Wild blueberry growers Del & Marie Emerson of Downeast Maine have dedicated their lives to the prosperity of the wild blueberry industry and its small farms. In celebration of the wild blueberry, the Emersons built a building and business known as Wild Blueberry Land that served the rural area as a landmark tourist attraction from 2001-2022. Founded in 2016 by Marie Emerson with community help and a concern for the future of the wild blueberry industry, the nonprofit 501c(3) Wild Blueberry Heritage Center’s mission is to provide a deeper understanding of the rich history, science, and culture of the wild blueberry’s indigenous ecosystem. In 2023, the Wild Blueberry Heritage Center assumed stewardship of the beloved “blueberry dome” in Columbia Falls, Maine with the hopes of promoting prosperity for both the biodiverse ecosystem and small growers of Maine’s wild blueberry lands through public education and community-based programming.