In this season of giving, please receive our special thanks for helping to protect the health of Casco Bay.
2019 has been a banner year for us. We continue our work at the local level and with focus on the importance of our coastal waters. We have moved the needle toward a healthier, more protected Bay. Our work has resonated in communities around the Bay and beyond:
- We worked with state legislators and other environmental groups to draft a bill to establish a state-funded marine advisory commission. This bill was integrated into the Governor’s comprehensive climate bill, which established the Maine Climate Council. Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca was invited to serve on the Climate Council’s Coastal and Marine Working Group.
- We organized stakeholder meetings with legislators, resource harvesters, scientists, and concerned citizens, to help the Maine Ocean and Coastal Acidification Partnership write the report, “An Action Plan to Address and Adapt to Ocean Climate Change in Maine.” The report will be used as a resource and guide for Maine Climate Council’s Coastal and Marine Working Group.
- We presented three programs, free and open to the public, on Climate Change, Ocean Acidification, and You, in our first-ever Casco Bay Matters series. Friends of Casco Bay staff members described the research, policies, and actions needed to help address threats from climate change to Maine’s marine economy and quality of life. More than 380 people in Portland, South Portland, and Brunswick came to hear what we had to say. They left armed with actions they could take to make a difference.
- Nearly 200 volunteers have signed up as Water Reporters, our observing network for Casco Bay. You can check out their observations here.
- We amped up our work to understand a changing Casco Bay through our Continuous Monitoring Station in Yarmouth, which collects data hourly, year-round. The station is well into its fourth year of data collection. We continue to spot-check the health of the Bay at 21 additional sites around the Bay. Check out our “Cage of Science’s” data at cascobay.org/our-work/science/
continuous-monitoring-station.
We would not be effective if not for our volunteers, members and the local businesses and foundations that support our work. You are all Friends of the Bay.
As we look ahead to 2020, we invite you to our 30th anniversary celebration on April 29, 2020, at Ocean Gateway in Portland. Mark your calendar and save the date!
May the beauty of the season find its way into your heart — along with our gratitude.
Warmest regards,
Cathy L. Ramsdell, CPA
Executive Director
