Midcoast Conservancy is delighted to have Brianna Smith on staff as the crew leader for its summer Youth Conservation Corps. She brings a wealth of experience and commitment to environmental issues to her work overseeing erosion mitigation projects on Damariscotta Lake.

Brianna is a native of Monmouth and a graduate of the University of Maine, Orono, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marine science.

“After graduation,” she says, “I was determined to stay in Maine and face the environmental challenges in my own back yard.” She is currently pursuing a second degree in civil engineering at UMO, where she says, “I plan to combine my background in water science with engineering to protect Maine’s natural legacy through improved drainage infrastructure. With proper drainage of paved areas, stream-road crossings, and shorefront properties, water quality of our lakes and rivers can be protected. In addition, proper drainage can reduce the risk of floods and increase resiliency to environmental challenges like land development and climate change”.

Brianna’s background dovetails perfectly with the work of the Youth Conservation Corps “Buffer Brigade” of Midcoast Conservancy. The YCC crew spends the summer installing anti-erosion projects around the shores of Damariscotta Lake at the homes of residents who are committed to making their properties as lake-friendly as possible. Anyone interested in an evaluation of their property can contact Midcoast Conservancy’s Watershed Protection Specialist Garrison Beck at (207) 389-5157 or garrison@midcoastconservancy.org.

Brianna is looking forward to a productive summer on the lake, caring for the Midcoast watershed that is so vital to this area. She says, “River and lake water quality indicate the health of their surrounding watersheds. Further, all land is part of a watershed, from the wild forests to the sidewalks of downtown. Because land development changes how water moves through the watershed, it is important to consider the pollutants it may pick up and the increase in surface runoff, which could cause erosion or flooding. This is why proper drainage is a key component of best management practices, intended to protect watershed health and water quality. I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to improve drainage in the Damariscotta and Sheepscot watersheds this summer!”