4: Focus today is a boat trip out of Eastport into Head Harbor Passage which lies between the U.S. and Canada – with a tide so strong that the world’s second largest whirlpool, “The Old Sow,” swirls in the middle. So much sea life congregates in this channel that minke whales are usually sighted from land. The channel fills with Bonaparte’s Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Eiders, Black Guillemots, and Razorbills, feeding off mackerel and herring offshore.
Day 5: Is leader’s choice, giving us a good portion of the day to make up for any bad weather or missed opportunities along the route from Lubec back toward Schoodic. The tour ends at 2:00 PM.
A species list from a previous tour is available upon request.
Housing: Lodging assignments are based on guests sleeping in a private bedroom in a shared apartment. In light of COVID-19 we recommend that guests in each apartment work together to coordinate use of the bathroom. We will place cleaning products in each bathroom and suggest that every person disinfect the space for the next user when they are done using it. All lodging provides a fully equipped kitchen, combined living/dining area with DirecTV and WiFi. Towels and linens are provided. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 if you have any questions regarding alternative lodging options or in the event you would like to bring a guest or extend your reservation. Private apartments can be reserved with an upcharge and based upon availability. We are happy to accommodate if space is available!
Should You Need to Cancel Your Event Registration
There is a $35 processing fee for any cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 14 days of the conference date.
Registration for this event is now closed. Please contact Michelle at 207-288-1356 for more information.

We Change with Them
2022-09-29 14:00 - 16:00
“We Change With Them” is a six-image series by artist Jennifer Steen Booher that explores shifting ecosystem dynamics resulting from climate change in the Gulf of Maine.
View the exhibit and join a conversation with Booher and Catherine Schmitt of Schoodic Institute about their research on changes in populations of oysters, shrimp, squid, and other Gulf of Maine marine life.
Learn more about the series and the “We Change With Them” exhibit here.
The exhibit and speaker series were funded by the Maine Humanities Council and Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, and are part of the Landscape of Change project, the Historical Society’s joint initiative with Acadia National Park, Schoodic Institute, the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, College of the Atlantic, and A Climate to Thrive.

Wild Mushrooms in Maine: Entering a World of Wonder and Ecological Treasure with Greg Marley
2022-09-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Join us Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 7 PM for a free evening lecture with Greg Marley, author of Mushrooms for Health: Medicinal Secrets of Northeastern Fungi, and the award-winning Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares: The Love, Lore, and Mystic of Mushrooms. Mushrooms in the wild bring out a strong range of emotions and interests. Today many people seek them out as a locally foraged source of delicious and nutritious food or to support optimum health. Others treat them with the caution learned in childhood, assuming all wild mushrooms must be poisonous and seek to rid their yards of the colorful fruit. Beyond the association with food or poison, the fungi that produce mushrooms play an invaluable role in the ecology of our forests and fields. The very health of our plant communities depend upon ongoing dynamic relationships with resident fungi. Join Maine mycologist and author Greg Marley for a romp through the fascinating world of Maine’s mushrooms. Add your curiosity, your questions and an open mind.
Greg Marley has been collecting, studying, eating, growing and teaching mushrooms for over 45 years. He has spread his love of mushrooms to hundreds through walks, talks and classes held across the New England over the past 30 years. As a volunteer mushroom identification consultant to Poison Centers across New England since 2001, he provides expertise in mushroom poisoning cases. When not mushrooming, Marley works as a mental health clinician and behavioral health consultant specializing in suicide prevention.
Attend in-person at Moore Auditorium on the Schoodic Institute campus, or remotely via Zoom.
Join Zoom meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85319449270?pwd=[REDACTED]
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Schoodic Institute’s Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Darling’s Auto Mall.

Landscape of Change with Halcyon
2022-08-27 18:00 - 19:15 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Join us for an evening of music and imagery featuring Halcyon, the renowned Maine-based string quartet, as they share their love of music in ways that foster connection, community, vibrancy, joy, warmth, and accessibility. In each concert, they work to create a space that draws upon word, art and music to tell a story that is relevant to our community.

