Cultivating Curiosity

The most important tool in the naturalist's knapsack is not binoculars, a hand lens, or a field guide--it's curiosity! In this workshop, as we explore HVNC, we'll practice opening ourselves to curiosity, asking questions of the landscape, and feeling comfortable with not knowing the answers. Through a series of writing exercises, we'll capture the experience of noticing, wondering, and discovering, and we'll come away with short poems or prose generated through following where our curiosity leads us. 

Andrea Lani is the author of Uphill Both Ways: Hiking toward Happiness on the Colorado Trail. As a Maine Master Naturalist, she teaches nature writing and nature journaling workshops around Maine.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration

Refund Policy.

Join us for a full moon hike (or snowshoe, if there is snow on the ground) at Hidden Valley Nature Center.

Enjoy an evening illuminated by the glow of the full Beaver Moon. Discover a new way of being in the woods, when sounds become more pronounced and sight takes a backseat to our other senses. The group will take moments of silence to listen for owls and nocturnal foragers along the trail, chat as we hike and revel in the brightness of earth’s closest celestial friend. 

Meet at the Welcome Center at HVNC; hikers should wear shoes with good grips and bring a hiking stick if desired, along with a snack, drink and flashlight or headlamp. Your guide will lead the group on a moderate hike of 2-3 miles along some of the many trails at HVNC. We will be out for 2 hours.

Registration is required and space is limited so sign up today!
Review our refund policy here.

Registration

Cost: $130 ($150 for non-members)
Age limit: 16+
Registration required, limit of 8 students

Rain Date: November 3.

This one day course is designed for folks who have some previous experience with a saw and are looking to practice skills that are beyond the Level 1 Course offering.  Much of the material from the beginner’s course will be reviewed, such as Personal Protective Equipment and safe handling, which will serve as a great and important refresher.  More attention will be paid to saw maintenance, and the primary focus will be put on cutting techniques for bucking and directional tree felling.  The goal of this course is for participants to leave prepared to do a significant amount of work with their saw.  This course will be great for folks who intend to manage their woodlot and process firewood.

Completion of Level 1 training or a considerable amount of previous experience with a chainsaw is strongly recommended. Anyone with questions about their suitability for the course can contact the instructor, Tim Libby, at tim@midcoastconservancy.org.

We are pleased to partner with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) on our Chainsaw Safety Courses. MOFGA members may also take advantage of discounted pricing.

Registration

Refund Policy.

** This event has been canceled**

"Things That Go Bump in the Night"

When the sun goes down and we're getting ready for bed, many of our seldom seen animal neighbors are just getting up.  Why are so many animals nocturnal?  Does being active at night have advantages over being active during the day?  Does it bring disadvantages?  If so, how have nocturnal animals evolved to mitigate the disadvantages?  Join Luanne and Dan Weekes of Pollination Station as they discuss these and other questions to build a new appreciation of Maine's nocturnal wildlife.  This family friendly powerpoint presentation will look at common nocturnal species including bats, owls, skunks, and a relative newcomer to Maine, the Virginia opossum, and will include a meet and greet with Willow, an Eastern Screech Owl, and plenty of time for Q&A.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Join us for a full moon hike (or snowshoe, if there is snow on the ground) at Hidden Valley Nature Center.

Enjoy an evening illuminated by the glow of the Super Hunter's Moon. A night when the full moon will be closer to the earth than on any other day of the year and visible from dusk until dawn. Discover a new way of being in the woods, when sounds become more pronounced and sight takes a backseat to our other senses. The group will take moments of silence to listen for owls and nocturnal foragers along the trail, chat as we hike and revel in the brightness of earth’s closest celestial friend. 

Meet at the Welcome Center at HVNC; hikers should wear shoes with good grips and bring a hiking stick if desired, along with a snack, drink and flashlight or headlamp. Your guide will lead the group on a moderate hike of 2-3 miles along some of the many trails at HVNC. We will be out for 2 hours.

