About

Beginning with Habitat equips Maine communities, landowners, and conservation partners with information and tools to protect, restore, and connect important habitats and ecosystems in a changing climate. Housed within Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Beginning with Habitat staff work with species experts, ecologists, and conservation partners to translate biodiversity information into conservation action at both a local and statewide scale.

Beginning with Habitat includes five interrelated work programs focused on providing information and technical assistance to conservation practitioners to achieve their long-term habitat conservation goals. These are Conservation Partner Initiatives; Municipal Outreach and Engagement; Private Lands/Land Stewardship; GIS Technical Services; and Landscape Connectivity and Climate Action. Key users of Beginning with Habitat services include landowners, municipalities, conservation-focused non profits, and other State and Federal Agencies.

Meet Our Team

GIS Coordinator Amy Dowley, Habitat Resilience Biologist Alex Groblewski, Private Lands Wildlife Biologist Joe Roy, Assistant Private Lands Wildlife Biologist Kelly McNutt, Climate Coordinator Corinne Michaud-LeBlanc, Program Coordinator Justin Schlawin, and Municipal Planning Biologist Greg LeClair.

Justin Schlawin
Program Coordinator
(207) 557-1885 Justin.Schlawin@maine.gov

Justin coordinates and directs the Beginning with Habitat Program. Justin supervises staff, promotes collaboration with steering committee members and partners, advances landscape-scale initiatives, and facilitates the delivery of technical assistance on habitat conservation and management to municipalities, conservation partners, and private landowners.

 

Amy Dowley
GIS Coordinator
(207) 441-4513
amy.dowley@maine.gov

Amy creates and maintains BwH maps, manages spatial data, and provides technical assistance and GIS support to users. Harnessing the power of GIS tools and spatial data, Amy helps inform and enhance conservation communication and decision-making at the state and local level.


Corinne Michaud-LeBlanc
Climate Coordinator
(207) 592-5841
corinne.L.michaud-leblanc@maine.gov

Corinne coordinates MDIFW’s efforts to plan for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. She provides technical assistance to fellow state agencies, local governments, and conservation partners, with the goal of integrating climate resiliency and species vulnerabilities into strategic conservation plans.

 

Joe Roy
Private Lands Wildlife Biologist 
(207) 592-3344
Joseph.Roy@maine.gov

Joe provides technical assistance to landowners, foresters, and other service providers managing land for at-risk fish and wildlife.

 

Kelly McNutt
Assistant Private Lands Wildlife Biologist
(207) 592-2919
kelly.mcnutt@maine.gov

Kelly provides technical assistance to landowners, foresters, and other service providers in managing private land for the benefit of Maine's fish, wildlife, and ecological resources.

 

Greg LeClair
Municipal Planning Biologist 
(207) 441-4167
Gregory.Leclair@maine.gov

Greg assists municipalities in making scientifically informed decisions about where to encourage development and where to focus conservation efforts. Greg assists with events and outreach, comprehensive planning, GIS mapping, and other municipal technical assistance.

 

Alex Groblewski
Habitat Resilience Biologist
(207) 557 2487
alex.groblewski@maine.gov

Alex contributes to interagency collaborations focused on developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies, including living shoreline programs, regional planning initiatives, and grantmaking programs. She provides information and tools to promote the integration of habitat resiliency in climate mitigation planning, training, and project implementation.

Our Partners Include

What We Do

We use our collaborative resources, including data-rich habitat maps, a wide range of biological and planning expertise, and proven conservation strategies, to help municipalities, land trusts, and landowners make informed plans.

Conservation Strategies

We have compiled some of the best conservation practices employed by towns, land trusts, and landowners throughout the State of Maine. Learn from their success and contact BwH to discuss the right approach for you.

Strategies for Municipalities   Strategies for Land Trusts   Strategies for Landowners

Mapping Ecological Significance

With our partners, BwH has developed a list of 140 Focus Areas of Statewide Ecological Significance, which are areas throughout the state that contain unusually rich concentrations of at-risk species and habitats and across multiple towns. We incorporate these areas into regional maps and develop helpful fact sheets for each one. Learn more about BwH focus areas and search for ones near you.

Success Stories

By getting involved in the early stages, Beginning with Habitat can help communities grow without sacrificing irreplaceable resources, and help landowners balance their wildlife goals with their other land uses.

Municipality Case Studies   Land Trust Case Studies   Landowner Case Studies