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Maine TREE kicks off Summer Field Season
- Hope Light
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
Maine TREE kicked off its summer field season at Holt Research Forest (HRF) this past Thursday with a welcome event for its largest cohort of summer interns, fellows, work study students, and research technicians to date. In addition to the general responsibilities of their positions, each will complete an independent project, ranging from multimedia content development to invasive plant management to fungal fruiting-body survey. These early-career professionals bring a diversity of experience, skills, and interests, along with a whole lot of enthusiasm, to our team!
Maine TREE Staff and HRF advisory committee members joined the summer cohort for introduction games and lunch. After lunch, Research Manager Paulina led a field tour, discussing long-term ecosystem monitoring, previous projects conducted on the property, and two new research initiatives: acoustic monitoring of bird populations and a project led by USM Intern Shalee documenting fungal populations at HRF using fungal fruiting body surveys.
Learn more about our summer crew below, and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see all that’s accomplished this summer!
James Tuthill, Community Science Intern, will be supporting Maine TREE’s forest-based education initiatives with a focus on the Forest Ecology Research Network (FERN). James is an Environmental Science student at the University of Southern Maine pursuing a minor in Ecology, with an interest in forestry, wetlands, wildlife ecology, and conservation. Outside of school, James enjoys hiking, kayaking, exploring Maine’s natural landscapes, visiting historical sites and lighthouses, and spending time outdoors with his wife and two dogs. He’s excited to spend the season learning about Maine’s forests, environmental education, and forest stewardship.
Sarah Bedore, a recent University of New England graduate, has been the Communications Intern at Maine TREE since September 2025. This summer, she will be a Maine TREE Fellow working across the organization to support events and digital media production. Her projects will focus on place-based and narrative storytelling, helping to illustrate Maine TREE’s impact.
Shalee Ashburn, a University of Southern Maine spring intern, is staying on through the end of this summer. She is conducting the first fungal ecology research project at Holt Research Forest in Arrowsic, Maine. Using 3 m² quadrat plots throughout the forest, documenting fungal diversity, mycorrhizal associations, and environmental variables to better understand patterns within this ecosystem. Shalee’s goal is to build a long-term dataset that can be used to examine seasonal trends, forest dynamics, and the impacts of climate change on fungi and their relationships with trees. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast. who loves mycology, hiking, and spending time with her son and family.
Corinna Hobbs is a rising senior at the University of New England, working towards a B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Environmental Studies. This summer, Corinna will work with Maine TREE, in collaboration with UNE, as a Sustainability Fellow. Her focus is on completing a personal research project to manage invasive species in and around Holt Research Forest. Outside of academics, Corinna enjoys running, hiking, block printing, and cooking. She is extremely excited for the opportunity to work with Maine TREE and increase her knowledge of environmental and sustainability practices.
Cooper White is a University of New Hampshire graduate with a degree in Wildlife and Conservation Biology. As a Research Technician with Maine TREE Foundation, Cooper will apply forest sampling methods to collect ecosystem data and support ongoing ecological studies. Growing up an outdoor enthusiast in Rhode Island, Cooper hopes to continue translating his passion for the environment through research in avian or herpetological ecology.
Eli Gottman, Research Technician, is a forestry student at the University of Vermont with a minor in plant biology. His interests include forest health, climate resilience, and forest pest research. Having lived in Arkansas, Florida, Ohio, and Vermont, Eli is interested in the diversity of forest ecosystems across the country. Outside of work and class, he likes to hike, read, and cook. Once he completes his degree, Eli hopes to work for a public forest in New England. He is excited for his role this summer and the opportunity to work in such a beautiful and historic forest!
Amin Mohamed is a student at the University of Southern Maine completing a B.S.Computer Science and a minor in Economics. He will be joining our team for the Fall semester as a Data Management Intern at Holt Research Forest.
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