The Ecology School opens $14.1 million campus in Saco, Maine

The facilities include a 144-bed, housing unit, a 7,000 square-foot education and dining commons, and a 712-panel solar array.

May 20, 2021

2 min read

The Ecology School, a non-profit education center focused on the environment, has opened a $14.1 million campus in Saco, Maine.

The campus includes a 144-bed, 9,000 square-foot dormitory, the 7,000 square-foot Poland Spring Education and Dining Commons, and a 712-panel solar array that generates 105% net positive energy on the 105-acre campus.

The Ecology School says it aims to serve 12,000 to 15,000 participants per year, ages preschool to adult, in a combination of in-person, in-school, and online ecology programs.

Other features of the new campus:

It was designed for foot traffic and not cars. Tree-line windrows divide the auto-based world from the naturally trafficked world.
Farmyard pathways are accessible to those with disabilities and promote universal access.
Rain gardens capture storm-water runoff and strategically drain to nourish farm fields below.
Permaculture gardens include native trees, shrubs, bushes, fruits, and vegetables.
New pathways and gathering areas connect to existing trail systems, inviting exploration of the surrounding property.EV charging stations are available to those arriving in electric vehicles.
To maintain a combustion-free campus, these are supported by a Tesla Powerwall that stores solar energy to provide battery-powered back-up rather than generator back-up.
By 2025, 100% of the produce served on the campus served will come from The Ecology School’s farm or from local farms to demonstrate a sustainable food system and support Maine’s economy.
Significant outdoor gathering spaces and theater promote community, physical movement, and joy.

A $500,000 gift from L.L. Bean will enable the school to build a new arrival plaza and a new waterfront area for recreation and environmental education on the Saco River, the Portland Press Herald reports.