Schoodic Institute

Inspiring - and Surprising - Schoodic Science for a Changing World
2024-06-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Schoodic Institute scientists measure, map, and monitor environmental change at Schoodic Point, throughout Acadia, and beyond. On Tuesday, June 11, at 7:00pm, join us for an evening of short stories about how we study the rapidly changing world around us, what we are learning, and the chances we all have to contribute. There will be a few surprises along the way, and opportunities to test your own knowledge of local ecology.
The evening’s itinerary includes:

“The community of research in Acadia National Park,” Science Information Specialist Emma Albee

“An experimental approach to the future,” Climate Change Adaptation Scientist Chris Nadeau

“A coastwide perspective of the changing intertidal zone,” Marine Ecology Director Hannah Webber

“A bird’s eye view of Schoodic Point,” Bird Ecology Director Seth Benz

“Preparing the next generation of ecologists,” Science Engagement Coordinator Shannon O’Brien

“The community of scientists in Acadia – including you,” Data Analyst Kyle Lima

Attend in person at Schoodic Institute’s Moore Auditorium (in Winter Harbor, ME) or online via Zoom. Registration is required – please sign up below.

Schoodic Institute’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.

Meet the Artist: Emilio Sweet-Coll
2024-06-15 14:00 - 17:00
Emilio Sweet-Coll, an animator and musician based in Los Angeles who uses drawings and animation to interpret birdsong, is visiting Acadia National Park this week as an artist-in-residence. You have two chances this week to meet them, see their work, and contribute to their work in progress.
The first is a talk at 10am Thursday at the Sieur de Monts Nature Center. The artist will be joined by Laura Sebastianelli, a sound recordist specializing in bird vocalization. Together, they will share examples of creative and scientific visualization of bird sounds and then lead a workshop for visitors on surrounding trails. Bring a camp chair or blanket for seating.
The second event – a pop-up activity from 2pm to 5pm Saturday at Frazer Point on Schoodic Peninsula – offers visitors the opportunity to contribute to an animation in progress by drawing and painting a sequence of images of a Great Blue Heron.
Both events are free and family friendly for ages 8 and above.
More at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/acadia-air_sweet-coll.htm
go.nps.gov/AcadiaArt

The Unforeseen Wilderness: Nature, Bookbinding, and Photography with Eliot Dudik (Registration CLOSED)
2024-06-23 - 2024-06-30 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Registration has closed for this workshop.
Join a small group of folks for a seven-day intensive workshop exploring an unusual confluence of interests: bookbinding, photography, and nature walks in one of the most profound places on Earth, Acadia National Park. Tranquility and focus will be our guide as we lodge and work on the Schoodic Peninsula, often referred to as the “quiet side” of Acadia, dividing our time between classroom bookbinding sessions and stepping out into a wonderland of spruce, granite, and sea.
The workshop is directed by bookmaker, photographer, and educator Eliot Dudik, who directs the photography program at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He has spent every summer and winter in Maine for the past nine years working on his own long-form photography projects, teaching photography and bookbinding workshops, and exploring the coast of Maine, especially the dreamscape of Acadia National Park. He has been visualizing this unique workshop for years and is excited to offer it for the first time this summer!
The structure of the course: Throughout our week together, we will meet in our workspace to explore bookbinding basics including methods, materials, and book structures. All bookbinding tools and materials will be provided. We will practice four different bindings over the course of the week, each building on skills learned in the previous lesson. These books will be blank and can be used as journals or sketchbooks.
Throughout the week, we will leave the classroom to explore the surrounding national park. Excursions will include morning or afternoon walks, as well as full day trips to the busier and more popular/populated parts of Acadia on Mount Desert Island. On these nature walks, we will attempt to take in the famously breathtaking beauty while using cameras and Wendel Berry’s essay: The Unforeseen Wildness to inspire individualized experience.

At the conclusion of our week together, we will each create a short edit and sequence of photographs made in Acadia and produce small books of the work. These books might also incorporate additional media, including drawings, collage, writing, etc. The photographs can be made with cell phones or more sophisticated digital cameras. Participants will bring their own cameras and ideally a laptop with Adobe Photoshop installed.
The lodging and meal plan complete this unique and immersive experience, allowing us to disconnect from our everyday lives and truly experience something special. This workshop is intentionally limited to a small group of participants to enhance the individualized experience; don’t delay signing up as this workshop will fill quickly!
For any questions regarding the workshop, please contact Eliot directly at eliot@eliotdudik.com.

