Vol. 34 No. 2 (2025): Maine Policy Review

painting of horse, apple, fish, blue sky with sun, and landscape representing rural Maine

A special issue on rural Maine.

Published: 2025-12-31

Front Matter

Letter from the Publishers

Editorial Staff (Author)

6
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Letter from the Editors

Tora Johnson, Linda Silka, Joyce Rumery, Barbara Harrity (Author)

7
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Essays

The Case for Rural Prosperity

Rhiannon Hampson (Author)

8-10
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Articles

The "Two Maines" Revisited

David Vail, Ann Acheson (Author)

14-22
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Quality of Place in Rural Maine: The Way Life Should Be

Todd Gabe (Author)

23-32
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Are We There Yet? Changing Migration Patterns in Rural Maine and Implications for Long-Term Population Growth

Amanda Rector, Megan Bailey (Author)

33-43
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Recent Changes in Access to Care among Adults in Rural Maine

Zoe Becker, Jordan Rhodes (Author)

44-58
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Maine’s Rural Maternity Crisis: A Policy Agenda

Dora Mills (Author)

59-73
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Reimagining the Role of Maine’s Rural Hospitals: Preparing for the Future

John Gale (Author)

74-84
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Public Health Concerns at the Intersection of Drinking Water Contamination and Low Healthcare Access in Maine

Alexis Garretson, Alexandra Duffy, Richard Hilliard, Ashley Taylor, Caitlin Oliver-Olsen, Morgan Karns, Jane Disney (Author)

85-98
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Exploring Rural Municipal Governments’ Grant Capacity

Vanessa Levesque, Eileen Johnson, Jessica Leahy, Kathleen Bell (Author)

99-106
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Tradition in Transition: Fishing, Hunting, and Food Security in a Changing Maine

Melissa Godin, Caroline Noblet, Carissa Furtado, Mir Ahmed, A. Kopec, Molly Shea, Godsway Amegbor, Tegwin Taylor, Kory Whittum (Author)

113-121
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Embedded Environmentalism: Understanding Rural Resistance to Renewable Energy in Maine

Nicholas Jacobs, Joseph Grassi (Author)

143-153
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Amplifying Rural Voices in Maine Climate Planning

J. Cressica Brazier, Sharon Klein, Jasmine Lamb, Caroline Noblet, Louise Chaplin, Sonia Leone, Catherine Mardosa, David Hart, Linda Silka, Natalie Michelle (Author)

159-170
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The Role of Volunteerism in Bolstering Community Climate Capacity: A Case Study Approach to Explore Opportunities for Rural Maine

Gayle Bowness, Stephanie Sun, Sienna Zuco, Evan Paris, Ella Madden (Author)

170-177
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Challenges and Opportunities for Climate Action in Rural Maine

Tora Johnson, Brooke Hachey (Author)

178-186
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Rural Resilience: The Role for Innovative Public Transportation

Connor Evans-Ralston, Kathleen Spear, Jonathan Rubin (Author)

187-197
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Small Rural Town Revitalization in Maine: Test Pilot of the SEED Model

Nory Jones, Manuel Wörsdörfer (Author)

203-211
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Maine’s Brownfields: The Costs and Contexts of Rural and Urban Brownfields Redevelopment

Taylor Lange, Nefeli Bompoti (Author)

225-235
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Stormwater Management Challenges in Rural Coastal Maine: Identifying Place-Based Solutions by Studying Current Practices

Alisha Shrestha, Tora Johnson, Shaleen Jain, Jessica Jansujwicz (Author)

236-245
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Recreation and Regulation: A Policy Analysis of the Registered Maine Guide Program

Lauren Jacobs, Adam Daigneault, Jackson Varley (Author)

246-255
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Perspectives from Rural Maine Educators: Supporting and Inspiring Youth Through Place-Based Education

Rachel Wolf, Molly Auclair, Leigh Peake, Katrina Heimbach, Erin LaPlante, Colleen Maker, Tonya Prentice (Author)

268-277
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Commentaries

Maine’s Old Apple Trees Show Us the Way

John Bunker (Author)

11-13
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Maine’s Farms and Farmland: The Foundation of a Rural Future

Stacy Brenner, Abby Farnham, Emily Gherman-Lad, Shelley Megquier (Author)

107-111
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Youth Voices on Aligning Aspirations and Opportunities to Grow Maine’s Rural Workforce

Jessica Leahy, Mindy Crandall, Stephany Perkins (Author)

121-124
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Deeply Rooted: Changing Representations of Maine’s Forests and Rural Histories

Carter Emerson, Bridie McGreavy (Author)

125-128
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A Personal Perspective on Rural Maine’s Coastal Transformation

Monique Coombs (Author)

129-131
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Islands on the Edge: Resilience and Risk in Maine’s Year-Round Island Communities

Jennifer Seavey (Author)

132-133
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University of Maine System’s Rural Issues Symposium: Highlighting and Connecting Issues Facing Rural Maine Communities

Jennifer Bonnet, Catharine Biddle, Vanessa Levesque (Author)

134-136
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Beyond the Breaking Point: Maine’s Behavioral Health Workforce Crisis

Emily Stultz, Bridget Monteith (Author)

137-141
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From Resilience Planning to Action: Small Towns and Big Costs

Bill Zoellick, James Fisher, Janna Richards (Author)

154-158
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Addressing Climate Change by Expanding Transportation Choices for Rural Maine

Josh Caldwell (Author)

198-202
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Blazing a Trail for Rural Entrepreneurship: Promise and Challenge in Maine’s Outdoor Recreation Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Mikayla Reynolds, Jens Kaus, Jason Entsminger (Author)

212-217
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Place-Based Strategies for Economic Resilience in Rural Northern Maine

Kristen Henry, Jay Kamm, Jared Tapley, Jon Gulliver (Author)

218-224
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Designing Educational Opportunities that Inspire Youth Aspirations and Strengthen Rural Community Vitality

Korah Soll, Val Peacock, Sara King, Dawna Blackstone (Author)

265-267
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Education as a Rural, Public Good: Preparing Maine’s People, Families, Schools and Communities for the Opportunities of Tomorrow

Catharine Biddle, Ezekiel Kimball (Author)

261-264
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STEM Nights in Rural Maine: Connecting Classrooms, Careers, and Communities

Kate Mahan, Rachael Dektor (Author)

278-280
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Meeting Essential and Quality of Life Needs of Rural Older Mainers through the Community Connector Pilot

Kimberly Snow, Mary Lou Ciolfi, Patricia Oh (Author)

287-291
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Therapeutic Adventure as a Scalable, Accessible Solution to Maine’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

Shannon Parker (Author)

292-295
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Interviews

Interview with Jennifer Blossom

Linda Silka (Author)

142
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Research Briefs

Assessing the Needs of Southern Maine Farmers: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Role of Extension

Ankit Singh (Author)

256-260
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Rural Public Libraries in Maine: Getting Ready for Broadband Infrastructure and Online Life

Amy Stone (Author)

281-286
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Back Matter

Thanks to Reviewers

Editorial Staff (Author)

295
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