This year, Halcyon will perform classical compositions accompanied by a multimedia presentation that explore how our environment is changing around us, along with findings from our work through Landscape of Change. Launched in April 2019, Landscape of Change focuses on comparing the Mount Desert Island environment past and present to document change and inform decisions about how to respond today to ensure a livable future. It is a collaboration between MDI Historical Society, MDI Biological Laboratory, Schoodic Institute, College of the Atlantic, National Park Service, and A Climate to Thrive.

In conjunction with this special performance by Halcyon, and adding to this exciting event, will be the work of local artist Jennifer Steen Booher. We are honored to exhibit Booher’s work from her series, “We Change With Them,” an exploration of shifting ecosystem dynamics resulting from climate change.

Jennifer Steen Booher is an artist and photographer from Bar Harbor, Maine. Her work explores the intersection of science and history, incorporating observations and concerns about ecosystem dynamics and marine debris. She has been a Resident Artist with Acadia National Park since 2015, and Artist-in-Residence with the Mount Desert Island Historical Society since 2018. She received her BA in Art History and Asian Studies from Vassar College, and her master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia.

The performance will start at 6:00 PM in Moore Auditorium located at Schoodic Institute. There is a suggested donation of $10.00 per person. Please register below.

Please contact Susi Acord at sacord@schoodicinstitute.org with any questions.

Winged Migration
2022-08-27 - 2022-08-31 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
This tour begins in Bangor, Maine at 8:00 AM *. We’ll spend two nights at Schoodic Institute in Acadia National Park and two nights at Eastland Motel in Lubec, Maine’s easternmost town. From each lodge, day trips will investigate nearby intertidal areas flooded with migrating shorebirds and wood edges peppered with restless flocks of southbound warblers. We’ll also venture offshore for pelagic birds and whales into Head Harbor Passage, a deep-water channel between Canada and the United States. The Downeast region is ideal for exploring the quieter reaches of Acadia National Park, spruce-bordered rocky headlands, nearby blueberry barrens, and diverse hotspots on the preserved lands of coastal Washington County.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, we are offering van transportation from Bangor (Odlin Road Park & Ride parking area is very near the Bangor Airport and a selection of lodging facilities. We will pick you up at your inn or lodge.) OR participants may provide their own ground transportation to and from Schoodic Institute. All participants must be prepared to wear a facial mask that covers nose and mouth during all tour activities, especially when social distancing is not possible. Changes to the status of COVID-19 precautions are monitored closely by Schoodic Institute and are subject to the guidance of the Maine CDC (and U.S. CDC). We will adjust accordingly.
Participants should bring binoculars. A camera (optional) can be fun as all tours are fairly scenic. Spotting scopes are useful but optional and your guide will provide one for group use, as well as guidebooks. None of the tours require strenuous hiking. Birding will be slow moving and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery, but large boots are unnecessary. The boat tour can be cold and damp. Bring appropriate clothing.
* participants may drive to Schoodic Institute for an 11:00 AM start.
Registration is required. The package cost is $1585.00 per participant.
Example Itinerary
Day 1: Begins in Bangor, Maine at 8:00 AM (transportation pick up available) OR on the Schoodic Institute campus at 11:00 AM, as the group convenes for this 5-day, 4-night tour. Check-in and orientation is at Rockefeller Hall. After check-in, introductions, and lunch, the afternoon will be spent exploring the Schoodic section of Acadia National Park. Dinner is at 6:00 PM in Schooner Commons. Following dinner, we will have an evening presentation to get acquainted with the history and ecology of the region.
Day 2: Starts with an optional bird walk before breakfast. Breakfast is from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. We’ll then spend the day afield to survey birding hotspots in Acadia National Park and vicinity. We’ll return for an hour of leisure prior to a Lobster Dinner in the dining hall of Schoodic Institute. After dinner discussion will focus on events of the day and research and education work of the Institute.
Day 3: Following breakfast, we’ll transition from the Schoodic Peninsula by birding our way to Lubec, arriving by late afternoon. Along the way, we’ll visit Roque Bluffs State Park and another birding hotspot or two. Dinner will be at a local eatery in Lubec. After dinner we’ll do a checklist review and preparation for the next day’s adventure.
Day 4: The focus today is a boat trip out of Eastport into Head Harbor Passage which lies between the U.S. and Canada – with a tide so strong that the world’s second largest whirlpool, “The Old Sow,” swirls in the middle. So much sea life congregates in this channel that minke whales are usually sighted from land. The channel fills with Bonaparte’s Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Eiders, Black Guillemots, and Razorbills, feeding off mackerel and herring offshore.
Day 5: Is leader’s choice, giving us a good portion of the day to make up for any bad weather or missed opportunities along the route from Lubec back toward Schoodic. The tour ends at 2:00 PM.
A species list from a previous Winged Migration tour is available upon request.
Housing: Lodging assignments are based on guests sleeping in a private bedroom in a shared apartment. In light of COVID-19 we recommend that guests in each apartment work together to coordinate use of the bathroom. We will place cleaning products in each bathroom and suggest that every person disinfect the space for the next user when they are done using it. All lodging provides a fully equipped kitchen, combined living/dining area with DirecTV and WiFi. Towels and linens are provided. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 if you have any questions regarding alternative lodging options or in the event you would like to bring a guest or extend your reservation. Private apartments can be reserved with an upcharge and based upon availability. We are happy to accommodate if space is available!
Should You Need to Cancel Your Event Registration
There is a $35 processing fee for any cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 14 days of the conference date.
Register Below:

