In September, Boothbay Sea and Science Center provided 10 Maine schools with aquariums and seedlings as part of a seaweed growth studying project. The students grew sugar kelp, alaria, or both in their tanks, which were filled with either filtered sea water or manmade seawater with deionized water with salt, also known as instant ocean.  

In December, Center staff replanted the students’ experimental seedlings into three Midcoast locations  (East Boothbay, Clark Cove in Damariscotta and Casco Bay). Other participating schools who harvested their seaweed planted either at Clark Cove or Casco Bay included South Bristol, Greenville Consolidated, Medomak Middle, Lincoln Academy, Lisbon Middle, Greely Middle, and Bergstrom home school in Harpswell.

On May 5, Boothbay Region, Southport Central and Edgecomb Eddy elementary school students harvested their seaweed near the Center. At 10 a.m., Edgecomb and Boothbay Region students harvested their seaweed. Boothbay Region students harvested their sugar kelp and alaria. Edgecomb harvested sugar kelp. At 12:15, Southport Central students harvested sugar kelp and alaria. 

After the harvest, students examined how the ocean climate impacted their former seedings. Center Executive Director Pauline Dion explained the project’s educational value. “This project shows students how seaweed grows,” she said. “They realize it grows like a plant, and observe its growth by fertilizing it, and making sure it receives proper nutrients. They record data, and share with other participating schools their findings to see how various factors influence the growth.”

This is the program’s fifth year. It began in the winter of 2017 with Edgecomb science educator Sarah Currier and Seth Barker, co-owner of Maine Sea Farms. The two planted seedlings at Barker’s farm. In 2022, the program was partly funded by an Onion Foundation grant. In 2014, Fritz and Susan Onion created the Auburn foundation as a private charitable organization.