Path to Pen: Nature Journaling
2024-06-23 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-06-30 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Eliot Hall, 14 Musetti Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Practice putting pen to path in this introduction to nature journaling. Take a leisurely walk on the paved paths through the woods of the Schoodic Institute’s campus and on a level segment of the Sundew Trail. Fine tune your senses to the quiet natural beauty around you and see what you can discover! We will practive simple writing exercises to record and deepen your connection to Acadia’s story.
Our meeting location will be next to the wayside sign by Elliot Hall near the South Parking lot on Schoodic Intitute’s campus (view campus map here). We will end at the Picnic Pavilion on Jacobson Drive.
We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and dressing in layers to accommodate changes in temperate. Please feel free to bring a favorite pen or pencil (optional), sunblock, insect spray, and a water bottle.
This event is free (supplies included!) and family friendly for ages 10 and above.

Fire and Ice: Geology Walk
2024-06-25 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-07-03 11:00 - 12:30
Enjoy a guided hike on the Sundew Trail in the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park. Travel through a trail of time, witnessing evidence of the geologic processes that shaped Acadia’s landscape. Learn how this land has indeed been formed by fire and shaped by ice.
Our meeting location will be the Sundew Trailhead near the water tower at the South Parking (near Elliot Hall) on Schoodic Intitute’s campus (view campus map here). We will end at the Picnic Pavilion on Jacobson Drive. The total distance of the walk will be one mile with slight elevation changes on uneven terrain.
We recommend bringing sunblock, insect spray, and a water bottle. We suggest wearing comfortable, sturdy shoes and dressing in layers to accommodate changes in temperate.
This event is free and family friendly for ages 10 and above.

Project ASCO at Frazer Point
2024-07-01 11:30 - 13:30 | Frazer Point, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 1, 2024 from 11:30am – 1:30pm at Frazer Point (Winter Harbor, Maine) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

Downeast Maine Puffins and Seabirds with Caretta Inspired Journeys
2024-07-03 - 2024-07-08
Join Caretta Inspired Journeys for a taste of summer in Downeast Maine and experience the unique coastal islands of the North Atlantic!
This five-day excursion starts at the Bangor Maine Airport. From there we will travel to Rockland, Maine for early afternoon briefings about about the Atlantic Puffins recovery at the Audubon Society’s Project Puffin. We will also learn about the protection and management of all the breeding seabirds on remote islands via an interactive zoom discussion with island researchers at the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (MCINWR). Accommodations for all five nights are provided at Schoodic Institute. We are fortunate to be able to provide private room accommodations in 2 and 4 bedroom apartments at Schoodic Institute. Each apartment is equipped with a full kitchen and we will stop for grocery shopping on the way to Schoodic Institute that evening.
The trip includes a guided kayaking tour of Frenchman’s Bay on the 4th of July (weather-permitting, fireworks from Bar Harbor and other coastal communities should be visible in the evening from where we’re staying). A MCINWR representative will guide a nature walk and beach clean-up activities on Petit Manan Point that is adjacent to a Puffin nesting colony. You’ll also have some time to make your own plans to take a group tour of Acadia National Park, dine/shop in Bar Harbor, or rent bikes/hike on the Schoodic Peninsula. Information on these DIY options will be sent when you register online. On Sunday, July 7, we will go on a two-hour Puffin Cruise out of Bar Harbor to benefit MCINWR through their Friends group. There will be staff on board who can communicate with island researchers to answer your questions.
To register, click here.

Be a #SoilHero! Recurring Save Our Summits Volunteer Program
2024-07-03 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-10 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-17 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-24 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-31 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-08-07 08:15 - 12:15
Hike to one of Acadia’s iconic summits AND help Acadia National Park’s efforts to restore native vegetation!
Acadia National Park, in collaboration with Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute, invites tenacious hikers to bring bags of soil to the summits of Penobscot and Sargent Mountains. You’ll get to choose how much soil you’ll carry – carrying as little as five pounds (about the size of a large freezer ziplock bag) is a huge help! This soil is integral to the ongoing summit restoration efforts in Acadia National Park.

Our Recurring Save Our Summits Volunteer Program occurs every Wednesday from June through September, 2024. Hikes run from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., weather permitting. *Advanced registration is required. Register online at the link below.
Meet at the Parkman Mountain Carriage Road Trailhead off Route 3 in Acadia National Park. Participants will hike up to the summit of either Penobscot Mountain or Sargent Mountain with a Volunteer Leader.
Register Here!