Acadia's Birds by Land & Sea II
2022-08-20 - 2022-08-24 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Registration for this event is now closed. Please contact Michelle at 207-288-1356 for more information.
Explore a variety of habitats in the Downeast Acadia Region, focusing on terrestrial birding hotspots and nearshore waters of the Gulf of Maine. Observe and learn about birds and regional ecology at a comfortable pace while contributing to Schoodic Institute’s ongoing scientific studies of birds. Experience the thrill of discovery while being immersed in Acadia National Park’s outstanding beauty and landscape.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, participants must provide their own ground transportation to and from Schoodic Institute and possibly during all field trips. If we cannot use a van, all field trips will be caravan style. All participants must be prepared to wear a facial mask that covers nose and mouth during all tour activities, especially when social distancing is not possible. Changes to the status of COVID-19 precautions are monitored closely by Schoodic Institute and are subject to the guidance of the Maine CDC (and U.S. CDC).
Participants should bring binoculars. A camera (optional) can be fun as all tours are fairly scenic. Spotting scopes are useful but optional and your guide will provide one for group use, as well as guidebooks. None of the tours require strenuous hiking. Birding will be slow moving and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery, but large boots are unnecessary. Boat tours can be cold and damp. Bring appropriate clothing.
Registration is required. The package cost is $1550.00.
Example Itinerary
Day 1: The experience begins at 3:00 PM at Schoodic Institute’s Rockefeller Hall on the Institute campus in Acadia National Park for lodging check-in and a group orientation. We’ll then take a leisurely stroll to Schoodic Point before dinner at 6:00 PM. Following dinner, we will have an evening presentation to get acquainted with the history and ecology of the region.
Days 2, 3, and 4: These days usually begin with an optional bird walk before breakfast on the Schoodic Institute campus. Weather and tides will shape each day’s customized plan. Breakfast is served in our dining hall from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. Some days may start earlier in which case we’ll have a prepared field breakfast to tote along. We plan to go afield each day, complete with a scrumptious bagged lunch, to a fruitful variety of birding locations and outstanding sites throughout the region. While on land, we’ll concentrate on songbird and shorebird migration hotspots. Our “home range” extends from the eastern blueberry barrens of Columbia Falls to Seal Cove on the western side of Acadia National Park. We’ll return to our lodging at the Institute by late afternoon each day (between 5:00 and 6:00 PM) to enjoy a little relaxation time and perhaps a beverage before dinner. Dinner is always served from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, where we’ll be seated safely and appropriately as a group. After dinner we’ll review the day’s bird checklist, discuss and entertain questions from the day, review our use of eBird to document birds, and plan for the next day.
The tour includes a commercial whale watch boat trip out on the Gulf of Maine with the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company. In fact, we could call this day “Feathers and Flukes” as the whale watch trip is a convenient way to search for shearwaters, jaegers, fulmars, and phalaropes as well as several species of whales!
Day 5: Day Five is leader’s choice for where we will spend our last day of birding together. Perhaps we may need to make up for time lost to inclement weather or try a different location for a certain species. In any case, after breakfast, we’ll take time to pack gear and check out from lodging. We may take an easy stroll along Schoodic Institute’s Sundew or Alder Trail or go around the auto loop one more time. We’ll take stock of what we’ve learned, review the bird checklist, figure out a good location for lunch afield and bid each other farewell by 2:00 PM.
Housing: Lodging assignments are based on guests sleeping in a private bedroom in a shared apartment. In light of COVID-19 we recommend that guests in each apartment work together to coordinate use of the bathroom. We will place cleaning products in each bathroom and suggest that every person disinfect the space for the next user when they are done using it. All lodging provides a fully equipped kitchen, combined living/dining area with DirecTV and WiFi. Towels and linens are provided. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 if you have any questions regarding alternative lodging options or in the event you would like to bring a guest or extend your reservation. Private apartments can be reserved with an upcharge and based upon availability. We are happy to accommodate if space is available!
Should You Need to Cancel Your Event Registration
There is a $35 processing fee for any cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 14 days of the conference date.
Registration for this event is now closed. Please contact Michelle at 207-288-1356 for more information.

