Mid-Coast Audubon will be accepting bird seed orders through Oct. 22 to raise funds to support bird conservation and education programming. Seed must be picked up on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m…
Outdoors
![Trains were running, kids were smiling ... a mighty fine October day indeed. LISA KRISTOFF/Boothbay Register](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/10/field/image/Passing%20trains.jpg?itok=Z33g2qC2)
Boothbay Railway Museum’s Family Harvest Day dawned a bit overcast, but families still came out to celebrate the arrival of autumn and spend some time together.
At 10 a.m., families ready…
![Executive Director Pete Nichols, right, interviews the co-founder of Hidden Valley Nature Center, Tracy Moskovitz. Courtesy photo](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/09/field/image/Midcoast%20Matters%201.jpg?itok=waZAuZsx)
Midcoast Conservancy is pleased to announce “Midcoast Matters” — a six-part television series focusing on the people, places, and natural wonders of Midcoast Maine.
Through the lens of…
The natural world offers many forms of respite and restoration. Forest therapy is a research-based framework for supporting healing and wellness through immersion in forests and other natural…
It’s been two decades since Schmid Preserve’s forest management plan has been updated, but that will change this fall. Schmid Advisory Board Chairman Lisa McSwain told Edgecomb selectmen Sept. 7,…
![](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/09/field/image/TtT.png?itok=GCjIZwl3)
With the 2021-22 academic year right around the corner, Maine school districts are searching for healthy ways for their students to return to school. One opportunity schools have…
![Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol features forest, wetlands, and open fields along the Pemaquid River, and is home to abundant wildlife. Courtesy of Kris Christine](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/09/field/image/Guided%20hike%20at%20Crooked%20Farm%20Preserve%20with%20Coastal%20Rivers-Pemaquid%20River.jpg?itok=B8jc9Xep)
From 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust naturalist Sarah Gladu will lead a hike along the trails of Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol.
Crooked Farm Preserve…
![Natural play space concept design for Oak Point Farm created by Bill Joyce of Carson Douglas Landscape Architecture. Courtesy of BRLT](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/08/field/image/BRLT%20map.jpg?itok=vpYFK9Ku)
Oak Point Farm’s diverse natural features provide many great benefits to the Boothbay region, including offering the ideal setting for BRLT’s growing educational outreach. One of Boothbay Region…
Midcoast Conservancy is offering an advanced chainsaw course on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. This one day course is designed for folks who…
![Steve and Carolyn Fife take in music in the Sunken Garden Aug. 18, the start of Schoonerfest in Wiscasset. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/08/field/image/D668C0D0-0751-45AC-ACA5-0F7B5E2D0089.jpeg?itok=-FSvDtvU)
UPDATE: Heller said that as of 8:45 a.m. Thursday, the When and If was on the Sheepscot River and expected to arrive in Wiscasset Harbor at 10 a.m.
Downtown was the choice for Bruce and…
![Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol features forest, wetlands, and open fields along the Pemaquid River, and is home to abundant wildlife. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/08/field/image/Guided%20hike%20at%20Crooked%20Farm%20Preserve%20with%20Coastal%20Rivers.jpg?itok=7iVgdFZ2)
From 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust naturalist Sarah Gladu will lead a hike along the trails of Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol.
Crooked Farm Preserve…
![Fascinating insects abound at Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/08/field/image/Incredible%20Insects%20family%20program%20at%20Coastal%20Rivers%20Salt%20Bay%20Farm.jpg?itok=1JrBOVTU)
Insects are not only amazingly diverse, but many of them also have very interesting behaviors. Ants tend aphids like tiny farmers. Monarch butterflies sip nectar to fuel them on an epic migration…
Midcoast Conservancy and Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway have partnered to offer a special adventure in Alna: A train ride to a guided hike on Trout Brook Preserve lets participants…
![Edgecomb Community Church held a public walk July 23 at its labyrinth. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/07/field/image/LABRYNTH.jpg?itok=xC--Fzhg)
Man has searched for answers since the beginning of time to perplexing questions. An early tool was the labyrinth, a outdoor place…
For those looking to grow their mountain biking skills, Midcoast Conservancy is offering a three-part Mountain Bike skills course. Each class will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. and the cost is $10,…
First National Bank’s Lincoln County branches will be collecting camping/backpacking gear for Teens to Trails July through Aug/ 27.…
Boothbay Region Waterfront Preservation’s East Side Waterfront Park has come a long way since demolition of the old Cap’n Fish’s motel buildings. BHWP President John O’Connell said many might…
![Tracy Shore Preserve features coastal spruce forest and views of Jones Cove in South Bristol. Courtesy of Coastal Rivers](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/07/field/image/Guided%20hike%20at%20Tracy%20Shore%20Preserve%20with%20Coastal%20Rivers.jpg?itok=RmMYoryH)
From 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust naturalist Sarah Gladu will lead a hike along the forested trails of Tracy Shore Preserve in South Bristol.