Registration is required and space is limited so sign up today!
Review our refund policy here.

Registration

Join us for the 13th Annual Race Through The Woods trail race on Sunday, October 6, at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, Maine.

Racing starts at 9:00AM. Racers will have two course options to choose from: a 13 mile course or a shorter 5 mile distance. (Both share the course with same start time).  The course brings you over steep hills, through the woods, past beautiful ponds and has about 1,000 feet elevation change.

Race fees are $40 for the 13, and $30 for the 5 miler.

Long sleeve technical shirts will be available for purchase with registration, with a limited number available for purchase the day of. Prizes will be given to first place finishers (men and women) and in age categories. Prizes will include a free night stay at one of our Hidden Valley huts and PIE!

We will be pouring beer from Sheepscot Valley Brewing!

Registration IS REQUIRED through our friends at Race Entry and closes one week before race.

REGISTER HERE!

This race is currently capped at 125 entrants, with a waitlist. There will be NO day of registration. 

No refunds, no bib transfers. If you are unable to race, your registration fee will be considered a donation to Midcoast Conservancy.

Enchanting the Forest

The word "enchant" comes from Latin roots that mean "to sing upon." To enchant a forest means, literally, to sing to it, and cultures around the world have historically sung to forests and other special landscapes. In this workshop, we'll walk the trails of HVNC, noticing the wild things around us engaging in word play along the way, including rhyming, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. When we reach the barn, we'll turn this word play into poems inspired by those in books The Lost Words and The Lost Spells by Robert Macfarlane. When we're done we'll speak, or sing for those brave enough, our poems out loud--thus enchanting HVNC's forest.

Andrea Lani is the author of Uphill Both Ways: Hiking toward Happiness on the Colorado Trail. As a Maine Master Naturalist, she teaches nature writing and nature journaling workshops around Maine.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration

Refund Policy.

Feel the glow!

Meet your leaders at the Welcome Center 10 minutes before the official start time so that we can start walking promptly on schedule. Hike the 1 mile to the pond and our canoes. With a little luck, the full moon will be rising on the far shore and we’ll paddle the pond, exploring the wetlands, beaver lodges, and shoreline looking for beaver and otter activity, and listening for loons and owls calling.

Make sure you are wearing water-proof or quick-dry clothing; it’s always a good idea to bring layers (a windbreaker or fleece are great options). Try to avoid both cotton and denim as they do not keep you warm once wet and do not dry quickly. Make sure you have sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and bring your own water bottle. We should be on the water no longer than an hour and a half, and land at the same location we launch from.

All equipment is provided.

Be sure to bring bug repellent and a headlamp.

Registration

Refund Policy.

A day of music in the forest, courtesy of four Maine bands!

Schedule (may vary):

• Gates Open at 11:30 am!

• Cowboy Angels (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

• Papa Tim and the Whiskey Throttle Band (1:45 - 2:45 pm)

• Dooryarders (3:15 - 4:15 pm)

• Primo Cubano (5:00 - 6:00 pm)

Local beer and food trucks will be available on site all day to keep your dancing energy up!

Day-of tickets will be available for sale at the festival starting at 11:30am! Day-of tickets are $35.

Step into the forest and a world before modern technology to gain wilderness survival skills and knowledge!

Track animals through the winter woods, build simple snares, and learn about camouflage. Make a survival shelter worthy of a cold fall night and search for seasonal wild edibles. Focus on fire, from a leave no trace one match teepee to the magic of fire by friction. Learn safe knife handling so you can carve a coal-burned spoon or bowl. Use rope lashing skills to construct a simple stick tripod chair to use by the fire. And walk silently barefoot through the trees observing the natural world in new ways.

Each month will focus on a different earth-based skills topic, building a knowledge of life in the forest throughout the year. 

For 7-13 year olds, 12 kids per outing.

Join us for one class or come each month to immerse yourself in earth-based skills! 

Registration

Refund Policy.

Feel the glow!

