Schoodic Institute

05/29/2026

Hey hey hey! It's an all-new season of !

05/28/2026

a TINY behind-the-scenes update: our Marketing & Design Manager (and the person often behind these posts) is heading out on maternity leave!

While she’s away welcoming a tiny new human, our team will continue sharing science stories, campus updates, and fieldwork adventures with you here.

Thanks for growing with us! 🌱

05/22/2026

What a great night! Thanks Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce!

05/21/2026

See you at Schoodic Institute tonight 5-7pm for Business After Hours!

05/20/2026

At the summit of Dorr Mountain, Acadia's pitch pines cling to rock and patches of soil. Their cracked, weathered bark testifies to the harsh conditions in which they grow.

Pitch pines are common on Acadia’s peaks, growing in dry, low-nutrient soil where most other species struggle. While harsh living is indeed their thing, these pitch pines are facing another challenge: the arrival of southern pine beetle in New England.

Alongside a team of researchers, Caroline Kanaskie, an Acadia Science Fellow and doctoral student at University of New Hampshire, has been closely examining climate conditions in areas with and without southern pine beetle.

So, what have they discovered? New insights for Acadia’s pitch pines here https://schoodicinstitute.org/new-insights-for-acadias-pitch-pines/

✍🏽 web story by Tiegan Paulson
📷 photos by Catherine Schmitt/Schoodic Institute

05/19/2026

JOIN US this season for our 2026 Summer Lecture Series! Registration is now open for this free, four-part program exploring science, conservation, and public engagement. This year’s lineup features leading experts (scientists, researchers, storytellers, and more) who will explore past and present research, cultural perspectives, and innovative ideas to protect local ecosystems and build a better future for parks, people, and the planet.

Beginning in June, these talks are free and open to the public (registration required). All programs will be held at Moore Auditorium on Schoodic Institute’s campus in Winter Harbor, with a Zoom option as well. View the full line-up and register online at https://schoodicinstitute.org/summer-lecture-series/

Our 2026 Summer Lecture Series is made possible in part by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.

🌱 DID YOU KNOW? 🌱
Your participation in Schoodic Institute events fuels our mission to inspire science, learning, and community for a changing world and helps support conservation science and education for all ages.

05/17/2026

Check out this recent Portland Press Herald article featuring the findings of Gillian Audier, our 2025 Cathy and Jim Gero Acadia Early-Career Fellow!

The songbird population at Acadia National Park has become smaller and quieter over the last half century.

05/14/2026

Our "Adapting to Change - With Science" series continues! ✨🌿

America Adapts - The Climate Change Podcast and its host, Doug Parsons, visited Schoodic Institute to learn more about our conservation science. Link below to listen to his reflections and hear from staff on generating the science behind climate adaptation with Schoodic Institute.

Over the next several months, we’ll be sharing with you excerpts from the podcast. We're continuing this month with Schoodic Institute Climate Change Adaptation Scientist Dr. Chris Nadeau.

Follow along! Part TWO here https://schoodicinstitute.org/adapting-to-change-part-2/

05/13/2026

Schoodic Institute’s 2025 Impact Report is now available online and in print! 🌱

We’re grateful to be part of the community that has sustained Acadia’s Research Learning Center for 25 years. Your support has helped build something enduring: a place where science, learning, and stewardship come together in service of Acadia National Park and the people who care deeply about its future.

Our Impact Report reflects on that history and the arc of our work.

Featuring a timeline, it traces where we began, how our science and education programs have evolved, and what we accomplished over the past year. You’ll see how long-term research continues to inform park management, how partnerships strengthen our reach, and how investments in students, fellows, and early-career professionals extend our impact well beyond a single season and well beyond Acadia.

Find for our digital version at the link below, or pick up a printed copy in-person by visiting Schoodic Institute in Winter Harbor.

https://schoodicinstitute.org/impact-report-now-available-in-print-and-online/

📷: Sarah Luchini/Schoodic Institute