At the Mount Desert Island Historical Society’s Annual Meeting on
August 18, 2016 from 5 pm to 7 pm at The Neighborhood House in Northeast Harbor, I presented “The Champlain Society: Science and the Origins of Conservation in Acadia,” part of the
Acadia Centennial Lecture Series.
The creation of Acadia National Park can be traced to a group of college students who spent their summers studying the flora and fauna of Mount Desert Island in the 1880s. Their story illustrates the connections between science, place, and the desire to protect and share the beauty of nature.
The meeting also featured a review of the past year, as described in the Annual Report, a discussion of the proposed History Trust, election of new board members and officers, and a special award presentation.
Catherine Schmitt 