Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition

Every year, BBWC leads 20 curious and concerned folks through a seven-week program focused on the history, nature, health, and future of the watershed. They learn about the first peoples, visit salmon hatcheries, hike a granite quarry, discuss PFAS and other threats. It is the region's premier program focused on the ecology of the watershed, and it's free.

Outcomes? The 20 go on to join hundreds of other Pen Bay Stewards, who regularly volunteer time and expertise to protect the watershed. They monitor water quality. They maintain trails. They collaborate with other environmental groups. They support classroom activities. They develop initiatives, such as the plastic bag ban and Butts Be Gone.

Applications open in winter.

The Penobscot Bay Stewardship (PBS) program is designed to introduce the natural and cultural elements of Belfast Bay, its watershed and highlight their connections with the larger Penobscot Bay and its watershed.  There is no monetary fee for participating in the program, but participants are expected to contribute 40 hours of volunteer efforts in the area of natural resource protection, preservation, and other environmental and educational programs. 

The PBS program has been introducing citizens of the Midcoast of Maine to the natural resources of the region since 1999.  In 2025, we will once again host a new cohort of 20 promising environmental stewards .  The program will start on Tuesday May 6 and close on June 19th. The program meets all day every Tuesday and Thursday during this timeframe, with the exception of the Thursday before (May 22nd) and the Tuesday after (May 27th) Memorial Day. The program is updated annually but the 2024 program is available if you would like to get a sense of the scope of the program activities. As before, participants will learn about the diversity of marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems and the factors that affect their health and sustainability, interact with the organizations and individuals active in working to improve the quality of the watershed, and learn how they can become involved in those efforts  

Many participants have taken what they learned in the program and have made significant contributions to the health of the Belfast Bay and Penobscot Bay watershed regions.  Just in the last two years our stewards have expanded our water quality monitoring program to include monitoring the levels of Microplastics and bacteria in Belfast Bay. As well, a group of the 2024 class of stewards have formed an initiative to reduce the local use of single-use plastic cutlery.  If you are interested in this kind of environmental advocacy the PBS program is a great springboard to get you started.  

For more Information, please contact:

Ann Kennedy , 410-530-5151 , annkinmaine@gmail.com

Greg Biddinger, 713-203-0066, gbiddi@gmail.com