TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE: CONNECTING FIELD RESEARCH WITH EDUCATION OUTREACH AT THE MAINE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Maine has a robust outdoor economy, growing 16% in the post-pandemic era and contributing over three billion dollars annually to the state’s economy. The Maine Geological Survey (MGS) has a strong history of supporting the outdoor industry by connecting with local stakeholders in current field research areas. Outreach activities range from land trust trail days to formal invited talks that share local geological information with the general public. However, the most efficient means of reaching a wide audience with limited staff is through our Geologic Facts and Localities (GFL) publication series (formerly known as the Site of the Month series) which is available as free, downloadable PDF documents that provide information covering basic geologic topics to detailed guided hikes for publicly accessible lands. Since the first GFL was published in 1997 featuring a simple photo and description of Mount Katahdin, the series has grown to over 260 entries in 2023 with almost 140,000 downloads since tracking began in 2017. MGS staff often use current mapping projects and other field work as the basis of information or inspiration for a GFL and once published, this simple yet effective format can easily be distributed via permanent links from Maine’s Digital Library. Download timing throughout the year and a ranking of the most popular publications confirm that people are searching for accessible geologic information to enhance their experience when visiting Maine. Thus, these publications are an excellent way to expand the societal impact of field-based projects beyond the typical maps and reports.