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Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel Tell us about your work related to Maine’s geological, cultural, and natural-resource based heritage. How are people in Maine’s coastal communities documenting, celebrating and protecting Maine’s heritage? Two initiatives are under way to give the Downeast region special designations as a) a Natural Heritage Area and b) a Coastal Geopark. What are these initiatives all about, how can they contribute to community and economic development and how can people get involved? What is the value of digging deep into the story of Maine’s people and places? How do these stories differ from the narratives often shared in the tourism brochures? Guests: Crystal Hitchings, Sunrise County Economic Council Program Director, Community Infrastructure and Promotion and DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism Sahra Gibson, steering committee for Coastal Maine Geopark Galen Koch, radio producer and writer with The First Coast, and co-founder of Maine Sound and Story. About the host: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.