June 28, 2023
Congratulations to Robert Buchsbaum on receiving the 2023 Gulf of Maine Visionary Award(link is external) from The Gulf of Maine Council, presented by Lisa Engler from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. Robert was honored for his outstanding contributions to the conservation and protection of natural resources in the Gulf of Maine. As Conservation Scientist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society from 1987 through 2019, Robert provided leadership on conservation issues throughout the state. As one of the founders of identifying the ‘Great Marsh’ as a connected system, Robert was instrumental in laying the groundwork to designate the Great Marsh Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). This unique ecosystem includes 25,500 acres of barrier beaches, dunes, salt marshes, and water bodies and is the home of hundreds of species, especially birds. As an avid ornithologist, Robert helped advance knowledge and protection for the 2900-acre Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, an important site on the Atlantic Flyway Migration route where over 60 bird species breed. As a leader in conservation research, he studied topics such as nutrient cycling in coastal marine habitats, the decline of seagrasses along the Massachusetts coast, sources of bacterial pollution in coastal waters, and the effect of invasive species on salt marsh ecosystems. His research has helped expand our understanding of how climate change and human activities affect wetlands and other New England habitats. Robert recently retired as the PIE outreach coordinator and continues to volunteer in his community where he serves as Vice Chair of the Beverly Conservation Commission.
