Hunter will be discussing invasive plants in Maine with a focus on their impact on wildlife and forestry. The growing prevalence of any of these species threatens the health of their host ecosystem, so identifying them early and planning for treatment is essential for maintaining productive habitat and forests. For the most common invasive plants […]

If you have read Dr. Doug Tallamy’s books Nature’s Best Hope, Bringing Nature home and The Living Landscape you understand the importance of incorporating native plants into our landscapes. Many of our gardens are filled with plants from Asian and Europe which our native insects do not recognize as food sources. The lack of these […]

Whistle Stop Trail, 7 AM, May 7th, rain or shine. Meet in the parking lot at the trail head across the street from the West Farmington Post Office. Drive in a short distance to find the parking area. This year lead by Nick Leadley, wild life photographer and accomplished birder

This presentation will begin with a general overview of the evolution, ecology, and behavior of damselflies and dragonflies (Order Odonata). This will be followed by a brief survey of some of Maine’s 161 known odonate species. Finally, conservation concerns for this important group of insects will be discussed, and resources to facilitate contributions by community […]

Perham Stream Birding Trail, 8:00am, May14th. This walk will be led by Nick Ledley and is cosponsored by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust. For further information and directions

Photo Credit – Margaret Gompper/Audubon Photography Awards Dr. Pokres, a graduate of Cornell and Tufts University will be speaking on new research findings concerning loons: their behaviors, their reaction to environmental stress, and threats to their well-being. A retired member of the faculty at Tufts, he regularly consults for a variety of private, state, and […]

Snow Bunting - Photo credit - Nick Leadley This has been rescheduled from 11/9. Dr. Ron Butler will give his talk on lichens now on 11/9. Are you a snowbird? Do you head south during the winter in search of sunny, warm weather with plentiful fresh local fruits and vegetables? Just like human snowbirds, many […]

Photo Credit - Dr.Butler This talk was rescheduled from 10/12 This presentation will provide a general overview of the evolution, morphology, and physiology of lichens. The ecological role of lichens in terrestrial ecosystems with be discussed, and the uses of lichens by animals (including humans) will be explored. A brief survey of some common Maine […]

Phote Credit _SherrieTucker Speaker: Danielle D’Auria Did you ever wonder where Maine’s Great Blue Herons go in winter, and what path they travel to get there? Since 2016, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife has deployed lightweight GPS tracking devices on Great Blue Herons to follow their movements during nesting, migration, and wintering. This […]

Photo Credit shutterstock_1445166614. Maine has over 2,500 Great Ponds. The vast majority of them are in great shape, due in large part to strong shoreland zoning laws that protect fragile lakeside habitat and to motivated homeowners who work to make sure their properties protect lakes. However, many of Maine’s lakes are at risk of losing […]

Join us for this AM walk led by Nick Leadley (www.touchthewildphotos.com) on the Whistle Stop Trail

The Distribution and Ecology of the Butterflies of Maine This talk will center around the findings presented in the Butterflies of Maine and Maritime Provinces, to be published this fall by the Cornell University Press. This publication is based on a citizen-science project (the Maine Butterfly Survey or MBS) with field work conducted between 2003 […]