NSGA Winter Harbor Reunion
2022-08-12 17:30 | Schooner Commons, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Jacobson Drive, Winter Harbor, Maine, 04693
NSGA Winter Harbor is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Navy base closure with a weekend of activities!
We will start the festivities on Friday evening, 12 August 2022. Schoodic Institute is hosting a sit-down dinner at the former Schooner Club (now Schooner Commons) at the old base site at Schoodic. Dinner will begin at 1730 (5:30 pm) with a social – light nibbles, non-alcoholic beverages, and wine. The social will be followed by a buffet-style dinner: your choice of beef, haddock, or pasta primavera, salad, bread, and dessert.
Admiral Mike Rogers USN (retired) will be the guest speaker. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 with any questions regarding dinner reservations or lodging.

Photos used with permission from Friends of NSGA Winter Harbor.
Capacity for this event has been reached and registration in now closed. Please contact Michelle at 288-1356 for more information.

Science for the Present
2022-07-26 16:00 - 17:30 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
When it comes to our climate, too often our focus is on what has happened in the past or what might happen in the future; however, communities across the globe are experiencing dramatic changes right now. Here in Acadia, we are dealing with hotter temperatures, rising sea level, and increasing storm frequency and intensity.
On July 26th, join us for a conversation on Science for the Present with National Park Service Director, Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III, as our featured guest.
During the lecture, Director Sams and a panel of early-career science professionals will discuss some of the most pressing climate challenges in our national parks, and the importance of Indigenous leadership and knowledge as well as conventional science to inform our response to ecological transformation. The panel will be moderated by Andrew Revkin, environmental journalist and Director with the Earth Institute at Columbia University.
The Goldstein Lecture serves to convene and inspire on critical topics for parks, people, and the planet. The lecture is named in honor of Alan Goldstein, an accomplished businessman, philanthropist, sailor, and environmental advocate. Schoodic Institute serves as the nation’s largest Research Learning Center and is a nonprofit partner of Acadia National Park. Chairing Schoodic Institute’s Board of Directors from 2006 to 2018, Alan remains an active member of the Board.
Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III – National Park Service, Director
Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III was ceremonially sworn in as the 19th director of the National Park Service on Dec. 16, 2021, by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
Sams is Cayuse and Walla Walla and is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Northeast Oregon, where he grew up. He also has blood ties to the Cocopah Tribe and Yankton Sioux of Fort Peck.
Sams most recently served as Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s appointee to the Pacific Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NW Council) where he held a position as a council member from March to December of 2021. Prior to joining the NW Council, he served as executive director for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
For more than 25 years, Sams has worked in tribal and state government, and in the non-profit natural resource and conservation management field, with an emphasis on the responsibility of strong stewardship for land preservation for this and future generations.
Sams is a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served as an intelligence specialist. He holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Concordia University and a Master of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma School of Law. He lives with his wife, Lori Lynn (Reinecke) Sams and their youngest daughter in Alexandria, VA.
Andrew Revkin – Journalist, and Director with the Earth Institute at Columbia University
Andew is one of America’s most honored and experienced environmental journalists and the founding director of the new Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. At Columbia he is building programs, courses, tools and collaborations bridging communication gaps between science and society to cut climate risk and boost social and environmental resilience.
Revkin has written on climate change for more than 30 years, reporting from the North Pole to the White House, the Amazon rain forest to the Vatican – mostly for The New York Times. He has held positions at National Geographic and Discover Magazine and won the top awards in science journalism multiple times, along with a Guggenheim Fellowship. Revkin has written acclaimed books on the history of humanity’s relationship with weather, the changing Arctic, global warming and the assault on the Amazon rain forest, as well as three book chapters on science communication. Two very different films have been based on his work: “Rock Star” (Warner Brothers, 2001) and the triple-Golden-Globe-winning 1994 HBO film “The Burning Season,” based on Revkin’s biography of slain rain forest defender Chico Mendes. A lifelong musician, he was a frequent accompanist of Pete Seeger and is a performing songwriter.
Join us in-person at Schoodic Institute or remotely via Zoom.
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NPS Photo
Schoodic Institute’s Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Darling’s Auto Mall.

