Past generations may have thought that large bodies of water like Casco Bay could tolerate human impacts indefinitely. We no longer have the luxury of this naivete. In recent decades, we have witnessed the degradation of other estuaries like Chesapeake Bay, where striped bass have been devastated by pollution, and Long Island Sound, where severe oxygen depletion has impacted the ecosystem. We are beginning to understand the consequences of contaminated runoff, toxic discharges, and habitat destruction, and we have started to develop measures needed to prevent such damage.

Ultimately, the responsibility to protect Casco Bay rests with each of us who resides in the Casco Bay watershed. This tremendous resource touches the lives of many Maine citizens, as one of every eight Maine residents lives in communities along the bay, and one of every four residents lives within its watershed. As voters who elect local, state, and federal officials, we help determine the government. Working in offices, stores, and industries around the bay, we represent the businesses. And in our homes and yards, we take actions every day that affect the health of the estuary.

Responsible stewardship depends on residents cultivating an awareness of Casco Bay that permeates their everyday actions--making purchases, running errands, casting ballots, serving on town boards, tending gardens and lawns, maintaining cars, and building houses. Only by becoming stewards of Casco Bay, caring for it consistently and managing its resources responsibly, can we preserve it for generations to come.