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Penobscot River Synthesis
Abstract:
The Penobscot River Synthesis will develop a comprehensive
bibliography of scientific references and resources related to the
Penobscot River. The Synthesis is designed for use by scientists
and educators interested in the Penobscot River Restoration
Project, dam removal research, and the environmental history of
the Penobscot River. The bibliography will be hosted on PEARL, the
online database of environmental information in Maine (www.pearl.maine.edu).
A second part of the proposed project, A Penobscot River Journal,
will interpret the scientific information from the bibliography
for a lay audience in newspaper articles and a printed publication
produced by Maine Sea Grant.
Problem Statement:
The announcement of the Penobscot River Restoration Project (PRRP)
has many people wondering what we know and don't know about the
river. Scientists in Maine and the region, who view the project as
an opportunity for ecological research, are formulating research
proposals. Faculty members at the University of Maine are excited
about the project and exploring possible collaborations (see, for
example, the Penobscot science symposium held October 19-20, 2004
at the University of Maine). As scientists begin to address the
changes that will result from the PRRP, they will need baseline
information on status and trends in the Penobscot River ecosystem,
traditionally obtained by reviewing literature of past research.
It is likely that many will be seeking similar references, driving
the need for a single, comprehensive bibliography. It is not just
scientists who are interested in the environmental history of the
river. People who live in the communities along the river — and
across the country — will be paying more attention as the project
advances. The general public likewise should have access to the
knowledge gained from the literature review. Science results are
not fully realized until they are available to the target
community, and one way to accomplish this realization is to convey
scientific information in a narrative format (Franklin, 1997;
Kramer, 2004).
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