Maine
Maine realtors gather for workshop on flooding challenges
Buying and selling Maine coastal real estate has long been about conveying the magic of living by the ocean. Increasingly, it’s also about prepping clients with the latest flood zone maps, projections for sea level rise and insurance availability.
These and other tools can give coastal home buyers critical information for making a risk-reward calculation about living on the edge — literally — in an era of strengthening storms fed by a changing climate.
With that new reality in mind, more than 100 real estate professionals packed a hotel conference room in Freeport on the last day of January for a presentation dubbed, “Living on the Edge.”
Periodic storms and flooding have always been a part of living on the Maine coast. But for some in the real estate business, the impacts of climate change may have seemed abstract and far off.
That changed, however, with historic flooding during the Dec. 18 wind and rain storm, and the back-to-back, record-breaking January storms that inundated the coast. Along with many buildings, they washed away the notion that a waterfront home is out of harm’s way, just because it has stood for a century or more.
Some takeaways from the presentation:
Coastal property owners should plan now for rising sea levels. Tides could come up on average 1.5 feet by 2050, and 3.9 feet by 2100, depending on future global emissions, according to the Maine Climate Council.
The trend already is compounding the impact of storm surge and storm tides, according to Peter Slovinsky, a marine geologist with the Maine Geological Survey. The Jan. 13 storm provided an illustration. Storm surge during an 11.2-foot monthly high tide in Portland pushed water to a record 14.57 feet.
Maine has five options for responding, Slovinksy said. Property owners on higher ground may be able to do nothing. Avoiding new development in high-hazard areas is a second consideration.
Maintaining undeveloped vegetative buffers to provide space for future water levels, and elevating or setting back structures beyond minimum requirements, are ways to accommodate and adapt. Sand dune restoration and other nature-based solutions can help protect developed uplands, although they aren’t always effective against the worst storms.
As a last resort, Slovinsky said, buildings can be relocated, but sometimes they must be removed.
He showed slides of Higgins Beach in Scarborough, when the historic Silver Sands hotel stood on the beach between the sea and Bayview Avenue. The hotel suffered severe damage and was torn down after a major winter storm in 1978.
Photos from last month show the hotel’s vacant lot, and a rock seawall now running where dunes had existed.
Hard decisions also are coming to property owners in Portland. The city is studying zoning changes aimed at making buildings and infrastructure more resilient.
Current floodplain maps use historic data and don’t account for sea level rise. Troy Moon, the city’s sustainability director, displayed a map of Portland’s downtown peninsula with areas that would be underwater in a 100-year flood.
They mostly covered previously filled land around the margins of the harbor wharfs, Bayside and Back Cove.
But plugging in a new computer model using the state’s projected 3.9-foot sea level rise created an alarming map. Large sections of Bayside next to Interstate 295 were flooded, as was much of Commercial Street.
That’s a glimpse of the future.
Home buyers can get a sense of how vulnerable a property may be to storm damage by reviewing federal flood hazard maps. Revised FEMA maps for York and Cumberland counties will be available this summer, showing whether a home with a federally backed or insured mortgage needs mandatory flood insurance. Regular homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding.
But don’t count on a home being safe from flooding just because it’s outside a mapped flood zone, James Nadeau told the group. A Portland Realtor and land surveyor, Nadeau noted that 40% of flood claims over the past five years came from homes outside designated Special Hazard Flood Areas.
And don’t put much faith in Maine’s property disclosure paperwork that sellers fill out, Nadeau said. It gives a false sense of security because it doesn’t mention flooding, except to ask if the house is covered by flood insurance. It also provides an optional check-off for “unknown.”
Nadeau suggested home buyers can perform some of their own due diligence by typing the property address into the Climate Check web site, which estimates storm, flood and other weather risks based on 2050 national projections.
‘You can’t turn away from this’
Julia Bassett Schwerin couldn’t have anticipated the timing of these extreme weather events.
A certified Green and Smart Home broker in Cape Elizabeth, Schwerin began months ago preparing Living on the Edge, her fourth annual Sustainability Matters class, for professionals including agents, lenders, insurers and builders. She heads the Sustainability Advisory Group, a committee within the Greater Portland Board of Realtors. Past courses have covered topics including weatherization, electrification and building energy codes.
Schwerin said she had long contemplated a workshop on the future of flooding in the Casco Bay region and its effects on waterfront property. She said she didn’t want to scare people, “but now felt like the time.”
Still, Schwerin couldn’t have guessed that the course would take place as Mainers continued to clean up from epic storm damage, a day after Gov. Janet Mills made storm preparation a highlight of her State of the State address and just as President Biden was approving federal disaster relief for 10 Maine counties.
