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
As the days lengthen and the soil warms, my thoughts turn toward the gardens. Vegetables to feed us, flowers to cheer us and trees to cool us with shade on a warm, summer day. Gardening always connects me to nature, to the soil, to the plants and to the creatures that share the world with… Read more
Thanks to a mild winter, it looks like mud season might pass with only a modicum of mud compared to some years. Yet that mild winter probably means a large population of ticks lurking in the forest and hoping to latch onto us for a meal. However, there is much you can do to make… Read more
Photo by Curt Chipman Do you have an interest in learning more about the world around you? Have you wondered how scientists go about studying the major challenges faced by the Earth from climate change to plastic pollution to endangered species? Many people have a fascination about our world and want to learn about melting… Read more
Author Ed Robinson There is a great deal of research to prove that human beings need green space, fresh air and wildlife around us for wellness and peace of mind. Those who spend their lives stuck in major cities, surrounded by concrete, noise, pollution and crowds are prone to health problems with long term consequences…. Read more
One way you might like to engage is to become a citizen scientist. Armed with your smartphone, you can visit several of the trails and preserves in Harpswell and collect data for the Harpswell King Tide project. It’s a fun and easy way to make a difference. As a recent returnee from the west, I… Read more
How has your garden grown? Did the native shrubs you planted during our wet spring survive summer’s heat? Did you remember to water the new plants every week? And how about those vegetables? Are the zucchini and tomatoes pouring in? This is the time of year we celebrate the harvest. The ripe red tomatoes are… Read more
Now that we’ve planted and nurtured our gardens, it’s time to admire the gardening of others. Time spent in gardens has been shown to benefit our mental health. This time with trees, flowers and other plants recharges our psyche, and boosts our general wellness. According to the late Oliver Sacks, neurologist and author, nature has… Read more
Success! A great blue heron caught in Harpswell is now flying around wearing her new solar powered GPS transmitter. This project was made possible by help from HHLT volunteers and Harpswell Coastal Academy teachers and students. Danielle D’Auria, a wildlife biologist with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, spent weeks scouting the Harpswell area… Read more
Deer or black legged tick Unless you are new to Maine, you probably know that we have some issues with tick-borne disease here. What you may not know, however, is just how serious the tick problem has become for much of our state. I would love to pass along good news to you in this… Read more