Coastal Conversations 5/22/26: The Coastal Spruce Fir Forest

Host: Julia Rush
Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel
Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea

Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program.

Ecology, natural history, scientific research, forest surveys.

Guest/s:
Gillian Audier.
Camilla Seirup.
Dr. Ron Davis.

FMI:
Sea to Trees – Season 4, episode 3 schoodicinstitute.org/sea-to-trees-season-4-episode-3/

About the hosts:

Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

Around Town 5/22/26: Local News, Culture and Events

Host/Producer: Amy Browne

The Wilson Museum in Castine opens May 27th with an exhibit in honor of the United States’ Semiquincentennial, that looks at historic events connected to Penobscot river and bay around the time of the revolution. Executive Director Julia Gray joins us with the details.

NOTE: Around Town will be away next week. Be sure to list your events on our groovy new community calendar!

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Election Security Forum in Blue Hill on 5/15/26

May 15th forum on election security. The event, sponsored by the Blue Hill Constitution Committee and WERU Community Radio, was held at the First Congregational Church of Blue Hill.

Moderator: Ann Luther of the League of Women Voters

Panelists:
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows

Cindy Reilly, Sedgwick town clerk from 1995 to 2024

Holly Idelson, Policy Strategist with Protect Democracy, and former Senior Counsel for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Around Town 5/21/26: Local News, Culture and Events

Host/Producer: Amy Browne

Tonight in Searsport, Friends of Sears Island and Carver Memorial Library will be hosting a presentation by Julia Hiltonsmith titled “Historical Memory of Land Use Proposals at Sears Island”. This program will be held at Carver Memorial Library at 12 Union Street in Searsport, Maine, at 6:30 tonight. It’s free and open to the public. Advance registration is not required.

A few more events coming up on Saturday in honor of World Fish Migration Day. See the archives for Tuesday’s AT for others.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust let us know about 3 more events on Saturday, on the Orange, Narraquaugus and Bagaduce rivers – that will focus on sharing fish passage plans and restoration updates “Two of these rivers are preparing for major 2026 fishway construction projects, and partners will be publicly walking through the plans, renderings, and ecological significance. These are community?driven efforts to reopen habitat for alewives, shad, salmon, eels, and other migratory species.”

Orange River — Whiting
May 23, 9–11 a.m. | MCHT Office, Route 1
A community gathering to share 2026 construction plans for the Orange River Millpond Dam fishway — a key barrier on one of the largest freshwater sources flowing into Cobscook Bay.

Narraguagus River — Cherryfield
May 23, 1–3 p.m. | Below the dam, downtown Cherryfield
Partners will present plans and renderings for a 2026 nature?like fishway to replace a dam that has blocked fish passage for more than 65 years.

Bagaduce River — Penobscot/Brooksville/Sedgwick
May 23, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Pierce Pond boat ramp
Part of Alewife Day, celebrating Maine’s first fully restored watershed for fish passage after installation of five nature?like fishways.

FMI re these events – and several others happening around the state- on Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s website

Orland will celebrate Migratory Fish Day on Saturday with a festival celebrating the return of alewives and Blueback herring on the Orland/Narramissic river.
The day will feature viewing of the fish weir, led by Orland Fish Commissioner Peter Robshaw, cheering herring as they migrated up the fish ladder at the Orland dam, speakers in the main tent, a special activity area for kids, booths and snacks. The Festival is free and open to all, Saturday from 10am – 2pm in Orland Village Click here for more information

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Around Town 5/20/26: Local News, Culture and Events

Host/Producer: Amy Browne

Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District is partnering with the Maine Natural Areas Program, UMaine Cooperative Extension and Native Gardens of Blue Hill to cohost the 2026 Invasive Plant Educational Workshop on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at Emerson Hall in Castine.

Mary Thibodeau, District Manager, Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District joins us today to let listeners know about this annual series that trains home gardeners and industry professionals to identify invasive plants and manage them across forest, farm, and garden systems. The morning session is indoors, and the afternoon moves into the field for hands-on identification (rain or shine, so dress for the weather).

For more information and to register

Study cited in intro today: Non-native Plants and Animals Expanding Ranges 100 Times Faster than Native Species, Finds New Research Led by UMass Amherst, Annual Reviews of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 2024

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Outside the Box 5/19/26: “Yes to New Art and Culture”

Producer/Host: Larry Dansinger

About the host:
Larry Dansinger (no pronouns) of Bangor came to Maine in 1974 and has been here ever since. Some of Larry’s activities since then: Done community organizing on numerous issues through INVERT and then Resources for Organizing and Social Change (ROSC), committed civil disobedience several times, grown a garden yearly since 1977, joined various food cooperatives and two men’s groups, refused to pay federal income taxes for war, lived on a community land trust for 23 years, and met a wonderful partner whom Larry has loved for over 40 years. Larry has produced Outside the Box features on WERU since 2007 and continues to look for unique ways of seeing almost any problem or situation.

Around Town 5/19/26: Local News, Culture and Events

Host/Producer: Amy Browne

Today’s Fish News was hosted by Bea Alsop-Cheeney in Milbridge with assistance from youth from the Independent Downeast Association for Homeschoolers. It was produced by Kate Blofson from WRUJ-LP in Richmond VT and made possible with support from Greenhorns and Eat Downeast

Upcoming fish-tivals and fish-tivities:

Fifth Annual Pennamaquan Alewife Festival — Free, family-friendly fun with the fish. Saturday, May 23, 2026, 10am–5pm, 12 Little Falls Road, Pembroke

The For All the Fish conference and concert in Machias on May 31 is organized by the Greenhorns and Downeast Salmon Federation The free concert will feature The Mallett Brothers Band, The Midnight Riders, and The Milk & Honey Rebellion,
May 31, 2026, 4–9pm, Bad Little Falls Park, Machias

More info on upcoming fish/alewife festivals around the state

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Around Town 5/18/26: Local News, Culture and Events

Host/Producer: Amy Browne

Berit Becker, Communications and Development Director at the Ellsworth Public Library, is here today to let listeners know about the final event in their Indie Lens series, coming up this weekend: Community Screening of The Grocery List Show

Theme music: BreakBeat Chemists I, 2015
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License