As moderator, Schwerin also used the forum to draw a connection between threats to Maine’s tourism and coastal housing markets, and the burning of fossil fuels that is at the root of climate change.
“I was taking (the storms) as a positive wakeup call for people,” she said. “You can’t turn away from this. Everything we’re doing is bringing this on.”
Class participants heard from five experts on topics that included sea level projections, government flood insurance, revised flood maps, impacts on property values, and adapting for a future of rising water and stronger storms. (View the slide presentations.)
Inland owners also at risk
Coastal storms have done the most recent damage. But as December’s pelting rains demonstrated inland, rising rivers and streams can wreak havoc most anywhere in Maine. These events brought renewed attention to the value of insurance coverage, said Cale Pickford, an agent at Allen Insurance and Financial.
Homeowners can take steps to lower risk, he said. Make sure gutters are clear to handle heavy rain. Install water and freeze alarms to warn of catastrophic flooding potential.
Consider a whole-house generator to keep systems operating if the power goes out. But as financial losses mount, expect flood insurance rates to rise and underwriting guidelines in the private flood insurance market to tighten, Pickford said.
“Knowing the insurability of a property when buying a new home can be just as important as location,” he noted.
Even property owners who have flood insurance may find it doesn’t cover the contents of a building, or that the bar for proving water damage is higher than owners expect.
Does all this mean that property values are likely to fall in flood zones or areas with a history of flooding? Maybe, but maybe not, said Robert Lynch, senior vice president and chief appraiser at United Valuation Group in Scarborough.
As an exercise, Lynch studied 14 sales over the past three years at Camp Ellis in Saco, an oceanfront neighborhood long prone to flooding. He noted eight sales outside the current FEMA mapped flood zone with a median sale price of $712,000. Six homes inside the flood zone sold for a median price of $593,750. That’s a nearly 17% difference.
But this group data analysis has flaws, Lynch explained. It’s a small sample. And it doesn’t account for the age, condition or size of the homes.
A risk-reward calculation
Still, there’s evidence that the impact of climate change on home values is becoming part of the conversation.
One example is a recent blog from Rockland-based Cates Real Estate.
“January came in like a dragon,” it began, citing the unprecedented storm damage, an image of homes on a flooded street and a link to the state government’s assistance page. One of the brokers, Kerry Lee Hall of Scarborough, included a YouTube video of waves breaking over homes at Higgins Beach.
In a late-January article about home prices, a Cape Elizabeth realtor said she’ll be interested in seeing how coastal flooding will affect property values in her town and other coastal communities.
“The Cape has always been a desirable area,” Mary Libby told the Bangor Daily News, “but I think we’re going to have to watch what’s going on with the climate. I get calls from clients who are on the water saying, ‘What should we do?’ ”
The new reality may compel some buyers to revise their risk-reward calculations, according to Leanne Barschdorf Nichols, who started the Sustainability Advisory Group.
“It depends on how consumers perceive the risk,” she said. “People are going to have to make those decisions on an individual basis.”
A principal founder of the Keller Williams Realty franchise in Maine, Nichols said the recent storms make it imperative that realtors and clients talk frankly about the impacts of climate change. At the same time, she said she expects the market to adjust with mitigation strategies, such as raising structures or building farther back from the water.
“People cherish the waterfront in Maine,” she said. “They will find ways to adapt.”
For many hunters, drawing a Maine moose permit is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After years — and sometimes decades — of applying, the excitement of seeing your name among the winners quickly turns into a new challenge: planning for the hunt.
Whether you’re going on your first moose hunt or preparing for another trip into the Maine woods, there are several important steps permit winners should take as soon as possible.
Hire a registered Maine guide
Many permit winners hire a registered Maine guide to help locate a moose, scout hunting areas and navigate unfamiliar country. You’re paying for their knowledge, experience and time spent scouting before the season ends. Even if you’re a Maine resident, hiring a guide should be a consideration. Most hunters don’t have the time to make multiple scouting trips, and trail cameras aren’t always an option because cell service is limited or nonexistent in many hunting areas.
If you’re considering hiring a guide, don’t wait too long. Available openings often fill up the night of the lottery.
Book lodging for your moose hunt
Sporting camps, cabins, campgrounds and hotels near popular moose hunting areas will also fill up quickly. If your hunt will take place hours from home, securing lodging should definitely be one of your first priorities. Waiting until summer will leave you with fewer options and a longer commute to your hunting area.
Find a meat processor
The state maintains an official list of moose meat processors. The last thing you want to be doing is calling around on a warm September day trying to find a butcher willing to take your moose. Processors can only handle so many animals each season, and much like guides and lodging, many fill their schedules quickly. Calling ahead and having a plan in place can save a lot of stress after a successful hunt.
