Why do we do It. Ask anyone participating in the hiking challenge why they do it and you will probably hear a wide range of responses. We do it to prove to ourselves that we have endurance. To make ourselves and others proud of our accomplishments. To test our navigation skills. To exercise and enjoy… Read more
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s mission statement calls for preservation and protection of “Harpswell’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and access to the outdoors now and forever through conservation, stewardship, and education.” Conservation and education are straightforward, but what does stewardship entail? The Judeo-Christian traditional approach to the land is based on Genesis 1:26, where it’s written… Read more
Did you know that Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) provides free outdoor science lessons and nature-based play to all Harpswell Community School students? Kindergarten Science We explored weather and what animals need to survive. The lessons at school culminated with a fun field trip to Houghton Graves Park. First Grade Science We delved into animal… Read more
When I looked across the river and saw my friend’s fly rod bent nearly double, I called out to him, “Wow, that looks like a good fish!” With a dejected look on his face, my pal replied, “Naw, it’s just a sucker.” You may be tougher than I am, but after suffering way too many… Read more
I often wonder how the Land Trust’s trails come to be. Who figures out where they start, where they turn, and how long they are? And how do those decisions get made; what is influencing the trail designer, if in fact, there is such a thing as a trail designer? It turns out there is,… Read more
Whether a result of her Quaker upbringing or because she came of age in the cauldron of the 1960s, Wendy Batson has been committed to causes throughout her life and has backed up her beliefs with hard work. That effort has taken Wendy from the front lines of the antiwar movement during the Vietnam conflict,… Read more
Explore, Play, Discover Take a step into the Forest Playground and you will quickly discover that it is not a typical playground. It is much more. This is a place where all of our senses are invited to play. The elements and materials here provide inspiration for fun, connection, creativity, movement and discovery. Children experience… Read more
Every season of the year offers special times, unique experiences, and lasting memories. Following mud season, we all look forward to getting outside for fresh air, green grass, and early flowers like the crocus and hyacinth. This is a time of reawakening for the Earth and all her creatures. It can also be a time… Read more
June 1-2, 2024 Are you looking for an excuse to spend time outdoors? Consider the Harpswell Hiking Challenge as a way to get outside and get to know both HHLT and town-owned trails and preserves. This year’s challenge covers eight trails (four if choosing the modified route), including four of HHLT’s preserves. Don’t forget to… Read more
My introduction to partnering writing with land trusts in a formal way was ushered in by an unexpected Barred Owl at the Oven’s Mouth Preserve in Edgecomb. As a lifelong writer, an announcement in the Maine Writer’s and Publisher’s Alliance newsletter seeking partnership between poets and land trusts in Maine caught my eye. I made… Read more