Acadia's Birds & Whales (Registration Closed)
2022-07-20 - 2022-07-24 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
This five-day tour is offered to showcase seabirds, pelagic birds, and whales. By design there will be two different boat trips. One gets within close photo range of the puffins and terns of Petit Manan Island, an active seabird-nesting colony. The second goes farther out on the expansive waters of the Gulf of Maine in search of whales and pelagic birds, normally a five-hour excursion. We’ll also have ample time to explore a couple of area hotspots in the vicinity of the Schoodic Peninsula to look for some terrestrial specialties such as Spruce Grouse and Upland Sandpiper.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, participants must provide their own ground transportation to and from Schoodic Institute and possibly during all field trips. If van travel is prohibited, all field trips will be caravan style. All participants must be prepared to wear a facial mask that covers nose and mouth during all tour activities, especially when social distancing is not possible. Changes to the status of COVID-19 precautions are monitored closely by Schoodic Institute and are subject to the guidance of the Maine CDC (and U.S. CDC).
Participants should bring binoculars. A camera (optional) can be fun as all tours are fairly scenic. Spotting scopes are useful but optional and your guide will provide one for group use, as well as guidebooks. None of the tours require strenuous hiking. Birding will be slow moving and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery, but large boots are unnecessary. Boat tours can be cold and damp. Bring appropriate clothing.
Registration is required. The package cost is $1630.00 per participant.
Itinerary
Day 1: Begins on the Schoodic Institute campus at 3:00 PM, as the group convenes for this 5-day, 4-night tour. Check-in and orientation is at Rockefeller Hall. We’ll first take a leisurely stroll to Schoodic Point before dinner at 6:00 PM. Following dinner, we will have an evening presentation to get acquainted with the history and ecology of the region.
Day 2: Starts with an optional morning bird walk, breakfast, and a 3-hour cruise to see puffins and other birds at Petit Manan Island. In addition to circumnavigating the seabird island, the boat tour will visit a seal basking ledge, pass by a Double-crested Cormorant nesting colony and search for an active Bald Eagle nest. This will be followed by a boxed lunch at Frazer Point in Acadia National Park. The afternoon will provide an opportunity to visit an area hotspot or two on nearby preserved lands of Frenchman Bay Conservancy and/or the mainland portion of the Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Day 3 and/or 4: (depends upon the weather for the pelagic boat trip) Takes us offshore into the Gulf of Maine where whales and pelagic birds congregate (this can be as much as 5 hours on the boat; the dock in Bar Harbor, is a 1.5 hour drive from Schoodic Institute). The non-pelagic day will begin with an optional bird walk before breakfast on the Schoodic Institute campus. Weather and tides will shape the day’s customized plan. Breakfast is served in our dining hall from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. We plan to go afield for the day, complete with a scrumptious bagged lunch, to a fruitful variety of birding locations and outstanding sites throughout the region. Our “home range” extends from the eastern blueberry barrens of Columbia Falls to Seal Cove on the western side of Acadia National Park. We’ll return to our lodging at the Institute by late afternoon each day (between 5:00 and 6:00 PM) to enjoy a little relaxation time and perhaps a beverage before dinner. Dinner is always served from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, where we’ll be seated safely and appropriately as a group. After dinner we’ll review the day’s bird checklist, discuss and entertain questions from the day, review our use of eBird to document birds, and plan for the next day.
Day 5: Is leader’s choice, giving us a good portion of the day to make up for any bad weather or missed opportunities. The tour ends at 2:00 PM. It is likely that we will checkout and depart from the Institute following breakfast. We’ll have a packed lunch in tow to enjoy somewhere afield before wrapping up (checklist review and goodbyes) at 2:00 PM.
Housing: Lodging assignments are based on guests sleeping in a private bedroom in a shared apartment. In light of COVID-19 we recommend that guests in each apartment work together to coordinate use of the bathroom. We will place cleaning products in each bathroom and suggest that every person disinfect the space for the next user when they are done using it. All lodging provides a fully equipped kitchen, combined living/dining area with DirecTV and WiFi. Towels and linens are provided. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 if you have any questions regarding alternative lodging options or in the event you would like to bring a guest or extend your reservation. Private apartments can be reserved with an upcharge and based upon availability. We are happy to accommodate if space is available!
Should You Need to Cancel Your Event Registration
There is a $35 processing fee for any cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 14 days of the conference date.
(Registration Closed)

