The poems explore themes of friendship, wonder, fears, and boredom. They use simple rhyming structures and imagery to convey emotional experiences and observations of the natural world and relationships between people and pets.
A tiger was napping under a tree when an annoying mosquito started buzzing around him. When the tiger tried to swat the mosquito away with his paws, he ended up hitting himself both times and scraping his cheek, making it bleed. Unable to hit the evasive mosquito, the embarrassed tiger walked away as the mosquito called out that everyone has their strengths.
CarShare VT - GrowSmart Maine Transportation ForumGrowSmart Maine
Annie Bourdon of CarShare VT presents at GrowSmart Maine's Forum: 21st Century Transportation: Shared Vehicles, E-Bikes and their Implications for a Smart Growth Economy in Maine
This document discusses the "Sustain Southern Maine" initiative which aims to promote sustainable growth in southern Maine communities. It outlines HUD livability principles of providing transportation choices, equitable housing, economic competitiveness, supporting existing communities, and coordinating policies. The initiative will translate these principles into a format that works for southern Maine by finding ways for the region to prosper through concentrated, mixed-use development in existing population centers that want growth. It will designate pilot communities to demonstrate this community-driven, small-scale approach and share lessons learned. The goal is for 40-50 such centers to absorb growth and stimulate the economy in a sustainable way over 25 years.
Charlie Spies - Private Sector Capital for Public GoodGrowSmart Maine
CEI Capital Management has raised $674.6 million in private capital investments through the New Markets Tax Credit program. This has resulted in $1.92 billion total investment, preserving or creating 11,581 jobs across 26 states. In Maine specifically, $221.3 million in tax credits have generated $557 million in investments, creating or preserving 1,776 jobs and conserving 1.8 million acres of timberland. The tax credits provide low-cost funding to community development projects that create jobs and economic opportunities in low-income areas.
Greg Paxton - On the Path to Community ImprovementGrowSmart Maine
The document discusses strategies for improving communities by focusing on vacant and underutilized buildings. It argues that viewing such buildings as opportunities rather than failures can spur revitalization. Communities should inventory buildings to identify improvement projects and match spaces to community needs. Historic preservation, when used as part of a revitalization strategy, can attract tourism and residents while catalyzing private investment. Small, incremental improvements can build momentum for larger projects over time. Case studies of successful downtown revitalization efforts in Maine communities are presented.
Ryan Pelletier - Maine Economic Development DistrictsGrowSmart Maine
The document discusses economic development goals and strategies for Aroostook County, Maine. Aroostook County adopted the Mobilize Maine strategic approach, setting specific 2015 goals to address challenges and opportunities, focusing on information technology and energy industry clusters. The strategies included business retention and expansion, recruitment, incubation, leadership training, and engaging other organizations through the Mobilize Northern Maine initiative and a HUD Sustainable Communities workplan to create synergies across economic development efforts. Additional resources and grants were identified to support workforce development, business outreach, and expansion in targeted sectors.
This document discusses Maine's summer tourism industry, outdoor recreation activities, and strategies for communities to develop ecotourism. It provides data showing that the top reasons for leisure trips to Maine are outdoor recreation (35% of overnight, 32% of day trips) and shopping. Popular outdoor activities include fishing, hiking, wildlife watching, and kayaking. Successful ecotourism requires collaboration between local communities, businesses, and conservation efforts to empower communities while protecting the environment. Developing nature-based tourism also means understanding local partners and how the area is currently being marketed to visitors.
A tiger was napping under a tree when an annoying mosquito started buzzing around him. When the tiger tried to swat the mosquito away with his paws, he ended up hitting himself both times and scraping his cheek, making it bleed. Unable to hit the evasive mosquito, the embarrassed tiger walked away as the mosquito called out that everyone has their strengths.
CarShare VT - GrowSmart Maine Transportation ForumGrowSmart Maine
Annie Bourdon of CarShare VT presents at GrowSmart Maine's Forum: 21st Century Transportation: Shared Vehicles, E-Bikes and their Implications for a Smart Growth Economy in Maine
This document discusses the "Sustain Southern Maine" initiative which aims to promote sustainable growth in southern Maine communities. It outlines HUD livability principles of providing transportation choices, equitable housing, economic competitiveness, supporting existing communities, and coordinating policies. The initiative will translate these principles into a format that works for southern Maine by finding ways for the region to prosper through concentrated, mixed-use development in existing population centers that want growth. It will designate pilot communities to demonstrate this community-driven, small-scale approach and share lessons learned. The goal is for 40-50 such centers to absorb growth and stimulate the economy in a sustainable way over 25 years.
Charlie Spies - Private Sector Capital for Public GoodGrowSmart Maine
CEI Capital Management has raised $674.6 million in private capital investments through the New Markets Tax Credit program. This has resulted in $1.92 billion total investment, preserving or creating 11,581 jobs across 26 states. In Maine specifically, $221.3 million in tax credits have generated $557 million in investments, creating or preserving 1,776 jobs and conserving 1.8 million acres of timberland. The tax credits provide low-cost funding to community development projects that create jobs and economic opportunities in low-income areas.