If you’re SOS hiking with friends, family, or another group, we highly recommend you carpool. The trailhead has limited parking. Don’t forget your park pass! Arrive prepared to be on trail for a few hours. Dress appropriately with reliable hiking boots and sweat-wicking apparel. Bring water and snacks, as well as anything you may need for your known medical and allergy needs. Bring a backpack with extra room to stow your soil. Carrying soil up via backpack is the most convenient method. Participants must stay with the group on the hike up to the summit, but are free to continue exploring the park on their own after dropping off their soil and checking in with the Volunteer Leader. If conditions are expected to be rainy or slippery on the day of the hike, participants will be alerted via email and invited to register for the next drop-in opportunity.
The Routes
Participants will hike with soil up to the summit of Penobscot OR Sargent Mountain.
Sargent Route
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft
Distance: 4.20 mi
AllTrails Map
Penobscot Route
Elevation gain: 1,086 ft
Distance: 4.33 mi
AllTrails Map

Summit Restoration is Critical
Despite their hardened granite, Acadia’s mountain summit ecosystems are incredibly fragile. Human-caused climate change is causing longer growing seasons, more rain, less snow, and fewer species that we know and love. Extreme weather events are damaging landscapes, cultural resources, and infrastructure. Invasive plants species are trying to out-compete native summit plants. Trampling by humans has damaged the plant communities at the top of mountains. For the last several years, Acadia National Park, Friends of Acadia, and Schoodic Institute worked together to evaluate new vegetation plantings and soil replacement on Cadillac Mountain summit. This research continues to provide managers with invaluable information on how to direct change toward desired future conditions on Cadlillac and other summits in Acadia. Turns out, getting soil on the summits is a critical piece of the revegetation puzzle. The loss of vegetation has caused soil to erode, which means there’s no place for seeds to settle and grow.
That’s where you come in. By carrying soil to the summits of Sargent and Penobscot Mountains, you’ll play an important role in the restoration of these vital ecosystems and their future resiliency. That’s something to feel proud of. (Bonus: you’ll get a wonderfully scenic hike in Acadia!)
Lean more about this science-based approach: Learning How to Restore Mountain Summits

Project ASCO at Holbrook Island Santuary
2024-07-05 15:30 - 17:15
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 5, 2024 from 3:30pm – 5:15pm at Holbrook Island Sanctuary (Harborside/Brooksville) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at Harriman Point
2024-07-08 06:30 - 07:30
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 8, 2024 from 6:30am – 7:30am at Harriman Point (Brooklin, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at South Blue Hill Landing
2024-07-09 06:30 - 08:00
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 9, 2024 from 6:30am – 8:00am at South Blue Hill Landing (Blue Hill, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at Hadley Point
2024-07-10 07:00 - 08:50
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 10, 2024 from 7:00am – 8:50am at Hadley Point (Bar Harbor, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2024-07-10 09:00 - 16:00 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Watch birds emerge from a block of basswood when Juliana Ramirez – staff artist at the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor – is a special guest at Schoodic Institute on July 10, August 7, and September 11. She’ll be there from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm each of those days doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall on Schoodic Institute’s campus.
Visit with Juliana, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Juliana is a seabird field biologist, working for the last several years with the Seabird Institute/Project Puffin. She is also a working artist who specializes in green (non-toxic) printmaking and bird carving. She teaches both of these topics at the Gilley, along with beehouse making and wood burning.

All About Seaweed: Why It Matters
2024-07-11 18:00 - 20:00
Join Schoodic Institute’s Marine Ecology Director Hannah Webber, Kara Ibarguen of Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, and Friends of Taunton Bay for a cooking demonstration of, and lecture on, local seaweed! Learn about the nutritional value and ecological importance of local seaweed species, as well as the research being done on seaweed and how you can participate. Wine and appetizers will be available, followed by a brief Annual Meeting and door prizes. This event will take place at the Taunton Bay Education Center (located at 11 Wharf Road in Sullivan, ME) on Thursday, July 11 at 6pm.

The program is being sponsored by Friends of Taunton Bay. All are welcome.
For more information, call 565-2113 or email info@friendsoftauntonbay.org.