The Story Collider
2022-06-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
The Story Collider‘s mission is to reveal the vibrant role that science plays in all of our lives through the art of personal storytelling. At our live storytelling events in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., people of all walks of life – from scientists and doctors to journalists and comedians to artists, firefighters, and bartenders – tell stories about how science has affected their lives. We share a selection of these stories on our weekly podcast, which The Washington Post has called “delightful, devastating, and endlessly listenable.”
In this free show in partnership with the Schoodic Institute, The Story Collider will present five stories from scientists working in and around Acadia National Park, who share their personal connection to their science.

Adventures in Rockweed: Researching the Ecology of the Maine Coast
2022-05-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Online via Zoom
Rockweed. For some it’s the low tide slippery stuff between a swimmer and the swim, for others it’s strands of green to be kept from a propeller. It’s also a fascinating marine alga, an ecosystem unto itself, a provider of energy to the upland and to the ocean alike—and understanding how this curious system works is more than enough to keep a researcher busy forever. Webber will share some research adventures in the rockweed ecosystem across the coast of Maine.
UPDATE: This will be a virtual-only event.
Please join us remotely via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84446292486?pwd=[REDACTED]

Schoodic Institute’s Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Darling’s Auto Mall.

Spring Birds in Acadia, with Puffin Cruise - FULL
2022-05-24 - 2022-05-27 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
This event has reached capacity. Please consider one of our other bird tours. You may also call Michelle at 288-1356 to be placed on a waiting list in case this event reopens.
Schoodic Institute’s Seth Benz and Holly Merker, author of “Ornitherapy” will lead this four-day bird tour designed to enhance your enjoyment and knowledge of all birds, especially those that frequent or pass through Acadia National Park and its immediate surroundings.
Be among the first to see and hear colorful wood warblers returning to Maine’s Acadia National Park, and enjoy a 3-hour boat trip to Petit Manan Island for Atlantic Puffins. We’ll visit area hotspots at a leisurely pace while learning about bird song and sight identification, bird habitats and behavior, and we’ll pay extra attention to enhancing your field birding skills and enjoyment of nature. The entire tour will be based out of Schoodic Institute, a research and learning center, ideally situated just a stone’s throw from Schoodic Point, a migration checkpoint that tallies tens of thousands of passing birds annually. Lodging is in cozy cabins where you will be awakened by songs of Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, and Magnolia Warbler. Blue-headed vireos and Northern Parula warblers serenade you as you walk to Schooner Commons, the Institute’s dining hall. Maine has a way of spoiling birders – and this spring tour is designed to do just that!
Registration is required. The program cost is $985.00 per participant. Space is limited so register quickly.
Example itinerary (Day 2 and 3 may be flipped, depending upon weather):
Day 1: Check-in is at 10:00 AM. “Spring Birds” begins on the Schoodic Institute campus at 11:00 AM with introductions and a tour of the Institute campus. Lunch will follow at Schooner Commons. The afternoon will feature the start of field birding with an excursion to a local hotspot or two. We’ll return to campus for an hour of relaxation before dinner. Dinner is from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. An evening presentation on puffin restoration efforts will follow dinner in preparation for tomorrow’s boat trip to an active seabird colony.
Day 2: Breakfast is from 7:00 to 8:00 AM in Schooner Commons. An optional morning bird walk on campus is available before breakfast. We’ll then travel 10 minutes or so to the boat launch in Winter Harbor for a 3-hour cruise to Petit Manan Island. This is our best chance to see Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, and several tern species as we circumnavigate the island, one of just 5 islands in Maine where you can see Atlantic Puffin, thanks to restoration efforts. After lunch, which will be a field lunch at a bird-rich picnic spot, we’ll inspect some nearby Spruce Grouse habitat to see if we can find a territorial male or two. Of course, there will be other birds to see along the way. An evening discussion on the day’s experience, identification tips and review, and how to get the most out of eBird use follows dinner.
