Ellison Photography: Coyote in Grass
COYOTE CENTER
“We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means”
– E.O. Wilson
Present Situation
Carnivores play an important role in the health of Earth’s ecosystems. Yet most Americans have little knowledge of their ecology and value, because the generations that came before us wiped out or severely limited their populations. As a result, people today fear them, continue to kill them and do not have the skills to live with them in peace.
The Consequence: Our present day landscapes are lacking a healthy and balanced biodiversity, epidemics like Lyme disease are widespread and the quality of our own human lives is greatly diminished. We aim to create an enlightened future.
Our Mission
Our mission is to enhance awareness of the value of carnivore presence on our planet by providing a wide range of creative, educational and research experiences for the people of New England, focusing on carnivores, their habitat, and their relationship to us.
The Places
The Coyote Center is a place that exists everywhere we gather together with each other to experience, share dialogue, create, be inspired, and act. This is where it resides. And this is where we discover community and our own empowerment once again.
The Programs
For Educators: We wish to be of service to our educators on all levels here in Maine. So we offer workshops in which teachers can learn about the complexity of carnivore ecology, and the many ways they can incorporate it in classes they teach.
For Farmers: We are so blessed to have so many farmers who feed us with fresh Maine food. So we wish to give back to them by having gatherings where our farmers get to learn about carnivore ecology, learn effective animal husbandry practices and learn from each other. We especially like to offer opportunities for farmers to gather on each other’s farms: a splendid experience for farmers and community members alike!
For our Children: Our children are ready! We seek to engage our children in creative, experiential opportunities that are both fun and transforming. How do they learn about wild carnivores, especially Coyote…they become Coyotes. By doing so, they are drinking in the realities of a Coyote family’s life. This is just one example of how we engage our children, and they just delight in the experience!
For Police and Animal Control Officers: In urban and suburban areas, the police or animal control officers are often the first persons to be contacted by a resident who observes a coyote on their property, on hiking trails or other public areas, and who express fear of them. These public servants, who have little if any knowledge of coyotes, are being asked to respond to a citizen concern, and the result is often tragic for the coyote. In addition, they are unable to give the resident any information or support that would help them to coexist with this resilient carnivore. To assist our public servants we offer workshops in which they will learn about coyote ecology and the skills needed when called upon by community members.
Engaging Artists, Writers, and Poets:
We have so many talented artists and writers in our communities who wish to use their talents on behalf of wildlife and our environment. So we offer many opportunities to engage them. We inspire one another by sharing what we love to create.
Our Land Trusts:
Here in the East, Our Land Trusts are protecting thousands of precious landscapes from development. But they also engage our communities in all forms of education about our environment. We wish to support them in their education efforts by holding workshops on Coyote and carnivore ecology so they can take it back to their communities.
Citizen Science:
Renowned ecologist, E.O. Wilson wrote that Citizen Science is a most powerful way to educate. And Yes! We shall be participating in Citizen Science on diverse levels. We plan to engage our young students in school as well as our adults in this very meaningful experience for each one of them.
