Habitat Restoration and Monitoring

1. Better understand coastal habitats and processes to inform management and build resilience to climate change
2. Identify and restore key coastal resources and habitats to improve overall coastal ecosystem health

• Kelp Ecosystem Ecology Network: As part of the Kelp Ecosystem Ecology Network (KEEN), we are part of a global network of researchers assessing the impacts of climate change on kelp forests. Kelp forests cover 25% of the world’s coastline and are a critically important foundation species in temperate and boreal marine ecosystems. We established a long-term monitoring site in midcoast Maine in 2016 where we have documented alarming delines in kelp abundance and subsequent changes in species composition. Our data contributes to a global, open access dataset which is improving our understanding of how these critical ecosystems are responding to change. To learn more about KEEN, visit https://www.kelpecosystems.org/
• Basin Oyster Project: The Basin Oyster Project (BOP) is a community driven project to build the first oyster reef in the state of Maine. Partnered with Bates College, The Town of Phippsburg Conservation Committee, Maine Oyster Company, Manomet brings a unique scientific perspective to the group to design monitoring methodology and protocols. To learn more about BOP, visithttps://themaineoystercompany.com/basinoysterproject
• Eelgrass Recovery Collaborative: Eelgrass beds are a critical coastal habitat, known as the ‘nursery of the sea’, that have significantly declined over the past two decades. Conserving and restoring eelgrass is an enormous challenge. Manomet is working with partners to better understand the drivers of eelgrass health and develop a site suitability process for large scale eelgrass restoration in Maine.

• Basin Oyster Project: Community-Based Coastal Habitat Restoration
• From the Bottom Up: A Community-Based Approach to Oyster Reef Restoration
• Planting the Seed: Opportunities and Challenges for Small-scale Oyster Reef Building in Maine

Key Partners: Colby College, Bates College, Town of Phippsburg Conservation Committee, Maine Oyster Company, Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership, KEEN Network, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Friends of Casco Bay, Team Zostera, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, The Nature Conservancy, New Meadows River Shellfish Co-Op, Midcoast Conservancy, Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, Bowdoin College, Schiller Coastal Studies Center

Funders: The Nature Conservancy, Davis Conservation Foundation, Bonnell Cove Foundation, Maine Sea Grant, Ferris Olson Family Foundation for Ocean Stewardship, Maine Community Foundation