Day 3: Optional campus bird walk before breakfast from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. We’ll then spend the day investigating hotspots on the Schoodic Peninsula section of Acadia National Park as well as the nearby villages of Winter Harbor, Prospect Harbor and Corea. Lunch will be in the field (carefully packed in a cooler along with water). We’ll return to campus by 5:00 PM for leisure time before the 6:00 PM dinner. Dinner this last night together is your choice of lobster or a delicious alternative. Afterward, we’ll sum up the day and complete a checklist review.
Day 4: Optional before breakfast bird walk. We’ll then wrap things up following breakfast and have the option of a culminating stroll to Schoodic Point. Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Housing: Lodging assignments are based on guests sleeping in a private bedroom in a shared apartment. In light of COVID-19 we recommend that guests in each apartment work together to coordinate use of the bathroom. We will place cleaning products in each bathroom and suggest that every person disinfect the space for the next user when they are done using it. All lodging provides a fully equipped kitchen, combined living/dining area with DirecTV and WiFi. Towels and linens are provided. Please call Megan (207) 288-1337 or Michelle (207) 288-1356 if you have any questions regarding alternative lodging options or in the event you would like to bring a guest or extend your reservation. Private apartments can be reserved with an upcharge and based upon availability. We are happy to accommodate if space is available!
Should You Need to Cancel Your Event Registration
There is a $35 processing fee for any cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the conference date. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 14 days of the conference date.
Register Below:

Benefits of Birdwatching: Ornitherapy, A Workshop For All - CANCELLED
2022-05-21 09:00 - 17:00 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Unfortunately, this event has been cancelled.
Watching birds is not only fun, it is good for you!
Learn why getting your daily dose of Ornitherapy is just what the doctor ordered….
Ornitherapy, or a more mindful approach to the observation of birds, benefits our mind, body, and soul. We’re pushed and pulled in many directions, no matter our age. If we allow birds and nature to slow us down, we are practicing a form of “self-care”. Research shows that exposure to nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Birds are gateways into deeper experiences with nature, magnifying these benefits. Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to birds, how to practice Ornitherapy for optimal benefits, and learn about the latest research in the power of nature for overall well-being. Come listen and experience how watching birds can bring you more than just the enjoyment of seeing them.
Through simple techniques and exercises of mind + body birding, we can tune into the birds and natural world around us, enhancing our experience as observers while bridging the gap between bird identification and our own wellbeing. Attend this day-long workshop to learn simple take-away techniques to practice heightened awareness while birding by ear and sight, and why birdwatching leads to a healthier mind and body. Participants will receive an Ornitherapy Journal to use and keep, and will leave with a new perspective on using birding as part of a balanced wellness regimen. The beautiful landscapes and birds of the Schoodic Peninsula offer the perfect backdrop to guide our experience, and naturally deepen our connection to the birds surrounding us.
The workshop will take place on the campus of Schoodic Institute. Workshop activities will be a combination of classroom and fieldwork. Here’s a link: https://ornitherapy.com/
The book, “Ornitherapy” by Holly Merker will be available for purchase at the workshop. Purchasing the book is optional. The cost is $25.
Register below for the first of two sessions of this program.