Acadia’s Iconic Birds, Whales, and Scenic Views
2024-07-13 - 2024-07-17 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Join Schoodic Institute and Hillstar Nature Tours, with guides Holly Merker and Seth Benz, on July 13 – July 17, 2024 to explore Acadia National Park! This exciting bird tour will feature an Atlantic puffin tour and a separate whalewatching tour in the nutrient-rich waters of the Gulf of Maine. Observe common loons, shearwaters and humpback whales, and learn about regional ecology at a comfortable pace. Plus, you’ll enjoy an exclusive tour to the iconic summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
Register now to experience the thrill of discovery while being immersed in Acadia National Park’s history and outstanding beauty, her landscapes, and seascapes. Below are some details of what you can expect from this tour:

5 days in coastal Maine for puffins, whales, and more.

relaxed overall pace, with dining and overnight accommodations at Schoodic Institute (right at Schoodic Point in Acadia!)

many scenic visits to Acadia National Park

All that, plus two great guides!

To register and view a full daily itinerary, please visit Hillstar Nature Tours.

Meet the Author: Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs
2024-07-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Bring your family and friends to the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall (on the Schoodic Institute campus) on July 13th to meet Maine author Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs! Chat with Alexandra, purchase books, and get them signed!
Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs is the author of The Lobster Lady, I Am Made of Mountains, The Pocket Book, The Traveling Camera, and Thérèse Makes a Tapestry. Her books have won awards including Maine’s Lupine Award and Wisconsin’s Outstanding Achievement Award. They have also been featured on news outlets such as CBS News and The Washington Post. Before becoming a full-time author, Alex worked as a librarian in school, public, and academic libraries. She was also a historical researcher at American Girl. She lives in Bangor, Maine with her husband, three wild sons, and two tame cats.
Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs photo

A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds with Scott Weidensaul
2024-07-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Thank you for your interest! This event has now reached maximum in-person capacity, but we welcome you to join us virtually. Please register below for the Zoom link.
Join us on Tuesday, July 16th at 7:00pm for a special evening lecture, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds, with bestselling author and ornithologist Scott Weidensaul.
Even as scientists make astounding discoveries about the navigational and physiological feats that enable migratory birds to cross immense oceans or fly above the highest mountains, go weeks without sleep or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch, humans have brought many migrants to the brink. Based on his bestselling new book “A World on the Wing,” author and researcher Scott Weidensaul takes you around the globe — with researchers in the lab probing the limits of what migrating birds can do, to the shores of the Yellow Sea in China, the remote mountains of northeastern India where tribal villages saved the greatest gathering of falcons on the planet, and the Mediterranean, where activists and police are battling bird poachers — to learn how people are fighting to understand and save the world’s great bird migrations.
Scott Weidensaul is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Living on the Wind” and his latest, the New York Times bestseller “A World on the Wing.” Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon and writes for a variety of other publications, including Bird Watcher’s Digest and Living Bird. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and an active field researcher, studying saw-whet owl migration for more than 25 years, as well as winter hummingbirds in the East, bird migration in Alaska, and the winter movements of snowy owls through Project SNOWstorm, which he co-founded. A native of Pennsylvania, he and his wife now live in New Hampshire.

Schoodic Institute’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.

2024 Project ASCO at Fort Point State Park
2024-07-25 07:00 - 08:35
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 25, 2024 from 7:00am – 8:35am at Fort Point State Park (Stockton Springs, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at Sears Island
2024-07-26 07:30 - 09:25
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 26, 2024 from 7:30am – 9:25am at Sears Island (Searsport, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

Sea & Sky at Acadia National Park with Carol Douglas
2024-08-04 - 2024-08-09 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Spend a week at inspirational Schoodic Institute in Acadia National Park! Far from the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor, Schoodic Peninsula has dramatic rock formations, windblown pines, pounding surf and stunning mountain views that draw visitors from around the world.
You might look up from your easel to see dolphins, humpback whales or seals cavorting in the waves. Herring gulls visit while eiders and cormorants splash about.
A day trip to the harbor at Corea, ME is included. Far off the beaten path, Corea, ME is a village of small frame houses, fishing piers and lobster traps. Its working fleet bustles in and out of the harbor.
Concentrate on painting
Meals and accommodations at the beautiful Schoodic Institute are included in your fee. That includes a lobster boil by a real Corea fisherman. We’re right on Schoodic Point so we have unrivalled (and permitted) access to the park.
All mediums welcome
This workshop is aimed at helping painters refine their personal technique in watercolor, pastel, oils and acrylics. It will help you find your own voice and style, without becoming anyone’s clone. This is an intensive class, with morning and afternoon on-site painting sessions and lunch-time demos. Classes are kept small so every student gets the attention they deserve.
Carol Douglas has 20 years’ experience teaching students of all levels in watercolor, oils, acrylics and pastels. Her Acadia workshops are very popular. “This was the best painting instruction I have ever had. Carol’s advice in color mixing was particularly eye-opening. Her explanations are clear and easy to understand. She is very approachable and supportive. I would take this course again in a heartbeat.” (Carol T.)
Easily accessible
It’s easy to get to painting locations on the Schoodic Peninsula. A ring road with frequent pull-offs means you never walk more than a few hundred feet to your painting destination.
Fly or drive
Schoodic is only 90 minutes from Bangor International Airport. Or wind your way up from Boston along historic, scenic coastal Route 1.
The one-week workshop is $1,750.00, including five days’ accommodation in a private room with shared bath, meals, snacks, and instruction. Or, take the workshop as a commuter for $795. Accommodations for non-painting partners and guests are also available.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Questions? Please reach out to Carol Douglas at malerincd@gmail.com.

Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2024-08-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Watch birds emerge from a block of basswood when Juliana Ramirez – staff artist at the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor – is a special guest at Schoodic Institute on August 7 and September 11. She’ll be there from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm each of those days doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall on Schoodic Institute’s campus.
Visit with Juliana, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Juliana is a seabird field biologist, working for the last several years with the Seabird Institute/Project Puffin. She is also a working artist who specializes in green (non-toxic) printmaking and bird carving. She teaches both of these topics at the Gilley, along with beehouse making and wood burning.

Nature's Lessons on Life, Loss, Legacy, and Restorative Wonder with Margie Patlak
2024-08-13 18:00 - 20:30 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Thank you for your interest! We have reached maximum capacity for in-person attendance, but we encourage you to join us virtually via Zoom. Please register below for the meeting link.
Join us in person at Schoodic Institute or online via Zoom on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 for Nature’s Lessons on Life, Loss, Legacy, and Restorative Wonder, a special evening lecture and welcome reception with award-winning science writer, photographer, and Corea, Maine resident Margie Patlak.
Beginning at 6:00pm before the lecture, we invite you to join us for a reception as we welcome Margie to Schoodic Institute. During the reception, you’ll enjoy complimentary wine, cheese, and conversation with Margie to learn more about her and her work. Margie’s books will be available for purchase before and after the lecture, providing a perfect opportunity to take home a piece of the evening. During the lecture (beginning at 7:00pm), Margie will share what the nature in Maine taught her about life, loss, legacy, and restorative wonder. She will also showcase some of Maine’s more wondrous scenery with her photos.
Within a short span of time, Patlak lost her mother and sole sibling. Reeling from those losses, she returned to live in Down East Maine, where she spent her childhood summers. While in mourning and writing about the wilder environment she experienced at her new home, Patlak uncovered many lessons from nature. For example, the three generations of monarch butterflies that it takes to make their way from Mexico to Maine taught her the value of what is passed on from generation to generation, and the dramatic tides taught her how fleeting time is and the need to make the most of it. Patlak will share several other vital lessons she and others have learned from nature about life, loss, legacy, and restorative wonder–lessons that helped her personally heal from her losses. Many of these were recounted in Patlak’s award-winning memoir More Than Meets the Eye: Exploring Nature and Loss on the Coast of Maine, which was published in 2021. She will illustrate the talk with her photos of stunning Maine scenery that appear in her more recent book Wild and Wondrous: Nature’s Artistry on the Coast of Maine.
Margie Patlak is a science writer, memoirist and photographer. Her memoir More Than Meets the Eye: Exploring Nature and Loss on the Coast of Maine was given the “Outstanding Book” award by the American Society for Journalists and Authors in 2022. Best-selling author Sy Montgomery called it a “beautiful and surprising book in which bereavement gives way to awe.” Her photobook Wild and Wondrous: Nature’s Artistry on the Coast of Maine, which was published in July of 2023, is “not just a book, but a stunning work of art that transports the reader to the magical shores of Maine,” award-winning nature photographer Steven Mandel noted. Patlak’s personal essays and articles have appeared in a number of newspapers, magazines, and literary journals including The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post, Discover magazine, Hippocampus, JuxtaProse and many others. Her photographs have appeared in solo and group exhibits in Maine and are in private collections. She has degrees in Botany and Environmental Studies and divides her time between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Corea, Maine.

Schoodic Institute’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series is made possible by our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.
