About
Censusing Maine Biota Since 2003
Mark Island | Jordan Chalfant
Mission
Maine Natural History Observatory’s mission is to improve the understanding of natural resources in Maine by compiling historic information and implementing inventory and monitoring efforts of Maine’s natural history.
The Observatory specializes in collecting, interpreting, and maintaining datasets crucial for understanding changes in Maine’s plant and wildlife populations. We are committed to filling data gaps for Maine’s least understood species and creating a legacy of data for use in nature conservation, land use policy decisions, and expanding scientific knowledge.
Glen on Isle au Haut | Logan Parker
Compile
Compile and publish summaries of Maine’s natural history data and field guides to Maine species.
Coordinate
Coordinate local and regional inventory and monitoring efforts of Maine’s flora, fauna, and habitats.
Facilitate
Facilitate cooperation and exchange of information among organizations, agencies, and individuals conducting natural history research in Maine or caring for natural history collections.
Engage
Engage in other activities related to the advancement of scientific knowledge and education of the public regarding the flora, fauna, and habitats of Maine.
Purple Sandpiper | Logan Parker
Directors and Officers
Executive Director
Glen Mittelhauser
Carex lurida | Glen Mittelhauser
“We are always thinking about the biologists 50 years from now and
what legacy we want
to leave them.”
to leave them.”
– Glen Mittelhauser
MNHO Founder
Monitoring Changing Populations
Observatory staff have completed plant inventories on over 75 islands along the coast of Maine, and more are being added to the map every year!
Award-winning Field Guides
Five field guides to Maine plants have been co-created with the Observatory since 2010 including the award-winning Plants of Acadia National Park.
Alliaria petiolata | Glen Mittelhauser
Invasive Plant Management
The Observatory collaborates with Maine Coastal Islands NWR to control invasive plant populations on eight coastal islands.
Free Mini-guides
The Observatory produces short, digital guides to help distinguish confusing Maine seaweed species.
Online Seaweed Database
The Observatory has created an online database of Maine seaweed observations, vouchers, and references.
Seaweeds of Maine Field Guide
The Observatory is in the early stages of producing a user-friendly, semi-technical field guide to the seaweeds of Maine. Although the complete, 300 species field guide is still being written, our mini-guide (created as a proof of concept) is available to download for free.
Purple Sandpipers & Harlequin Ducks | Logan Parker
Year-round Field Research
The Observatory doesn’t stop its fieldwork over the winter!
Northern Saw-whet | Connor Marland
Common Nighthawk | Logan Parker
Tracking Migration
It’s vital to understand the challenges birds face whilst on migration, but there is still much more to discover.
Blackpoll Warbler | Logan Parker
Monitoring Changing Populations
We are at the beginning of a population shift in Maine bird species as the Gulf of Maine warms, there is still a lot we don’t know about how Maine’s birds will be affected.
Maine Natural History Observatory is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that conducts research out of Gouldsboro, Maine. We rely on donations and grants for all projects that we work on. All administration work conducted by the directors and officers is volunteer.