Schoodic Institute

2024 Project ASCO at Harriman Point
2024-07-08 06:30 - 07:30 (America/New_York)
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.

Path to Pen: Nature Journaling
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.

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.

Be a #SoilHero! Recurring Save Our Summits Volunteer Program
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, 2024-08-14 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-08-21 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-08-28 08:15 - 12:15 and 1 more date
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

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.

2024 Maine Outdoor Film Festival at Schoodic Institute
2024-08-22 19:00 - 22:00 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
The Maine Outdoor Film Festival returns to Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park on August 22, 2024 for an evening of outdoor adventure and conservation films under the stars!
The Maine Outdoor Film Festival is an outlet for Maine filmmakers’ creativity. By attending a Maine Outdoor Film Festival screening, thousands of Mainers get the chance to see specially curated outdoor adventure and conservation filmmaking in their area.
The film program will last approximately two hours, including a 10-minute intermission. Event begins at 7:00PM, and screening will start at 7:45PM. We recommend bringing a chair and/or blanket, warm layers, a headlamp, bug spray, and your favorite snacks!
Tickets are $15 per person, or you can take advantage of our Friends & Family pack – 4 tickets for $50! You may register up to 6 people – tickets after the 4-pack will be priced at the discounted rate of $12.50 per person.
Many thanks to our sponsor, Design Group Collaborative. Offering architectural and interior design services at all stages of your project, collaboration is at the heart of DGC’s practice. DGC takes a unique approach to participatory design with customers to achieve responsive project solutions that fit your needs. Learn more at dgcarchitects.com.
2024 Film Program (please scroll down to register):
WWF – PORTRAIT OF A SEAWEED FARMER NICK MANGINI – 9.5 minutes – by Jeff Siebert – from United States – Short synopsis: Nick Mangini is a Kelp farmer from Kodiak Alaska. He has been farming kelp since the infancy of Alaska’s budding industry.
THE CARETAKER – 12.83 minutes – by Dan Dunn, Josh Bogardus – from United States, NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE – Short synopsis: At the doorstep of Huntington Ravine, sits The Harvard Cabin — a remote respite for ice climbers and backcountry skiers to escape the elements. “The Caretaker” follows the story of Jack Kingsley, who spends his days meticulously observing and documenting the snowfall, weather patterns, and wildlife in the area.
THE NORTH FACE PRESENTS: EARTHSIDE – 33.2 minutes – by Kaki Orr, Rob Wassmer – from United States – Short synopsis: In 2022, Hilaree Nelson, Emily Harrington, Christina Lustenburger, and Brette Harrington embarked on an expedition above the Arctic circle with a vision to climb and ski first descents on Baffin Island. What they found was a celebration of where they’ve been and of where they’re going – and the trip’s success was contingent not on what they skied but the time they had together.
JOJO – A TOAD MUSICAL – 9 minutes – by Chelsea J Jolly, David Herasimtschuk – from Oregon – Short synopsis: JOJO celebrates a creative and musical portrait of JoJo Nyaribo, a young nature lover and wildlife advocate as he explores the meaning of biodiversity and stewardship in his own backyard. This story weaves together Jojo’s love for the natural world with his journey in learning about and fighting against a specific fungus that has been wiping out a staggering number of amphibians around the globe.
DOLLY’S SONG – 12.4 minutes – by Sarah Hamilton – from Colorado, WORLD PREMIERE – Short synopsis: Dolly’s Song is a 13 minute documentary following retired trail builder Dolly Chapman as she passes on the art of the crosscut saw. She never had a mentor herself and is looking to give that to the next generation of stewards.
4DWN – 17 minutes – by Danny J Schmidt – from Utah, NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE – Short synopsis: 4DWN tells the unconventional and deeply personal story of a South Dallas skatepark whose mission is to change the lives of everyone who walks through the gate. The 4DWN skatepark is a resilience hub rooted in skate culture, tackling the challenges of food insecurity and social justice in one of the city’s poorest communities.
BEYOND NORMAL – 28 minutes – by Anna Wilder Burns, Jordyn Romero – from Massachusetts – Short synopsis: Beyond Normal chronicles the journey of professional surfer Becca Speak as she fights her way back to the water after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The film is an intimate portrait of self-discovery and a vulnerable look into the gravity of the injury.

Acadia Amphibian Project Volunteer Training
2024-08-24 09:30 - 11:30
Get friendly with our neighborhood amphibians by monitoring the nighttime presence of amphibians on rainy nights from late August through October! Volunteer to help conduct research at Acadia National Park this fall, and your data will contribute to research at the University of Maine, Acadia National Park, and Schoodic Institute.

The volunteer training session will take place at the Acadia National Park Headquarters (20 McFarland Hill Drive, Bar Harbor, ME 04609) on Saturday, August 24 from 9:30am-11:30am.
To sign up, please fill out the registration form here or email Marisa at marisa.monroe@maine.edu.

ABOUT THE PROJECT:
The Acadia Amphibian Project supports research by Marisa Monroe and Dr. Noah Charney at the University of Maine, Orono, in collaboration with the National Park Service and Schoodic Institute. Marisa was awarded a 2024 Acadia Science Fellowship by Schoodic Institute in support of this work. Read the full press release here.
This research uses dedicated volunteers to monitor 300m transects around Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula for the presence of amphibians on roads. Volunteers are expected to monitor transects at least once a week at night. TEAMS ARE ENCOURAGED and many volunteers form groups with others (friends or strangers!). Work begins immediately after training (mid- or late-August) until mid- or late-October.
Data from this work supports the creation of a predictive model, to help the park understand when and where amphibians are moving across roads. Our goal is to find ways to protect migrating and moving amphibians year round — not just in the spring.
Possible mitigations for amphibian road mortality include road underpasses, road closures, and continued volunteer efforts.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO VOLUNTEER: You can still participate! If you see an amphibian on a road in Acadia National Park, make an iNaturalist observation. Observations will automatically be collected into a project titled “Acadia Amphibian Project”.
If you do not want to post to iNaturalist, you can email your observation to toadsonroads.acadia@gmail.com.

