Environmental stewardship in Maine is a constant endeavor, especially with increasing pressure on Maine’s ecosystems. The pressure is not only on Maine’s flora but the communities and economies that rely on the state’s natural resources. Graduate student Amir Colbert Stone is helping lead this effort as part of the NSF EPSCoR Maine-FOREST project (#OIA-2416915.), bringing together youth education and community resilience to preserve Maine’s vital industries.Â
His work in Maine exists at the intersection of different industries, working to understand how Maine’s communities interact with one another. In addition to working on the NSF EPSCor Maine-FOREST project, he is also a trainee in the NSF National Research Traineeship: 3D Ecosystem Science program.
“I’ve gained experience in Maine’s local industries, first on waterfronts and now in forests. It’s important to understand the differences between coastal and forestry-based communities, and how they interact with each other,” said Colbert Stone.
Colbert Stone, a self-described “convener,” focuses on bringing people and organizations together to best support one another and create meaningful change. Originally from Ohio, Colbert Stone began his academic career at Denison University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Black Studies and Women’s and Gender studies. He joined 91±¬ÁĎ’s Anthropology and Environmental Policy Master’s program to merge his past interests with his future career goals in the environmental sector.
While in Maine, Colbert Stone has been involved with multiple organizations that work to increase environmental stewardship across the state while supporting local communities. As a research assistant with Maine-FOREST, he is currently involved with research on rural communities and youth education. Working with Dr. Lydia Horne and Dr. Sandra De Urioste Stone, he researches rural and tribal communities and how they can educate students for the future. The research team partners with Rural Aspirations Project, a Maine nonprofit that empowers students in rural schools to engage in their communities with place-based projects.
The goal is to support forest communities by strengthening educational opportunities and student community engagement through the Rural Aspirations Project. He is currently interviewing community partners, teachers and administrators involved with the Rural Aspirations Project and the Maine Forest Collaborative to better understand rural education and environmental stewardship.
“Their theory of change is that rural schools are one of the only places that rural communities have left to get together as a community and have real outcomes and change. So using the school as an avenue for rural vitality, empowering kids to know that they have a future here in Maine and don’t have to leave to attain their goals. It’s been really nice getting to work with them,” said Colbert Stone.
Beyond his work as a researcher, Colbert Stone has further contributed to the Rural Aspirations Project through his own connections. As a recipient of a Changemakers Fellowship from the Maine Environmental Education Association, he received funding for a community project of his choice. He directed those funds to support a new school participating in the Maine Forest Collaborative, a program of Rural Aspirations Project. This program allows students to create place-based community projects relating to sustainability and forest management.
Working with an eighth-grade class at Piscataquis Community Secondary School, he helped expand a project on maple tree awareness. Building on students’ experience with maple tapping, the class is planning a community event to highlight the cultural and historical significance of maple trees, including connections to Wabanaki traditions.
“It felt like a win for everybody,” Colbert Stone said. “The students receive the funding directly and gain experience managing a project themselves.”
This work is part of Colbert Stone’s mission to engage with Maine’s vital industries, such as the forest and marine sectors. After graduating this spring, Colbert Stone will become a community engagement associate with the Maine Women’s Lobby, focusing on research coordination and community organizing.
