Become a Community Scientist: Help Protect Maine’s Streams and Water Quality

Are you an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys exploring streams and water quality? Do you want to make a difference in protecting our environment? If so, this community science project is perfect for you. Maine Audubon, in collaboration with Trout Unlimited Merrymeeting Bay chapter, is seeking volunteers to assist in sampling Frost Gully Brook to determine the presence of sensitive, moderately sensitive, and tolerant large aquatic insects (macroinvertebrates) following the removal of dams on the brook system last summer.

Volunteers will work in teams of three or four to sample at a location in Freeport over the next year. Training, equipment, maps of the survey streams, data forms, and instructions will be provided. An in-person training session will take place on May 16 at Selene’s Fly Shop in Gardiner from 5:30-7:30 pm, or volunteers can choose to do online training by watching videos on the Maine Audubon website.

As a community scientist, your data collected will offer valuable insights into water quality and the overall health of streams and rivers. Large aquatic insects are important indicators of environmental changes, with certain species needing specific water conditions and high-quality habitat. The presence or absence of different species can provide information on water quality and stream ecological health. Macroinvertebrates also serve as a crucial food source for many aquatic species, playing a vital role in the stream food web. If there is a decline in insect population, it can impact the entire aquatic food web.

If you are interested in signing up for this project or have any questions, please email hyoung@maineaudubon.org. Get involved and make a difference in monitoring and protecting our water resources!