Welcome to the Milky Way
2024-08-25 19:30 - 22:00 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
An estimated 75% of the world’s people cannot see the Milky Way – our home galaxy – because of urban light pollution. But here in Acadia, it shines brightly on clear nights. The collective glow of its 200+ billion stars arches from horizon to horizon. Astronomy volunteer Richard Luecke will explain our current understanding of the Milky Way, our place in it, and how you can view and appreciate its splendors. His image-enhanced presentation will acquaint you with some of our galaxy’s most stunning features.
We will meet in Moore Auditorium on the Schoodic Institute campus from 7:30pm – 8:30pm on Sunday, August 25th. Weather permitting, attendees will then be invited outdoors for a laser-guided tour of the Milky Way and viewing through a large astronomical telescope (8:30pm – 10:00pm).
Space is limited! Please register below.
Cost: $15.00/person or $50.00/family of up to four
Photo: Harley Grady

2024 Maine’s Bold Coast: Schoodic to Head Harbor Passage
2024-08-27 - 2024-08-31 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Thank you for your interest! We are currently at capacity for this event.
For more information on our 2024 bird tours, please click here. If you would like to be placed on a waitlist for this tour, please contact Michelle Pinkham at 207-288-1356 or mpinkham@schoodicinstitute.org.
Maine’s 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. Join Schoodic Institute’s bird ecology director Seth Benz on this exciting bird tour and experience the excellent birding Downeast Maine has to offer!
This program begins at 2:00pm in Bangor, ME (or you may opt to drive to Schoodic Institute for a 3pm check-in and 4pm tour start). We will meet at Rockefeller Hall on the Schoodic Institute campus (9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME 04693) for introductions and a tour of the institute campus. 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.
We are offering van transportation from Bangor (Odlin Road Park & Ride parking area is very near the Bangor Airport). We will pick you up at the airport 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 van travel. 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. Price per participant is $1,650.00 – please register below.
Sample Itinerary:
Day 1: The tour begins in Bangor, Maine at 2pm (transportation pick-up available), OR on the Schoodic Institute campus at 3pm as the group convenes at 4pm for this 5-day, 4-night tour. Check-in and orientation is at Rockefeller Hall. We have an introductory reception beginning at 4pm. Dinner is at 6pm in Schooner Commons. Following dinner, we will have an evening presentation to get acquainted with the history and ecology of the region.
Day 2: We’ll start with an optional bird walk before breakfast. Breakfast is from 7am – 8am. 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: The last day’s itinerary is the 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/Bangor. The tour ends at 2pm in Bangor.
A species list from a previous Winged Migration tour is available upon request.

Of Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors... and Close Encounters
2024-08-27 19:30 - 22:00 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
There are more things in our solar system than the eight planets and their moons. Millions of small bodies of rock, ice and metal – asteroids, comets and meteors – orbit the sun. Many are awesome to behold against the dark night sky, but some are potential threats to our planet. Astronomy volunteer Richard Luecke will offer an image-enhanced introduction to these celestial neighbors, how to observe them, and the risks they pose when their trajectories cross the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
Join us in Moore Auditorium on the Schoodic Institute campus from 7:30pm – 8:30pm on Tuesday, August 27th. Weather permitting, attendees will then be invited outdoors for a laser-guided tour of Maine’s stunning night sky and viewing through a large astronomical telescope (approximately 8:30pm – 10:00pm).
Space is limited! Please register below.
Cost: $15.00/person or $50.00/family of up to four
NASA Photo / Comet NEOWISE 2019

Welcome to the Milky Way II
2024-08-30 19:30 - 22:00 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
An estimated 75% of the world’s people cannot see the Milky Way – our home galaxy – because of urban light pollution. But here in Acadia, it shines brightly on clear nights. The collective glow of its 200+ billion stars arches from horizon to horizon. Astronomy volunteer Richard Luecke will explain our current understanding of the Milky Way, our place in it, and how you can view and appreciate its splendors. His image-enhanced presentation will acquaint you with some of our galaxy’s most stunning features.
We will meet in Moore Auditorium on the Schoodic Institute campus from 7:30pm – 8:30pm on Friday, August 30th. Weather permitting, attendees will then be invited outdoors for a laser-guided tour of the Milky Way and viewing through a large astronomical telescope (8:30pm – 10:00pm).
Space is limited! Please register below.
Cost: $15.00/person or $50.00/family of up to four
Photo: Harley Grady

Of Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors… and Close Encounters II
2024-08-31 19:30 - 22:00 | Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
There are more things in our solar system than the eight planets and their moons. Millions of small bodies of rock, ice and metal – asteroids, comets and meteors – orbit the sun. Many are awesome to behold against the dark night sky, but some are potential threats to our planet. Astronomy volunteer Richard Luecke will offer an image-enhanced introduction to these celestial neighbors, how to observe them, and the risks they pose when their trajectories cross the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
Join us in Moore Auditorium on the Schoodic Institute campus from 7:30pm – 8:30pm on Saturday, August 31st. Weather permitting, attendees will then be invited outdoors for a laser-guided tour of Maine’s stunning night sky and viewing through a large astronomical telescope (approximately 8:30pm – 10:00pm).
Space is limited! Please register below.
Cost: $15.00/person or $50.00/family of up to four
NASA Photo / Comet NEOWISE 2019
