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Protect Downeast works to ensure the health and well-being of this special area of the Maine coast. Our coalition works with fishermen and women, clammers, wormers, residents and all those who care about industrial scale development in the sunrise county. We inform and engage the public in a process that protects the economic future and environment of Downeast Maine.
Protect Downeast is comprised of members across the Downeast region.
Richard W. Aishton, President
Dr. Aishton is currently a teacher and independent consultant. He focuses on quantifying the relationship between rural communities and their natural resource base. His skills and expertise, refined while implementing programs for USAID and Ford Foundation in Russia, include the application of technical forest science, remote sensing and use of satellite and aerial images, rural energy development and use, evaluation of ecosystem services from the perspective of what is actually used, and conflict management in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural setting. A strong academic background and over thirty years of experience in foreign and domestic forest ecosystem management and coursework at the Maine School of Law enable Dr. Aishton to conduct and manage local and international projects that work with culturally diverse groups, manage large budgets, and develop new project opportunities.
Ariana Fischer, Treasurer
My commitment to this area and the coastline of Maine runs deep. I have spent my entire life on islands and in the waters around Jonesport and am from a family that has had property there for nine generations. We have been committed to conserving the pristine nature of the region – working with scientists and naturalists for several decades to catalog and understand the unique, unspoiled, and vulnerable resources that abound. Our focus is always on protecting these resources for a healthy ecosystem, maintaining traditional maritime activities and keeping a critical eye to anything that may threaten them.
Cynthia Beauvais, Secretary
My first glimpse of Chandler Bay was on a June day in 1994. I recognized the uniqueness of Jonesport, America with its incredible scenery and maritime heritage… A way of life that deserves acknowledgement for the impact it has on the state of Maine and beyond. By living on Chandler Bay and by renting homes to the locals who endeavor in marine harvesting, I realize the importance of protecting these waters.