Landscape of Change
2022-04-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Online via Zoom
Revisiting Natural History Data to Understand the Changing Climate of Acadia National Park
Catherine Schmitt presents the results of Year 1 of the Landscape of Change project.
Hosted by Merryspring Nature Center.

Bird Sound Recording in Acadia National Park
2022-04-11 19:00 - 20:30
Join us for a Zoom presentation on Bird Sound Recording in Acadia National Park. Listen to bird songs and learn from Lead Volunteer, Laura Sebastianelli, about the progress and process of creating an audio library of birdsong in Acadia.
Laura, a naturalist, environmental educator, and sound recordist, will share recordings and the stories behind them from the project, “Schoodic Notes: Bird Sounds of Acadia.” Learn why recording matters, and how you too can do it!
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Meeting ID: 831 3767 2710
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Birds of Spring: Anticipation and Appreciation
2022-04-05 08:30 - 11:30 | Wendell Gilley Museum, 4 Herrick Road, Southwest Harbor, Maine, 04679
The seasonal shift of birds from wintering areas to summer breeding territories is well underway during the month of April. This 4-part mini-course taught by Seth Benz is offered as a sequential program combining classroom presentations with a field excursion each week. April, at our latitude, is a month of anticipation for returning birds. It is also a time of exodus for species that have spent their winter with us. By early May some bird species have begun nesting, others are establishing territories, and still others are migrating through our neighborhoods. We’ll immerse ourselves in the bird world for 3 hours each week using slides, videos, museum specimens, select readings and field observations. While each week is designed to build upon the previous week’s experience, course content will be accessible enough that each week alone will be a learning experience. Join the flock, get in on the joy of anticipating and appreciating Acadia’s bird life.

Intertidal Research in Acadia
2022-03-02 09:00 - 15:30
Schoodic Institute and Acadia National Park invite you to a virtual session of the Acadia National Park Science Symposium on intertidal research in the park. Four sessions with a panel of invited speakers will discuss National Park Service priorities, broad scale research across the intertidal zone, research specific to the rocky intertidal, and research specific to the soft sediment intertidal. There will be a question and answer discussion at the conclusion of each session.
The intertidal zone of Acadia National Park has attracted researchers for over a century. In 2021 alone Acadia National Park issued 21 research permits for people to collect and share data about Acadia’s intertidal zone. In the summer of 2021 a summer intern scoured park resources to compile 7,781 unique observations of algae, invertebrates, fish, and other intertidal organisms—observations spanning from 1903 to 2018. The intertidal of Acadia National Park is perhaps the park’s most threatened ecosystem, facing a hash of discordant stresses. How can science help the park manage for the threats, while the park also acts as a place for researchers to better understand the very role and nature of the intertidal? During this symposium we will hear from researchers and managers dedicated to the twin goals of “Science for Parks” and “Parks for Science”–we hope you can join us.
Venue – The event will be held virtually via Zoom.
Agenda – View the draft agenda.
Deadlines for registration – Registration for the symposium will close at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 1.
Questions – For more information, contact Shannon O’Brien at sobrien@schoodicinstitute.org
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All About Acadia's Visitors
2022-02-22 12:00 - 14:00
Acadia National Park Science Symposium continues in 2022 with virtual presentations by Acadia National Park’s Laura Cohen and Adam Gibson. They will provide overviews of visitors to Acadia in 2021, and the kinds of stories and activities that interest visitors. Both small and large group discussions will follow their presentations.
Registration has closed. Registrants will receive a zoom link.