Located…
![The original Camp in a Box™ includes an assortment of tools, supplies, and activity ideas for exploring outdoors. Courtesy photo](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/06/field/image/Camp%20in%20a%20Box%20available%20from%20Coastal%20Rivers-1.jpg?itok=yhUkVxIZ)
Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is once again offering its popular Camp in a Box™ package for sale this summer. New this year, there are two versions to choose from.
Filled with tools,…
![Schmid Land Trust Advisory Chairman Lisa McSwain and David Nutt are part of a seven-person board who advises Edgecomb selectmen about managing the 766-acre preserve. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/06/field/image/thumbnail_IMG_0681-1.jpg?itok=yveuNSDl)
A Maine Forest Service grant is helping the 766-acre Charles and Constance Schmid Land Preserve in Edgecomb plan for the future. The town has owned and managed the preserve since 1979. The seven-…
The Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services (MBVS) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Disabled Veterans’ Controlled Moose Hunt lottery.
Seven Mainers were selected for the…
![](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/06/field/image/Midcoast%2BConservancy%20logo.png?itok=-z9yNyFG)
Midcoast Conservancy will host a full moon paddle at its Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson on Wednesday, June 23, from 8-10 p.m. Participants can enjoy the silvery glow of the “…
![Universal access trail at Oak Point Farm. The extension will provide an option to take a left at the bridge and loop around the freshwater pond, which includes a land bridge between the pond and Hodgdon Cove. Courtesy of BRLT](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/05/field/image/UA%20Trail%20%20BRLT.jpg?itok=Kj4FDhSF)
Last summer Boothbay Region Land Trust (BRLT) completed several major improvement projects at its flagship preserve--Oak Point Farm. Among these was the expansion of the disability parking area…
![](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/05/field/image/CMBG_Logo_JAN13_2c_rgb-1656x800.jpg?itok=1jBAZXR0)
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) has decided to bring back its innovative Summer Camp Club for a second season. In a year when many in-person summer camps are still on hiatus, the self-…
Anyone interested in local forestry is invited to attend a Forest Walk on Saturday, June 12, from noon to 2 p.m. at Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC). Walk hosts include…
![Join KELT to welcome Professor Aram Calhoun from the University of Maine to learn about Maine’s vernal pools on May 20 at 6 p.m. Registration is required for this virtual lecture. Visit kennebecestuary.org to sign up. Courtesy of Rob Schultz, Resonant Photography](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/05/field/image/_C4A8557.jpg?itok=sTfbFkYc)
The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust is pleased to welcome Professor Aram Calhoun from the University of Maine for an online lecture on Thursday, May 20 at 6 p.m. Join us to learn about vernal pools,…
The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) invites families with children aged 5-12 to join Penny Jessop for a morning of birding at Bonyun Preserve May 15. Together we will investigate our feathered…
As part of Midcoast Conservancy’s Nature Workshop series, a hike focused on animal tracking and a talk on ticks will be held in May.
The tracking event is on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m.…
Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library celebrated E(art)h Day April 24 on the library lawn on the warmest day yet this year. Executive Director Joanna Breen and Community Technology Coordinator Bethany…
![Spotted salamanders swim amid egg mass. Courtesy of Dr. John Burns](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/04/field/image/Spotted-Salamander-Egg-masses-by-John-Burns.jpg?itok=HUMejd3F)
Spring has arrived on the Boothbay peninsula and our local vernal pools are a flurry of activity. These seasonal bodies of water are a desirable place for some species of frogs, salamanders and…
![Linnea Andersson](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/04/field/image/E5E034E0-227D-494F-8844-7DBF37091C62.jpeg?itok=M5Tbz2Xc)
April 8 was Sara Leone’s birthday. The Wiscasset High School teenager, and daughter of Teens to Trails founders Bob and Carol Leone, had a big love for the outdoors. Together with her parents and…
![KELT is pleased to welcome Dana Wilde to share more about spiders in Maine on Thursday, April 29 at 6 p.m. over Zoom. Registration required. Courtesy of KELT](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/04/field/image/05grass_spider%20%281%29.jpg?itok=YK-Xa-LD)
Discover fascinating facts about the spiders in your backyard! The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) welcomes Dana Wilde, author of A Backyard Book of Spiders in Maine, to speak about Maine’s…
![Join KELT to welcome Cheri Brunault to explore life in vernal pools in Lilly Pond Community Forest on Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m. Registration required. Courtesy of KELT](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/04/field/image/20170420_144511.jpg?itok=mIn3N50d)
The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) invites the public on Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m. to join Springtime Splendor for Amphibians: Vernal Pools of Lilly Pond. The…
![Boothbay Region Water District properties in Adams Pond and Knickerbocker Lake watershed (shown here highlighted in green) are closed to ATVs. These properties remain open to non-motorized public access, including hunting. Courtesy of BRWD](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/04/field/image/Water%20District%20props.png?itok=ExVGiXGi)
