FARMINGTON – Scientists, environmentalists and volunteers will gather at the University of Maine at Farmington on Saturday for the Maine Lakes Conference 2005.
Highlighting the conference will be a panel discussion on the “Challenges of Environmental Stewardship Today” at 10:15 a.m. Four of Maine’s environmental leaders will examine natural resource protection in the current political and economic climate.
Moderating the panel will be Brownie Carson, executive director of Natural Resources Council of Maine, with panelists state Rep. Ted Koffman of Bar Harbor, the co-chairman of the council; David Littel, deputy director of the Department of Environmental Protection; and Alan Caron, president of GrowSmart Maine.
Dr. Katherine Webster, associate professor of limnology at University of Maine, will give the keynote address, “Top Down Versus Bottom Up: Food Webs and Water Quality.” Her talk on the role of food webs and the manipulation of resident aquatic species on lake water quality will begin at 8:45 a.m. Limnology deals with the physical, chemical and biological properties of fresh waters, especially lakes and ponds.
Participants will be able to choose two one-hour workshops from 10 offerings between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. The topics include invasive aquatic plants, safe drinking water and septic systems, working with municipal officials, outreach tools, wildlife issues and shoreline management.
Workshop speakers will include Dr. Dan Buckley, a professor at University of Maine at Farmington who heads the Maine Congress of Lake Associations, which is sponsoring the conference. Other speakers will be Russell Martin, program director of the state’s division of health and engineering; Rebecca Kurtz, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust; Jon Van Bourg, Kennebec Water District; Bill Hansen, wildlife biologist for Florida Power and Light; and Maggie Shannon, executive director of the Maine Congress of Lake Associations.
“This is an opportunity for people who love Maine lakes to learn from Maine experts,” said Shannon on Tuesday.
The conference will be in Roberts Learning Center at UMF. Cost is $35 payable at the door; it includes breakfast and lunch. For more information, people may visit www.mainecola.org or call toll-free (877) 254-2511.
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