Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission highlights the county’s remarkable marine environment at its fifth annual meeting on Wednesday, April 27 at the Darling Marine Center in South Bristol. The guest speaker will be DMC Director Dr. Heather Leslie.

Dr. Leslie will talk about the changing coastal ocean, especially environmental and economic changes observed by DMC researchers and area residents, and what the changes mean for Maine’s coastal communities and economies and the ecosystems we depend on.

The Darling Center is part of the University of Maine’s School of Marine Sciences, and Dr. Leslie will also discuss the University’s role in creating thriving communities through science, education, community engagement, R&D, workforce development, and business incubation activities. Dr. Leslie is also leading the strategic planning as DMC looks ahead to its next 50 years.

Tours of the DMC facility will begin at 4 p.m. The LCRPC’s annual meeting begins at 5 p.m. with networking and refreshments, and a brief business meeting. The meeting is open to the public, free of charge. RSVPs are requested by Friday, April 22 for both the tours (space is limited) and the annual meeting. Please call 882-5983 or email Zach Mosher, zmosher@lcrpc.org.