Greg Paxton - On the Path to Community ImprovementGrowSmart Maine
The document discusses strategies for improving communities by focusing on vacant and underutilized buildings. It argues that viewing such buildings as opportunities rather than failures can spur revitalization. Communities should inventory buildings to identify improvement projects and match spaces to community needs. Historic preservation, when used as part of a revitalization strategy, can attract tourism and residents while catalyzing private investment. Small, incremental improvements can build momentum for larger projects over time. Case studies of successful downtown revitalization efforts in Maine communities are presented.
Ryan Pelletier - Maine Economic Development DistrictsGrowSmart Maine
The document discusses economic development goals and strategies for Aroostook County, Maine. Aroostook County adopted the Mobilize Maine strategic approach, setting specific 2015 goals to address challenges and opportunities, focusing on information technology and energy industry clusters. The strategies included business retention and expansion, recruitment, incubation, leadership training, and engaging other organizations through the Mobilize Northern Maine initiative and a HUD Sustainable Communities workplan to create synergies across economic development efforts. Additional resources and grants were identified to support workforce development, business outreach, and expansion in targeted sectors.
This document discusses Maine's summer tourism industry, outdoor recreation activities, and strategies for communities to develop ecotourism. It provides data showing that the top reasons for leisure trips to Maine are outdoor recreation (35% of overnight, 32% of day trips) and shopping. Popular outdoor activities include fishing, hiking, wildlife watching, and kayaking. Successful ecotourism requires collaboration between local communities, businesses, and conservation efforts to empower communities while protecting the environment. Developing nature-based tourism also means understanding local partners and how the area is currently being marketed to visitors.
Sustain Southern Maine - GSMSummit 2014, Rebeccah SchaffnerGrowSmart Maine
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react?
When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure.
This is the dollars and sense of smart growth.
Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change.
After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood
And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so.
The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.
Rich Roedner - Community Land Use: Towns Take on the Challenge - Vernal Pool ...GrowSmart Maine
The document discusses challenges with current state and federal regulations regarding vernal pools and proposes a local approach adopted by the Town of Topsham. Current regulations have inconsistencies between definitions, buffer requirements, and fail to consider species needs. Topsham worked with UMO to proactively map pools, train volunteers, and identify significant pools. Their local program aims to provide certainty, clarity, and consistency while allowing development in designated growth areas and conserving pools in rural areas through land purchases and easements. It could trigger a new ACOE permit and reduce state and federal oversight if adopted by other communities.
Leveraging Private Sector Investments and Public Funds to Support Smart Growt...GrowSmart Maine
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react?
When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure.
This is the dollars and sense of smart growth.
Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change.
After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood
And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so.
The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.
Linda Silka - National Initiatives with Statewide Impact: The Sustainability ...GrowSmart Maine
The document discusses Maine's participation in the National Science Foundation's Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI), which aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and place-based research that addresses sustainability challenges in Maine through partnerships between higher education and stakeholders; it provides examples of SSI research projects focused on issues like invasive species, renewable energy, and watershed management; and it outlines how SSI seeks to strengthen the impact of research by aligning university work with community needs and building statewide networks.
Making Headway in Your Community - Bucksport Closing Celebration, 2/3/16GrowSmart Maine
Making Headway in Your Community is a rural community development program that helps residents identify what they value most in their town and provides tools to protect and build on these assets. The process; lead by the Maine Downtown Center, a program of the Maine Development Foundation and GrowSmart Maine; funds a series of three public meetings over a period of 6-8 months during which time small projects are funded with a local match to draw attention to good work and improve connection both within the community and across Maine for information and inspiration. This is the final step in Bucksport's journey through the process.
Portland's Complete Streets Policy - GSMSummit 2014, Bruce HymanGrowSmart Maine
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react?
When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure.
This is the dollars and sense of smart growth.
Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change.
After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood
And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so.
The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.
Carl Eppich: GrowSmart Maine 21st century transportation ForumGrowSmart Maine
Carl Eppich of PACTS presents at GrowSmart Maine's Forum: 21st Century Transportation: Shared Vehicles, E-Bikes and their Implications for a Smart Growth Economy in Maine
Maine Green Power - A Look Into Maine’s Renewable Energy: A GrowSmart Maine B...GrowSmart Maine
Are you a Maine resident or business owner looking to learn more about your electricity options? Do you wonder about how Maine’s electricity system works, and what that means for you? Our February forum was all about how it all works, what it means to residents and businesses, and options to get involved! We heard from experts about existing renewable energy programs Maine has and learn what works, what doesn’t, where they are, and what they cost. We found success stories on how to act locally and affect change in your community.
$5 billion leaves Maine each year in the purchase of fossil fuels. This is a cost to Maine businesses, residents and communities. The health and environmental benefits of reduced fossil fuel uses are significant. With our focus on community-level tools to manage growth and change, GrowSmart Maine draws attention to the costs for Maine communities, and the resources available to those who live and work here to keep more of those dollars here, through energy efficiency and production of renewable energy.
