Established in 1991 as one of the primary interdisciplinary centers of College of the Atlantic, the Center for Applied Human Ecology (CAHE) draws on the expertise of faculty in ecology, economics, law, psychology, anthropology, planning, history, business and architecture.   CAHE's mission is to serve students and community by:

• Teaching a wide range of skills necessary to integrate scientific, aesthetic and social values into complex decision-making on public issues
• Building upon a solid foundation of courses from traditional disciplines, integrate the knowledge from these courses with practical skills, and apply this integrated knowledge to actual problems in multi-disciplinary courses and independent projects
• Providing learning opportunities through working partnerships with local leaders and organizations on actual problems in local and international communities

Highlights of the Center's many programs and activities include:

• Education that Makes a Difference through Project-Based Learning
• Watershed Initiative, promoting the integration of ecological, social and economic values through a watershed approach to regional planning and community outreach
• Ecological Entrepreneurship
• Geographic Information System (GIS) Lab
• Collaborative Planning and Decision Making
• Inter-Institutional Projects: The college has conducted a variety of joint projects with several of the leading Architecture, Planning and Watershed Programs in the US
• Inter-Institutional Projects: The college has conducted a variety of joint projects with several of the leading Architecture, Planning and Watershed Programs in the US
• Resource library of software, computer resource inventories and material on environmental, social and economic issues in Maine. The Center also provides space for meetings, conferences and classes.
• CAHE also offers a wide range of ways for students to get involved in COA events and the surrounding community. Whether through course projects, visiting lecturers, canoe trips, or stream clean-ups, CAHE faculty and staff work with students develop skills in collaborative problem-solving and real-world application of classroom knowledge.