The town of Harpswell is 81% water, so it seems odd to say that the town has a water shortage. Odd but true. Of course the reason is that the 81% refers to salt water, aka the Atlantic Ocean, and the shortage refers to fresh drinking water, or technically, potable groundwater. A full understanding of… Read more
One thing that always seems to astound people who haven’t heard of Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) is the scope of our programs and activities. We have 17 preserves, 25 conservation easements, and 10 trails. We organize many fun and educational programs, work with every grade level in the local elementary school, run a popular… Read more
Thanks to our all-star volunteer Lianna Bizer we have videos of many of our trails and preserves. If it’s a rainy or cold day, or you can’t get out on our trails the way you used to, you can now experience our trails from home. Thanks, Lianna! Giant’s Stairs trail Click here for more information… Read more
Harpswell Nature Watchers is a project of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. Its goal is to encourage people of all ages to go outside and be nature observers. We hope that by sharing our own observations with you, we may inspire curiosity to explore and more closely inspect what is going on in the natural… Read more
Here’s what parents and campers love about Nature Day Camp: 2023 Quotes from Parents: “My child loved every day of camp. She especially enjoyed her time in the water and on the natural playground. She came home each day excited to tell us about the creatures she had encountered: lobster, horseshoe crabs, a hummingbird, etc.”… Read more
An old French name for this creature is “porc d’espine,” literally the “pig with quills.” But you will not find roast porcupine gracing the table in a three-star Michelin restaurant. There are, however, many recipes online for a dish called “porcupine meatballs” which fortunately substitute long grain rice for actual quills. Unless you are lost… Read more
Nature Day Camp was a huge success this summer, engaging 166 campers and four junior counselors with nature in Harpswell. Children enjoyed exploring tide pools, catching butterflies, learning about Harpswell history, swimming, making new friends, catching crabs, and getting messy! One happy camp parent wrote: “We love this camp the most out all off the things… Read more
Several local organizations collaborate to educate Harpswell residents about the working waterfront and open up lines of communication between fishermen and their non-fishermen neighbors. Outcomes of this fruitful collaboration include panel discussions, written articles published in the Harpswell Anchor, and a new guide about living and working near the ocean. Recordings of the panel discussions… Read more
Originally published in the Harpswell Anchor. Julia McLeod was confirmed as executive director of the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust by a unanimous vote of the organization’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday, Aug. 16. McLeod had been serving as the Land Trust’s acting executive director since February, during a transition period following the retirement of HHLT’s… Read more
In late winter in Maine, a few things are certain: maple sap will be running on warm days, you soon have to complete your tax return, and winter is losing its grip even if there is one more storm in the forecast. As the days grow longer, and the snow gradually melts, you have the… Read more