Line up your hunting partners and helpers
If you’re not hunting with a guide, it’s helpful to know who will be accompanying you. Aside from sharing the experience, friends and family can help scout, call, spot animals, film the hunt and retrieve a harvested moose.
How will you retrieve the moose?
Depending on where the animal is harvested, you may need an ATV, side-by-side, trailer, winch, ropes or other equipment to retrieve it. Keep in mind that ATVs and side-by-sides are prohibited in the North Maine Woods, so you may need to quarter and pack the moose out instead. In that case, game bags, packs, knives and saws will be essential, while items such as a jet sled or game cart may help make the job easier.
Gather your moose hunting gear
In addition to your weapon, consider what you’ll need for the hunt itself. Tarps, coolers, headlamps, GPS units, an inReach, radios, rain gear and extra fuel can all make a hunt more comfortable and efficient.
If you’re planning on getting away from the roads, you may need or want a wall tent. You’ll also need cots or other sleeping gear, a heating source, water, cooking gear and emergency supplies. A spare tire, jumper cables, chainsaw and basic tools can also be invaluable when traveling remote logging roads.
Prepare for meat care and transportation
Make plans to have coolers, ice, transportation and storage well before opening day.
Sight in your rifle or practice with your bow
Don’t be the hunter who misses because their scope was 8 inches off, got bumped during travel or hasn’t been checked since last season. Confirm your rifle is properly sighted in before the hunt, and shoot again after arriving in camp. Stock up on ammo and spend time practicing from realistic field positions.
Don’t overlook shooting sticks, either. Many hunters regret leaving them behind. Shot opportunities are often farther than expected, and a stable rest can make all the difference when anticipation and excitement start to take over.
The same applies if you choose to bring a bow. Reps, shooting from different positions and accurately judging distance can all improve your chance of success.
Scout your zone
If you don’t hire a guide, make sure you’re familiar with your hunting area. Not only will you likely run into other hunters during the week, you may arrive at your preferred spot only to find another truck already parked there. Having backup options is key.
Conditions also vary dramatically from year to year, so what worked for hunters last season may not work this fall.
Depending on the weather, moose may be farther away from roads, requiring hunters to do more walking. Last September’s hunt saw lower success rates in every wildlife management district compared to 2024.
Moose biologist Lee Kantar noted that drought conditions and slightly earlier September dates can lead to changes in moose behavior. Drought and warm weather likely affect moose movement, feeding patterns and activity levels, resulting in moose staying closer to areas with moisture and green vegetation.
“If bulls are not widely searching for cows, if bulls and cows are bedding or ruminating more in dark growth during the day, and if hunters do not adjust and ‘go in after them’, then success will drop,” Kantar said
The same challenges can affect October hunts.
Study maps, use onX, review aerial imagery and learn access roads before the season begins. Many logging roads shown on maps are no longer passable or have been blocked off.
Prepare physically for the hunt
Even hunters who plan to hunt from roads may end up walking several miles in a day.
Just getting into a producing moose area can require long walks down logging roads, skid trails or old cuts. Moose hunting can be physically demanding, with long days outdoors, rough terrain, bugs and heavy lifting. Spending a few months improving your fitness can make the experience more enjoyable.
Create a checklist
Make a list of everything you’ll need including licenses, permits, firearms, ammo, retrieval equipment, coolers, camping gear, food, water and emergency supplies. The more organized you are, the smoother the hunt is likely to be.
VINALHAVEN, Maine (WGME) — Two boaters are charged and a third is dead after he went overboard in Downeast Maine.
Just before 5 Thursday, Maine Marine Patrol says a boater fell overboard in “Hurricane Sound” near Vinalhaven.
He’s identified as 57-year-old Marshal Ames.
Marine Patrol says before they arrived, a good Samaritan from Hurricane Island was able to reach Ames and began CPR, but he was pronounced dead by first responders.
Officers say when the other crewmembers arrived on shore, they got into a fight with them.
The crew members, 39-year-old Geoffrey Barrett and 27-year-old Theodore Lane, are facing charges including assault.
The Maine State Police major crimes unit is now part of the investigation.
Scott A. Harrison, Ed.D., M.B.A., is a senior advisor at The Harrison Group, a consultancy based in Yarmouth.
Maine has long valued local control in education. That tradition reflects an important belief that communities should have a strong voice in shaping their schools. But local control should not prevent us from asking a harder question: Are there core functions that could be delivered more effectively through a single statewide framework?
One of the most important is educator evaluation and professional growth. Maine law already recognizes the importance of this work. Under Title 20-A, Chapter 508 (Educator Effectiveness), districts must implement performance evaluation and professional
growth systems that evaluate educators, assign effectiveness ratings and support
professional growth.
