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Winter Harbor, Maine – Schoodic Institute scientists invite the public to join them in the intertidal zone from June to October to collect data about rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) while exploring the beauty of Maine’s coast between the tides.

Rockweed is the dominant algae or seaweed in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine, and provides habitat for animals living in and visiting this dynamic ecosystem.

Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. To help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” Schoodic Institute has launched Project ASCO (Assessing Seaweed via Community Observations). Coastal property owners, land trusts and their members, and others with access to the shoreline are invited to attend field training sessions to learn how to collect rockweed data. Their data will then be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.

The training sessions for 2023 with online signup links are listed below:

These in-person training sessions will be spent outdoors in the rocky intertidal zone. No prior knowledge is required. Once trained, participants will have everything they need – skills and gear – to safely and effectively collect rockweed data from the parts of the coast they love and want to learn more about.

“We are looking forward to working with other people who love the coast and the intertidal to collect high quality and essential data,” said Hannah Webber, Marine Ecology Director at Schoodic Institute.

Along with rockweed, this project allows for learning more about other seaweeds, periwinkles, mussels, crabs, birds, and the occasional seal or whale. There is no cost to attend but registration is required.

For more information and to register, please click here.