Creative Collaborations Increase Impact
-by Pete Nichols, Executive Director
Standing in the back of the Waldo Theatre last weekend taking in the performance of “Getting Onboard”, a multimedia presentation by the string quartet Halcyon and ecologist Janet McMahon that addressed the impacts of climate change to Lincoln County, I was overcome by the unique power of collaboration as an accelerator of positive change.
This one performance, organized by Midcoast Conservancy, sponsored by The First National Bank, hosted by the Waldo Theatre, nourished by American Unagi, performed by Halcyon, and attended by 230 community members is the latest example of why we are all lucky to call the Midcoast home.
At Midcoast Conservancy, like so many other organizations and businesses in our community and across the state, we would struggle to fulfill our mission without collaborative partnerships, particularly with our conservation-minded landowners, members, supporters and volunteers. It takes an engaged community to maintain healthy ecosystems and our quality of life.
Liken the collaboration between individuals and community partners to put on an event such as “Getting Onboard” with the climate struggle for a moment. If we were to miss any one of those players in the performance–the musicians, narrator, the vendors—the show would not have been as robust. If we are to truly mitigate the impacts of climate change here on the midcoast, we need to include the most critical collaborator of all: nature.
Without the large, undisturbed protected lands of the region, the clean and free flowing waters, and richly diverse plant and animal community, our efforts to impact the threat of climate change would not be as effective. We all deserve a robust and vibrant collaboration, community, and quality of life.
I encourage all to get involved, engaged, and find your collaborators and appreciate them – for the good of the community, and our midcoast environment.
The show must go on.
