Celebrating Summer 2026 at Maine TREE Foundation

Community members gathered to celebrate the culmination of the Maine TREE Foundation’s 2026 field season. The celebration highlighted the hard work, field discoveries, and independent projects completed by this year’s vibrant cohort of interns, research technicians, and fellows. Since June, these individuals have engaged in independent projects while managing their role responsibilities.

“Each summer, I have the distinct privilege of welcoming some of the most talented and ambitious early-career professionals as Holt Research Forest Technicians and Fellows. This year was no exception, as we were joined by our largest cohort yet from across the Northeast. The Celebration Event is a culmination of their hard work, and I think their unique talents, strengths, and interests were showcased in their presentations this year,” said Paulina Murray, Research Manager at Holt Research Forest

The centerpiece of the event was the research symposium, where members of the cohort presented the results of their summer field investigations:

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Ecology & Wildlife Research

• Cooper White, Research Technician, presented his study, Influence of forest macro and micro habitat features on the abundance of the Eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) in coastal oak-pine forests, which investigated the habitat features that most strongly drove salamander abundance in the forest. 

• Shalee Ashburn, a visiting researcher, shared her Baseline Survey of Macrofungal Diversity and Ecological Associations, establishing critical foundational data on fungal communities to better understand their roles in local forest health and nutrient cycling.

  
  

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Forest Health & Land Management

• Corinna Hobbs, Sustainability Fellow, developed and shared management recommendations from her work, Invasive Plant Species Identification & Management, in which she mapped and identified invasive plant species on the property and the study grid.

• Elias Gottman, Research Technician, presented the Forest Health Protocol for Holt Research Forest, a new protocol designed to monitor current and emerging forest health issues, including but not limited to hemlock woolly adelgid, deer browse, and beech leaf and bark diseases.

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Education, Outreach & Storytelling

• James Tuthill, Forest-based education intern, shared highlights from his work translating field ecology into hands-on learning experiences for students and the public.

• Sarah Bedore, Communications Fellow, debuted a compelling Video presentation highlighting the summer experiences of interns, technicians, and fellows, giving attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the life of Maine TREE's field crew.

As the 2026 field season officially draws to a close, the impact of this cohort's work will extend well beyond the summer months. The monitoring protocols, baseline data, and educational materials developed by Corinna, Elias, James, Cooper, Shalee, and Sarah will feed into ongoing conservation efforts and Maine TREE’s year-round outreach programs.

“Expanding early-career pathways is a key investment for Maine TREE. Hosting interns, research technicians, and fellows not only increases our capacity but also bridges academic learning with forest stewardship. By engaging talented individuals in working forests and research sites, we’re supporting critical work today and developing the next generation of leaders, researchers, and educators for Maine’s forest economy,” said Logan Johnson, Executive Director of Maine TREE

https://youtu.be/p3lpKnu6L1Q?si=_MvM9FO2dYwZG_9C

This short documentary follows the 2026 research technicians at HOLT Research Forest as they learn the fundamentals of data collection, gain hands-on experience in forest research, and discover how the skills they develop can shape their paths.