Eastern Maine Regional Opportunities for Ocean, Timber and Soil (ROOTS) Conference

Saturday, March 21, 2026
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Reynolds Center, UMaine Machias

This year’s half-day “Gathering” looks a little different than the 2025 Eastern Maine ROOTS (Regional Opportunities for Ocean, Timber and Soil) “Conference”, to be held every odd year (2027, 2029…). We welcome industry workers, ecosystem enthusiasts, service providers, and community organizations to convene in a casual setting to discuss key challenges and emerging opportunities – within and across sectors. Insights gathered during this event will help shape priority topics for the 2027 Eastern Maine ROOTS Conference.

Come be a part of the conversation!! There is no cost to participate.

Some of the themes for discussion this year will include:

Workforce development
Improving efficiencies
Building sustainable and resilient systems
Greatest opportunities/challenges
Climate change concerns/solutions

Organizations and participants are invited to set out informational materials on shared networking tables at this year’s gathering.

Schedule

9:45 a.m. Registration / Welcome / Coffee & Tea

10 a.m. Opening

Introduce Planning Team & ROOTS purpose
Housekeeping and overview of the day
Land Acknowledgement
Hand Raising/Audience “Who’s in the room?”
Introduce alternating format EMROOTS Conference / Gathering

10:30 a.m. Networking

10:30 to 11:00 – Personal/professional introductions – by sector
11:00 to 11:30 – Open networking & resource tabling – full group

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Lunch featuring local and organic foods (and oysters!)

12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Break-out workshops, facilitated by sector

1:40 to 2:00 p.m. Closing: Finding shared priorities across sectors

Registration

Sponsorship Opportunity

The Eastern Maine Regional Opportunities for Ocean, Timber and Soil Conference planning committee extends an open invitation to interested businesses and organizations to be a sponsor of the conference and help make it a success. Sponsorship provides benefits to your organization and opportunities to interact with farmers, fisherfolk, growers, woodland owners and interested community members from Eastern Maine.

Benefits of conference sponsorship include

Logo and link on conference web page
Recognition in conference social media campaign
Introduction and recognition during opening session of conference program
Registration and lunch for two individuals
One exhibit space in prominent location

Thank you for considering sponsorship of this important event. If your organization is interested in becoming a sponsor, please complete this form or email Rachel White, Eastern Maine ROOTS Conference Planning Lead at rachel@maine.edu to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

Sponsorship Form

Planning Committee

Brian Greulich, Licensed Forester, NRCS technical service provider
Jessica Leahy, Professor, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono
Kyle Pepperman, Executive Director, Downeast Institute
Kirsten Tenney, Full Plates Full Potential
Lucy Zwigard, Washington County Food Programs Coordinator, Healthy Acadia, Machias, and co-facilitator of the Washington County Food Council
Rachel White, Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Conference Planning Lead
Tara Wood, Administrative Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Resources

Sign up form for the Washington County Food Council e-list
Washington County Food Council Facebook Page
Sign up for the new Downeast Agricultural eNewsletter by Cooperative Extension to share your on-farm events, community initiatives, etc. Send in content to extension.DowneastAggies@maine.edu
U niversity of Maine Cooperative Extension Washington County Facebook Page

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