Midcoast Conservancy in Edgecomb announces two new staff members.

Melissa Cote

Sheepscot River Watershed Manager

Originally from Massachusetts, Melissa has always found a second home in Maine where her grandfather grew up. It’s where she fell in love with the ocean, especially the water-to-land interface, and wrote her college admissions essay about her childhood experiences exploring the Rachel Carson salt pond preserve in Bristol. After obtaining her Master of Science degree in oceanography from the University of Connecticut, she worked for two environmental nonprofits where she found her true passion in conservation work. Melissa jumped at the opportunity to make Maine her forever home in January 2020 when she moved to the Midcoast region to work for the Department of Marine Resources where she monitored water quality for the Bureau of Public Health. Melissa is thrilled to join Midcoast Conservancy as the Sheepscot River Watershed Manager to help protect and restore the lands and waters that both her and her grandfather love so much.

Melissa says, "I’m passionate about conserving, restoring, and celebrating unique lands and waters through scientific research, on-the-ground implementation of monitoring and restoration projects, and community engagement. I believe outreach and education are some of the strongest tools we have for protecting natural areas and that it’s important to find a balance between maintaining ecological integrity, recreational access, and economic vitality. I’m excited to join Midcoast Conservancy in a time where climate resiliency actions are essential; I’m ready to get to work!"

Anne Read

Land Protection Specialist

Anne Read is our new Land Protection Specialist from southern Maine, currently residing in Portland. She studied Community Development and Planning at Clark University and was involved in land protection projects in Worcester MA while receiving her Master’s of Arts in 2017. She has experience in land and water conservation efforts through non-profit work in Western North Carolina and Massachusetts, and is excited to be back in Maine to continue this type of work with Midcoast Conservancy.

“What drew me to Midcoast Conservancy was the way that they approach conservation, with an intention to fully represent and include the members of this community, as well as diversifying the way that we can all become active stewards of our lands”

“I can already see how tight-knit this community is, and I’m looking forward to meeting landowners and connecting over our hopes for the future of Maine’s lands”

“Midcoast has the capability to create local change and protect an impressive amount of land, and it’s very exciting to be a part of the 30x30 initiative and help create that reality.”