Meet your leaders at the Welcome Center 10 minutes before the official start time so that we can start walking promptly on schedule. Hike the 1 mile to the pond and our canoes. With a little luck, the full moon will be rising on the far shore and we’ll paddle the pond, exploring the wetlands, beaver lodges, and shoreline looking for beaver and otter activity, and listening for loons and owls calling.

Make sure you are wearing water-proof or quick-dry clothing; it’s always a good idea to bring layers (a windbreaker or fleece are great options). Try to avoid both cotton and denim as they do not keep you warm once wet and do not dry quickly. Make sure you have sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and bring your own water bottle. We should be on the water no longer than an hour and a half, and land at the same location we launch from.

All equipment is provided.

Be sure to bring bug repellent and a headlamp.

Rain date: August 19

Registration

Refund Policy.

Everyone is fascinated by wild mushrooms. From foraging and eating, to medicinal use and the use of psychedelics to improve learning and address depression. The only thing standing in the way is acquiring the knowledge and confidence to tell the good mushrooms from those that can sicken you. The good news is that there are a handful of common, easily identified, great edibles or medicinals that can satisfy most peoples hunger for mushrooms. Maine is home to a number of world-class edible mushrooms easily found as you enjoy a walk through the woods and fields.

This day-long class helps to build the basic knowledge needed to identify common mushrooms and to begin a lifetime of wild mushrooming. The class will combine indoor lecture and outdoor experience in the forest to explore identification features, ecology and the seasonal occurrence of mushrooms. We will look at edible as well as common poisonous mushrooms and may end the day by cooking some of the mushrooms we find. Learn a few common edible and medicinal mushrooms and build skills to identify more.

Come prepared for a mild hike and a fun learning day. Participants are invited to bring fresh examples of mushrooms from their local woods and fields. No experience is needed.

Cost: $70 ($80 for non-members)
Age Limit: 12+
Registration Required, below, limit of 22.

Greg A Marley Bio

Greg Marley has been collecting, studying, eating, growing and teaching mushrooms for over 45 years. He spreads his love of mushrooms to hundreds through walks, talks and classes held across New England for over 35 years. Marley is the author of Mushrooms for Health; Medicinal Secrets of Northeastern Fungi, (Downeast Books , 2009) and the award-winning Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares; The Love Lore and Mystic of Mushrooms, (Chelsea Green, 2010). As a volunteer mushroom identification consultant to Poison Centers across New England, he provides expertise in mushroom poisoning cases. When not mushrooming, Marley works as a mental health clinician and behavioral health consultant specializing in suicide prevention.

Registration

Refund Policy.

Identifying ferns is fun – and not that hard!

Ferns don’t have pesky flowers to distract from identifying them by their fronds and growth habit - they look pretty much the same all season. And, in our region there are only 10-15 common native ferns that we might encounter on a woodland walk – an easily manageable number! On this ID walk, Hildy Ellis will help participants learn to ID commonly encountered ferns by their fronds, fruiting bodies (sori), growth habit and habitat; share fern lore and ecology; and discuss the fascinating details of fern reproduction. Several fern ID guides will be available for use and all participants will receive a free copy of the “Quick Guide to Common Ferns of New England,” by Ariel Tal.

Hildy Ellis has a BS in Plant Science and Horticulture from UMaine and also conducted graduate research on the invasive characteristics of Euonymus alatus (burning bush). From 2004 – 2008, she was education director at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope, PA, after which she returned to Maine and served as program manager for Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District. Since retirement in 2021, Hildy has continued to lead walk-n-talks on plant ecology, in-between working in her garden, walking her dog, kayaking in the harbor and enjoying life in Maine.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration

Refund Policy.

On the Water at Little Dyer Pond

Join us for a morning on Little Dyer Pond at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Grab a friend and take out a canoe to explore the beaver activity at the north end of the pond, or settle into a kayak and venture to the island. Don’t like sitting down? Try a stand up paddle board! Whatever your vessel of choice, venture out on the pond with us in the heat of summer. 

