By Melinda Small Nothing has been as satisfying as my trips to the dump (aka Harpswell Recycling Center and Transfer Station). Despite her sometimes gruesome masks, Donnette’s greeting was always welcoming. And once again, I had finished a task that is a grateful diversion from my isolation. At the Center, a very visible sign lists… Read more
The history of Maine, including Harpswell, is tied to the sea. Indigenous people are known to have harvested the bounty of the ocean for thousands of years. Their population was quite small and their technology was limited, so they had little impact on the resource. When Europeans first arrived on these shores, they were astonished… Read more
By Patti Neuhof Today, barely a news cycle passes without a story tied to the impact and challenges communities across the country face as a result of climate change. Some of these impacts are immediately clear and heartbreaking, like the destruction attributed to the wildfires in the West or the flooding and devastation caused by… Read more
“Just one word. Plastics.” So said neighbor Mr. McGuire with great conviction. But young Benjamin Braddock was far more interested in the career advice from Mr. Robinson, another neighbor, to “…sow a few wild oats” particularly with Mrs. Robinson in the classic 1967 movie “The Graduate.” Since 1967 the world has certainly embraced the use… Read more
Using their backyards as laboratories, participants in the Signs of the Seasons program help scientists document the local effects of global climate change. Hundreds are trained to observe and record the phenology (seasonal changes) of common plants and animals living in their own communities — a citizen science project that fills a gap in regional… Read more
Looking for a simple, fun and educational project? Make your own tree identification wheel to practice your ID skills. Read more
If you enjoy observing the natural world, if you’re curious about cycles and changes in living things or the environment, if you’re interested in the waters of Casco Bay and the organisms living in it, then you can help scientists with their research. Modern scientists work with such large amounts of data that some ask non-scientists… Read more
There has been extensive media coverage in recent years regarding tick borne diseases in Maine. The most common of these is Lyme disease, but anaplasmosis and babesiosis are rapidly growing in prevalence here. The primary carrier of the bacteria causing those diseases is the black-legged tick, often called the deer tick. Maine unfortunately is now… Read more
By Gina Snyder Recently I downloaded the iNaturalist app on my smartphone and have been having some fun with it. I found out about it from a blog about things to do during pandemic social isolation. I’ve always been curious about what I’m seeing in the woods, often tagging along with bird watching friends or… Read more
From mid-March to the end of May 2020, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) posted a simple outdoor activity idea and nature riddle for kids every weekday. Some days we also posted other resources, like downloadable chapters of the Junior Ranger Activity Book. Created to support parents who found themselves homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, these… Read more