The law further requires superintendents to use those ratings to inform key human capital decisions, including recruitment, hiring, induction, mentoring, professional development, compensation, assignment and dismissal. In short, educator evaluation is not intended to be a compliance exercise. It is intended to be a primary lever for the continual improvement of teaching and learning.
In 2012, LD 1858 sought to advance that vision by giving districts broad flexibility to design their own systems. Districts could choose instructional frameworks, establish measures of effectiveness and determine how evaluators would be trained and calibrated. The goal was to balance local autonomy with professional accountability.
More than a decade later, however, the evidence suggests that flexibility alone has not produced consistent results.
My research involving 130 educators across four Maine school districts found only modest perceptions of performance evaluation and professional growth systems’ effectiveness.
On a four-point scale, average ratings ranged from 2.48 to 2.99. While educators generally agreed that districts provide individualized growth plans and can differentiate levels of instructional effectiveness, they rated several critical implementation areas notably lower, including instructional coaching, evaluator training, feedback quality, evaluator calibration and the use of evaluation data to inform professional learning and personnel decisions.
Although the sample was relatively small, the findings closely mirror what I have observed while working with predominantly rural Maine districts over the past decade.
The qualitative findings were equally revealing. Teachers and administrators described systems that are often cumbersome, inconsistently implemented and difficult to sustain. Educators reported spending significant time developing goals and documenting evidence, while administrators acknowledged that competing priorities frequently reduce evaluation to a compliance exercise rather than a meaningful opportunity for growth.
Participants cited insufficient training, inconsistent expectations, limited coaching support and weak connections between evaluation results and professional learning. Perhaps most significant, though not surprising given the realities of today’s schools, the primary obstacle appears to be not commitment, but capacity — the time, expertise and tools required to implement these complex systems with fidelity.
Designing and sustaining high-quality evaluation systems requires expertise in instructional leadership, observation and feedback, adult learning, professional development, data use and evaluator calibration. While some districts have built this capacity, many — particularly smaller and rural systems — have not. Even where expertise exists, time remains a major barrier.
Effective evaluation depends on regular observation, coaching, feedback and calibration. Yet for principals balancing instructional leadership with the daily demands of running a school, carrying out these responsibilities consistently can be extraordinarily difficult.
As a result, Maine has effectively asked more than 250 districts to independently build and maintain highly complex educator effectiveness systems. The outcome is predictable: uneven quality and implementation, and variable impact on teaching and learning.
This raises an important policy question: Should every district continue to design, train, calibrate and maintain its own evaluation system, or would educators and students be better served by a common statewide framework supported by regional and state expertise?
A statewide approach would not eliminate local control. Districts would continue to make decisions about hiring, staffing, curriculum, budgeting and school improvement priorities. Instead, the state would provide shared infrastructure: a common instructional and evaluation framework, validated tools, evaluator training, calibration supports, professional learning resources and implementation assistance.
The benefits extend beyond evaluation. A common framework would create stronger alignment across Maine’s educator pipeline. Colleges and universities could align coursework, clinical experiences and assessments to the exact same standards used in schools while sharing responsibility for educator success beyond initial placement.
Preparation programs, districts and the state would become partners in a continuous system of educator development, creating mutual accountability for results and a stronger return on Maine’s investment in teacher preparation.
Such alignment matters. As systems thinker Peter Senge observed, people working within the same system tend to produce similar results. If we want more consistent outcomes for students, we must pay closer attention to the systems shaping educator practice.
A statewide approach would not eliminate local control. Districts would continue to make decisions about hiring, staffing, curriculum, budgeting and school improvement priorities.
A common framework would establish a shared language and clearer expectations throughout the career continuum. It would also make continuous improvement easier. Rather than asking hundreds of districts to independently revise complex systems, the state could evaluate implementation, refine practices, share lessons learned and respond to emerging research. Educators have experienced too many short-lived initiatives that consume considerable time and effort before fading away.
A coherent statewide system would provide greater stability and more meaningful long-term improvement. The question is not whether local control matters. It does. The question is whether every district should be expected to independently build and sustain complex systems that require specialized expertise, significant resources and ongoing refinement.
If Maine is serious about improving outcomes for students, it should rethink which functions are best managed locally and which are better supported through statewide infrastructure. Educator effectiveness is one example. There are likely others.
In a previous op-ed here, I argued that Maine should reconsider whether teacher compensation is best negotiated district by district. The same question applies here. When critical human capital systems are essential to student success, a coherent statewide framework may be better positioned to advance equity, efficiency and effectiveness while preserving local decision-making where it matters most.
The goal is not less local control, but a smarter balance between local autonomy and statewide support — one that strengthens schools and improves outcomes for every student, regardless of geography.
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