The group will meet at the Welcome Center at 9:30am and walk down to our dock on Little Dyer Pond, about 1.5 miles. Our boat shed has paddles and life jackets for most sizes, but if you have a favorite from home, bring it along. We have eight canoes, three kayaks and ten stand up paddle boards so gather your friends and come play on the pond!

Please bring shoes you can walk in to get down to the pond, water to drink and snacks. All ages welcome, children please bring an adult.   

Registration

Refund Policy.

We know the woods around our homes and along our favorite trails are filled with wildlife, but who exactly is living there? In this workshop, naturalist Susan Keefer will help unravel the mysteries of identifying which animals are active but unseen along ponds and in the forests around us. 

Participants will learn to identify animal tracks by the shape of the footprint, length of the stride, walking style, and the habitat in which they are found. We’ll examine plaster casts of animal tracks and use tracking id cards (which participants can take home) to see which feet belong to which animal. As well as looking at the prints made by different animals, the group will learn how different animals walk. Knowing which mammals bound, diagonally walk, hop or waddle, will allow even unclear tracks to be identified.

After an introduction to tracking in the Barn, the group will venture out on a hike in search of animal signs including scat, chews, trails and holes. Join us as we search the landscape for signs of animals that are likely living in your woods as well. 

Please wear shoes you can hike in and bring water. As always bug spray is suggested. 

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Feel the glow!

Meet your leaders at the Welcome Center 10 minutes before the official start time so that we can start walking promptly on schedule. Hike the 1 mile to the pond and our canoes. With a little luck, the full moon will be rising on the far shore and we’ll paddle the pond, exploring the wetlands, beaver lodges, and shoreline looking for beaver and otter activity, and listening for loons and owls calling.

Make sure you are wearing water-proof or quick-dry clothing; it’s always a good idea to bring layers (a windbreaker or fleece are great options). Try to avoid both cotton and denim as they do not keep you warm once wet and do not dry quickly. Make sure you have sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and bring your own water bottle. We should be on the water no longer than an hour and a half, and land at the same location we launch from.

All equipment is provided.

Be sure to bring bug repellent and a headlamp.

Registration is required. This program is likely to run at least 2.5 hours.

Rain date: July 21

Registration

Refund Policy.

Standing Among the Trees

In A Poetry Handbook, Mary Oliver writes "If the poem is thin, it is likely not because the poet does not know enough words, but because he or she has not stood long enough among the flowers--has not seen them in any fresh, exciting, and valid way." In this workshop, we'll go into HVNC and stand among the trees, practicing using all of our senses to observe. We'll each choose one particular tree and ask questions that will help nurture our curiosity and deepen our relationship with that tree. From these observations and questions, we'll write poems or prose to celebrate our trees.   

Workshop leader Andrea Lani is the author of Uphill Both Ways: Hiking toward Happiness on the Colorado Trail. As a Maine Master Naturalist, she teaches nature writing and nature journaling workshops around Maine. 

Participants of all ages welcome.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration

Refund Policy.

Step outside and into the world of mountain biking by joining us for this Adventure Morning program at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Ever wanted to try biking in the woods but don’t have the correct bike or aren't sure how to get started? This is the perfect opportunity for you to give it a try. Love mountain biking but have never ridden at Hidden Valley Nature Center? This is your chance to show up and get pointed in the right direction. 

Explore over 25 miles of trails! You can take your time, stopping often to observe nature while catching your breath. Or tear it up on some of our more technical single track trails, enjoying rocks under your tires and twists in the trail.    

We have mountain bikes and helmets for almost everyone, including youth bikes for most average sized 10yr olds through adults. Let us fit you with a bike, show you the basics and point out the best trails for your ability. What’s stopping you? Come on out and ride!

We recommend you wear sneakers and bring plenty of water.

Registration

Refund Policy.