Where to Start With Climate Change - GSMSummit 2014, Liz HertzGrowSmart Maine
This document provides guidance for municipalities on addressing climate change at the local level. It recommends starting with community engagement and partnerships to understand local concerns. Municipalities should then review climate data and projections, assess vulnerabilities, and integrate climate change considerations into existing plans and policies. The process takes time but focusing on priority impacts and using available resources can help communities begin practical steps to plan for and adapt to climate change.
Sustain Southern Maine - GSMSummit 2014, Rebeccah SchaffnerGrowSmart Maine
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react?
When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure.
This is the dollars and sense of smart growth.
Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change.
After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood
And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so.
The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.
Rich Roedner - Community Land Use: Towns Take on the Challenge - Vernal Pool ...GrowSmart Maine
The document discusses challenges with current state and federal regulations regarding vernal pools and proposes a local approach adopted by the Town of Topsham. Current regulations have inconsistencies between definitions, buffer requirements, and fail to consider species needs. Topsham worked with UMO to proactively map pools, train volunteers, and identify significant pools. Their local program aims to provide certainty, clarity, and consistency while allowing development in designated growth areas and conserving pools in rural areas through land purchases and easements. It could trigger a new ACOE permit and reduce state and federal oversight if adopted by other communities.
Leveraging Private Sector Investments and Public Funds to Support Smart Growt...GrowSmart Maine
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react?
When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure.
This is the dollars and sense of smart growth.
Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change.
After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood
And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so.
The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.
Linda Silka - National Initiatives with Statewide Impact: The Sustainability ...GrowSmart Maine
The document discusses Maine's participation in the National Science Foundation's Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI), which aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and place-based research that addresses sustainability challenges in Maine through partnerships between higher education and stakeholders; it provides examples of SSI research projects focused on issues like invasive species, renewable energy, and watershed management; and it outlines how SSI seeks to strengthen the impact of research by aligning university work with community needs and building statewide networks.
Making Headway in Your Community - Bucksport Closing Celebration, 2/3/16GrowSmart Maine
Making Headway in Your Community is a rural community development program that helps residents identify what they value most in their town and provides tools to protect and build on these assets. The process; lead by the Maine Downtown Center, a program of the Maine Development Foundation and GrowSmart Maine; funds a series of three public meetings over a period of 6-8 months during which time small projects are funded with a local match to draw attention to good work and improve connection both within the community and across Maine for information and inspiration. This is the final step in Bucksport's journey through the process.
Portland's Complete Streets Policy - GSMSummit 2014, Bruce HymanGrowSmart Maine
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react?
When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure.
This is the dollars and sense of smart growth.
Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change.
After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood
And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so.
The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.
Carl Eppich: GrowSmart Maine 21st century transportation ForumGrowSmart Maine
Carl Eppich of PACTS presents at GrowSmart Maine's Forum: 21st Century Transportation: Shared Vehicles, E-Bikes and their Implications for a Smart Growth Economy in Maine
Maine Green Power - A Look Into Maine’s Renewable Energy: A GrowSmart Maine B...GrowSmart Maine
Are you a Maine resident or business owner looking to learn more about your electricity options? Do you wonder about how Maine’s electricity system works, and what that means for you? Our February forum was all about how it all works, what it means to residents and businesses, and options to get involved! We heard from experts about existing renewable energy programs Maine has and learn what works, what doesn’t, where they are, and what they cost. We found success stories on how to act locally and affect change in your community.
$5 billion leaves Maine each year in the purchase of fossil fuels. This is a cost to Maine businesses, residents and communities. The health and environmental benefits of reduced fossil fuel uses are significant. With our focus on community-level tools to manage growth and change, GrowSmart Maine draws attention to the costs for Maine communities, and the resources available to those who live and work here to keep more of those dollars here, through energy efficiency and production of renewable energy.
Where to Start With Climate Change - GSMSummit 2014, Liz HertzGrowSmart Maine
This document provides guidance for municipalities on addressing climate change at the local level. It recommends starting with community engagement and partnerships to understand local concerns. Municipalities should then review climate data and projections, assess vulnerabilities, and integrate climate change considerations into existing plans and policies. The process takes time but focusing on priority impacts and using available resources can help communities begin practical steps to plan for and adapt to climate change.
Where to Start With Climate Change - GSMSummit 2014, Liz Hertz
Poetry Anthology
1.
2. I’ve got this friend
Who loves to bend
And by the end,
She’ll tend to mend.
I learned the trend,
And now I spend,
What I blend.
3. By Alanna Williams
When you look into the sky
It makes you want to cry
Then take a big sigh
While you wonder why.
You will never want to say goodbye
So stay nearby
And always wonder why
You wanna cry
4. All these years
I’ve watched your tears
Run down your ears.
Now your peers,
Have the same fears.
That there will be no
cheers.
We hope this all clears,
Before you disappear.
5. There once was a guy
named Gary.
He was tall, big, and hairy.
He sat on a bug,
That was in a rug.
He got real mad and was
scary.
6. My cat is oh so boring why oh why…
He makes me want to cry because he sleeps
He sleeps all day and never says hello.
My cat Bernard is such a boring beast!
I wouldn’t be surprised if he had flees!