Events & Programs
- September
- First talk of the fall will be Sept 12th, no events planned for the summer
Topic and speaker for Sept 12th to be announced.
Other talks in the fall will be on Oct 10th and Nov 14th.
- 9/12/18 – Sea Gulls Disappearing?
The Herring Gull nesting population in the Gulf of Maine has declined ~5% annually since the 1960’s. While gulls traditionally nest on islands, Herring Gulls are nesting on roof-tops in Portland, ME. Beginning in 2011 Noah Perlut has been exploring this phenomenon. His talk will describe the choices these birds are making in response to human habitat change.
Noah Perlut is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. He teaches field-based classes, exploring the woods and wetlands of southern Maine.
- October
- 10/10/18 – The Sobering Truth about Our Disappearing Amphibians.
Amphibians – frogs, salamanders and caecilians – are among the most endangered of all animal groups. Worldwide, it is estimated that a third of all species are threatened with extinction and nearly half are in decline. The reasons for this are complex and involve many of the usual culprits, including habitat loss and degradation, pollution, climate change, and disease. Acting in concert, these stressors are pushing amphibians over the brink. In this talk you’ll learn about the threats facing amphibians, particularly from disease, which is thought to be the single largest driver of amphibian declines worldwide. These diseases are alive and well in Maine. Join us and learn what researchers are doing to understand the scope of the problem and a few simple things you can do to help stem the tide of the global amphibian extinction crisis.
Matthew Chatfield is an Associate Professor of Conservation Biology at Unity College. He earned his Doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan. He subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher and, later, as a Visiting and Research Assistant Professor at Tulane University in Louisiana. - November
- 11/14/18 – Our Forests in Maine, how have they changed; what threatens them
Update on the constantly changing forest lands that surround us and the movement of invasive insect species in Maine and what is being done to mitigate their effects. The recent finding of the Emerald Ash Borer in northern Maine is concerning. Learn more.
Patty Cormier is a valuable and well known asset to people concerned about the woodlands of western Maine. Her knowledge comes from a combination of 30 years of experience, 10 as a forester for Georgia Pacific and 20 as a District Forester for the Maine Forest Service. She grew up in Kingfield and has a BS in forestry from University of Maine at Orono.