When it comes to entering private property, Maine operates under a presumed consent law. If land is not posted, then one may presume it is legal to enter. This is a privilege that many of us enjoy…
![American bullfrog, Pemaquid Pond. Courtesy photo](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/03/field/image/thumbnail_Coastal%20Rivers%20offers%20online%20program%20on%20finding%20frogs.jpg?itok=WZKNnZt5)
Now that Maine frogs are starting to emerge and sing their spring songs, it is a good time of year to find and observe them. From 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 9, Coastal Rivers Education Director…
![A yellow warbler. Don Reimer photo](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/03/field/image/yellow_warbler%2C%20photo%20by%20Don%20Reimer.jpg?itok=evWBFaUO)
Midcoast Conservancy will offer two spring walks with bird experts Howie Nielsen and Jonathan Alderfer, who will share their bird identification skills. The first walk will be on May 12 from 7 to…
![Courtesy photo](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/03/field/image/95911E4E-10D9-4B8A-952D-2A0E66CD58BB.jpeg?itok=_-XuT55F)
The WW&F Railway at 97 Cross Road, Alna will be running Springtime Eggspress Trains with SeaLyon Farm April 3 and 10. Much like the Easter Eggspress Trains the railway has run in years past,…
![A pitcher plant in the HVNC bog. Courtesy of Midcoast Conservancy](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/03/field/image/Pitcher%20Plant%20at%20HVNC%20Bog.jpg?itok=0OqYoQL2)
Join Hildy Ellis, recently-retired coordinator at Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, as she leads participants on a walk along the margins of the bog at Midcoast Conservancy’s…
![Have you seen new and beautiful finches like these Crossbills this winter? Courtesy of Tom Johnson](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/03/field/image/Crossbills%20Tom%20Johnson.jpeg?itok=o7ELCB-v)
Been seeing lots of unusual finches this winter? Mid-Coast Audubon and Camden Public Library will host a free online Zoom presentation about our northern finch winter visitors on Thursday, March…
![Patriot Flooring owner Steve Reynolds plans to resume his 2014, interrupted Appalachian Trail hike this spring. In his first attempt, Reynolds hiked 400-plus miles before business-related challenges required him to stop. Courtesy photo](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/03/field/image/0819B63D-AC75-435C-938F-5989C7D4723B.jpeg?itok=a5CZw74X)
In 2014, Steve Reynolds began a journey he dreamed about since childhood. The Winslow native was watching a PBS program with his older brother Mark Reynolds about the Appalachian Trail, the 2,200-…
Anyone interested in local forestry is invited to attend a Forest Walk on Saturday, Feb. 27, from noon to 2 p.m. at Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC). Walk hosts include…
The Boothbay Region Fish & Game Association was unable to hold its annual Kids' Ice Fishing Derby this February due to the current COVID-19 restrictions that limit indoor gatherings. Club…
![Learning to seine at the Boothbay Sea and Science Center - summer 2019. Courtesy of Pauline Dion](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/02/field/image/thumbnail_IMG_3294.jpg?itok=ki0TPFhg)
The Boothbay Sea and Science Center (BSSC) and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) are pleased to announce they will be working together to offer a joint program for students that combines the…
![Join KELT to welcome mindfulness teacher Tim Blair, of The Mindful Nonprofit, for an introduction to mindfulness in nature on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. Register in order to receive a Zoom link at www.kennebecestuary.org](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/02/field/image/B.Kolak_mushroomcap_4.2014%2B2.jpeg?itok=ZP72okfF)
Start the year by learning ways to focus on the present moment, reduce stress, and observe nature in a new way! The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) invites the public to an introduction to…
![This Camden Conference will be held Feb. 20-21. Courtesy of Kimberly Scott](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/02/field/image/Arctic%20Region%20In%20Peril.jpg?itok=t0MinRtv)
More than 200 high school and college students from around the world have signed up for the Feb. 20-21 Camden Conference, “The Geopolitics of the Arctic: A Region in Peril,” taking advantage of…
Hikers are invited to enjoy the unique sounds of the woods in winter on a full moon hike at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson on Friday, Feb. 26, from 6-8 p.m. Nature will light the trail…
![LISA KRISTOFF/Boothbay Register](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/02/field/image/Northern%20Red%20Oak%202.jpg?itok=cNQFDYuw)
The snow white path leading into the forested area we know as Cross River Preserve lay before me. With my pamphlet for Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Self-Guided Winter Tree Identification Walk in…
![During the month of February BRLT is offering a self-guided Winter Tree ID hike at Cross River Preserve. Courtesy of BRLT](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/02/field/image/Image%201.jpg?itok=VgEBluTV)
While the Maine woods are famous grounds for leaf peepers throughout the fall, many hikers who trek out in winter may be oblivious to the variety of trees surrounding them. The species that so…
![Tim Trumbauer is Midcoast Conservancy’s new senior watershed manager. Courtesy of Midcoast Conservancy](http://ddtbbwfqzggbu.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/river_thumbnail_large/public/2021/02/field/image/Tim%20Trumbauer.jpeg?itok=yDDj9PbU)
Midcoast Conservancy is delighted to welcome Tim Trumbauer to its staff as senior watershed manager. Trumbauer will be responsible for protecting and improving water resources for human and…