Partnerships and Projects Portfolio
December 2023
rbouvier consulting partnered with the Donahue Institute to worked on the recently released 2023-2050 Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan. Using third-party resources, rbouvier consulting compiled data and offered specific analysis for the plan that looks at the current conditions and trends in farmland in Massachusetts, current programs, and relevant policies. Our specific research approaches included: 1) Analysis of available data on current conditions and trends, 2) Review and summary of current agricultural programs and policies, and 3) Review and synthesis of goals and recommendations of previous statewide plans. We looked at the age of farmers, county-level rates of protected farmland, and conversion of agricultural lands to developed or non-farm, non-developed land uses from 1985 to 2016. Later in the process, we supported UMass Donahue Institute’s cross-sector stakeholder engagement across the state related to themes in farmland protection, viability, and access.
We looked at the age of farmers, county-level rates of protected farmland, and conversion of agricultural lands to developed or non-farm, non-developed land uses from 1985 to 2016. Later in the process, we supported UMass Donahue Institute’s cross-sector stakeholder engagement across the state related to themes in farmland protection, viability, and access. Our work included:
• Review and summary of current agricultural programs and policies. This research included a comprehensive review of websites and reports on current laws, public investments, programs, and policies relative to farmland protection.
• Review and synthesis of goals and recommendations of previous statewide plans. Researchers prepared brief summaries of many recent plans and reports related to farmland and agriculture in Massachusetts. Each summary included an overview of the plan or study, key goals and objectives.
• Analysis of qualitative data collected from cross sector stakeholder engagement. Researchers compiled all the data from surveys, listening sessions and formal focus groups and presented an objective view of themes to inform the plan.
January 2023
rbouvier consulting partnered with UMass Donahue Institute in working with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs on their Resilient Lands initiative. This study is innovative in that it explicitly focuses on diverse land values, recognizing the value of land conservation as an economic development asset.
The aim of the initiative was intended to “protect and improve the quality of life for residents of every Massachusetts community through land conservation, restoration, and stewardship initiatives that conserve and enhance the health of the forests, farms, and soils” in Massachusetts. The consulting team at rbouvier consulting contributed land value briefings for nine land values: urban parks and public health, forests, farms, habitat, water supply and watersheds, reducing climate impacts on residents, economic stability, outdoor recreation and cultural value. Our briefings were used to focus the conservations for focus groups in each of the value areas. Each briefing began with a current state snapshot of the topic as well as important trends over the previous decades. Then we offered a SWOT analysis of each issue: a review of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing a resource or issue.
August 2022:
“Assessing the Carrying Capacity of the Blue Hill Peninsula” is a study we did for the conservation organization Blue Hill Heritage Trust. This report contains and account of the pandemic-related population trends of 2020 and beyond; a description of the climate-related migration that is already occurring and only expected to accelerate; and a portrayal of the carrying capacity of the Peninsula in terms of physical, economic, and social factors.
June 2022:
We are happy to have assisted The Mountain Division Rail Use Advisory Council, chaired by Paul Schumacher, in assessing the potential uses for the 31 mile rail corridor. The Council issued a strong recommendation that corridor becomes a paved bike and pedestrian trail until such time as rail becomes feasible. Check out the summary and recommendations!
March 2022
The Resilience Strategy Summary, and Economic Resilience Assessment and Plan for Coastal York County of the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC). We worked in collaboration with GEI Consultants and SMPDC on this project.
April 2022:
Working with Southern Maine Council of Governments we completed an “Economic Analysis of Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge” for six municipalities in York County. The report examines the economic impacts on each community.
“The geography of the coastline and the physical location of business establishments is only a small part of the reason why sea level rise is expected to hit some municipalities more than others. The dependence on tourism-related industries – accommodation and food service, and arts, entertainment and recreation – is a key indicator of how vulnerable an area’s economy is to disruption from sea level rise and storm surge.”
December 2021:
rbouvier consulting is proud to announce the publication of “Feasibility of Point-Nonpoint Nutrient Trading in the Long Island Sound Watershed”, the culmination of a year long project with the NEIWPCC. The report summarizes the potential for nutrient trading to meet the goals of the Long Island Sound Study.
August 2019:
rbouvier consulting is thrilled to announce that we are partnering with the UMass Donahue Institute (the economic development arm of the UMass President’s Office) to provide support for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs on a new statewide land conservation planning process, called the Resilient Lands Initiative (RLI). The purpose of the RLI is to highlight and promote the value of land conservation and stewardship, especially in helping to mitigate and prepare for climate change. rbouvier consulting’s role is to prepare eight topical briefings to help facilitate discussions in each of the following areas: Water quality and quantity, forests, farms, urban parks and public health, habitat provision, outdoor recreation, economic stability, and climate change.
We will also be partnering with the Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission (SMPDC) to work with the towns of York, Kennebunk and Wells on developing adaptation and resilience strategies surrounding climate change. SMPDC applied for and received a Maine Coastal Communities Grant to conduct town-specific economic and social vulnerability assessments of coastal flood impacts and develop locally relevant, creative adaptation and resiliency strategies. We are excited to be a part of this important and innovative effort.
February 2019:
CEI published the Market Analysis of Maine Farm-Raised Sea Scallops. rbouvier consulting is proud to have partnered with CEI on this project.
Dr. Bouvier recently presented Ecosystem Services and Green Infrastructure: Understanding Valuation, Benefits, and SITES v2 Applications at the American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Meeting on October 19- 22 in Philadelphia, PA.
We are working with CEI to do a market study on the feasibility of scallop farming in Maine using a new ear hung aquaculture method. This project recently made the news in this story about Bangs Island Mussels new scallop project.
rbouvier consulting is pleased to announce that we have begun working with the City of Portland on their Integrated Stormwater and Wastewater Management plan, as part of a team headed by Klienfelder and Tighe & Bond. rbouvier consulting’s role will be to help integrate economic considerations – both monetary and intangible – into the City’s decision-making process. We are thrilled at this opportunity to use our expertise to assist our hometown.
In June of this year Rachel Bouvier was a panelist at E2Tech’s Turn and Face the Strange: The Economic Impacts of Climate Change at the Maple Hill Farm Inn & Conference Center in Hallowell, Maine. Rachel and Joie also co-presentined Beyond the Bottom Line: Calculating Social Return on Investment on as part of Startup Maine Weekend:
During the fall of 2017 Rachel presented the four part webinar series “The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing: What Environmental Professionals Should Know About Economics.” Covering topics such as tools economists use to value the environment, cost-benefit analysis, and how to communicate the information you discover to stakeholders, the series educated attendees on how economics can be used to help support and promote environmental and sustainability issues.
Rachel and a team of facilitators worked with GrowSmart Maine to document, analyze, and promote the impact of their events, as part of a social return on investment calculation.
rbouvier consulting authored a section on the potential economic impact of climate change on Casco Bay for the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, with the Center for Business and Economic Research.
Rachel gave a presentation entitled “The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing: Is Ecosystem Valuation Worth It?” for the Association of State Wetland Managers.
Rachel gave a talk, “Communicating the Value of Sustainability in an Adverse Political Climate,” on April 12, 2017, at Peloton Labs in Portland, Maine
rbouvier consulting was named a “Successful Green Small Business” by the Portland chapter of SCORE!
rbouvier consulting worked with the Friends of Fort Gorges, a Civil War era fort in Casco Bay, to design a visitor survey and estimate the economic importance of the Fort to the local economy.
rbouvier consulting worked with the Nature Conservancy (Maine chapter) to analyze the costs of installing and maintaining a “stream smart” culvert with the costs of installing and maintaining a more traditional, “non fish-friendly” culvert.
rbouvier consulting worked with Reed & Reed, Inc. (a general contracting company in Maine) to lay out the economic advantages associated with generating 100 MW of electricity from wind power, versus importing the same amount of energy from Hydro Quebec.
Assisted the Public Advocate in Maine by conducting the first ever needs assessment in Maine for low-income electricity consumers. The project involved determining the number of households in each utility’s service area in Maine, and calculating the percentage of income they spent on electricity. Download the briefing.
Maine Voices: Lessons to be learned about drought and outdated water laws, published in the Portland Press Herald, June 28, 2015.
rbouvier consulting worked closely with the Friends of the Presumpscot River to research and report on the economic benefits of restoring native fish runs in Maine and New England.. The report was released to the press and the wider public in mid-May, 2015. Read the report and learn more about the Friends.
Rachel presented on the economic impacts of Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standards, at the Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine’s forum in March, 2015. Jeff Marks, executive director of E2Tech, said of Rachel’s presentation, “Rachel Bouvier provided a balanced perspective on renewable energy incentives – are they investments or entitlements? – to more than 100 business and government leaders in Augusta getting ready to tackle these issues head-on in the 127th Maine Legislative Session!” Learn more about E2Tech and download the presentation.