Look Out for Loons 

Join us for a deep dive into learning about the life and behaviors of one of Maine’s favorite residents – the common loon. We will discuss the many threats–both natural and human-made–that loons face and the actions that Maine citizens can take to support Maine’s loons. This program is part of the Maine Loon Restoration Project, which is focused on reducing loon mortality and improving nesting success. 

We will begin at the Welcome Center promptly at 10:00 am with a presentation and slide-show. We hope participants will then join us for a one-mile walk to Little Dyer Pond for observation and discussion, though participants may choose to attend only the presentation. Those participating in the walk should bring a water bottle, snack if you choose, insect protection, binoculars if you have them, and sturdy walking shoes or boots (depending on recent weather, you might want footwear for muddy trails to the bog). 

Cheryl Laz, Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Southern Maine, a Maine Master Naturalist, and a Look Out for Loons volunteer with the Maine Loon Restoration Project, will be the guest Naturalist for this session. 

Finally, don’t forget to bring your own curiosity and love for Maine’s unique residents and their habitat! 

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration

Refund Policy.

We are grateful to be partnering with Wild Seed Project for this event!

During this month celebrating Pride, and the love and resilience alive in our human communities, we are so excited to gather and greet in awe the resilience, diversity, adaptability, and queerness alive in all parts of the world around us. Wild Seed Project is hosting its first ever Queer Ecology event at the Hidden Valley Nature Center to explore just how complex the ideas of “relationships” “families” and “reproduction” really are. This event was planned with families in mind, and will consist of a beginning grounding and a round of introductions, a walk through the woods looking at some interesting flowers and fruits, and and exploration of the HVNC bog, one of the more beautiful spots in midcoast Maine, and a great place to investigate just how much diversity there is in the ecosystems around us. We will move slowly and keep it engaging. Asking and answering questions will be a central part of the experience, so come curious!

This program is open to queer-identified parents and their kids/families, and will be led by Wild Seed Project’s queer-identified staff.

Register to join us!

Step into the forest and a world before modern technology to gain wilderness survival skills and knowledge!

Track animals through the winter woods, build simple snares, and learn about camouflage. Make a survival shelter worthy of a cold fall night and search for seasonal wild edibles. Focus on fire, from a leave no trace one match teepee to the magic of fire by friction. Learn safe knife handling so you can carve a coal-burned spoon or bowl. Use rope lashing skills to construct a simple stick tripod chair to use by the fire. And walk silently barefoot through the trees observing the natural world in new ways.

Each month will focus on a different earth-based skills topic, building a knowledge of life in the forest throughout the year. 

For 7-13 year olds, 12 kids per outing.

Join us for one class or come each month to immerse yourself in earth-based skills! 

Registration

Refund Policy.

Feel the glow!

Meet your leaders at the Welcome Center 10 minutes before the official start time so that we can start walking promptly on schedule. Hike the 1 mile to the pond and our canoes. With a little luck, the full moon will be rising on the far shore and we’ll paddle the pond, exploring the wetlands, beaver lodges, and shoreline looking for beaver and otter activity, and listening for loons and owls calling.

Make sure you are wearing water-proof or quick-dry clothing; it’s always a good idea to bring layers (a windbreaker or fleece are great options). Try to avoid both cotton and denim as they do not keep you warm once wet and do not dry quickly. Make sure you have sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and bring your own water bottle. We should be on the water no longer than an hour and a half, and land at the same location we launch from.

All equipment is provided.

Be sure to bring bug repellent and a headlamp.

Registration is required. This program is likely to run at least 2.5 hours.

Rain date: June 21

Registration

Refund Policy.

Birds and Their Habitats

*** Please note this program has been cancelled, but we encourage you to register for other upcoming workshops..

Join naturalist guides Sue Keefer & Steve Norris for a birds and their habitats walk. Bring your binoculars to search for newly arrived birds and year-round residents along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Catch a glimpse of a flashy male attracting a female or defending his territory. Look for birds gathering materials for their nests or quiet hidden females keeping their eggs warm or feeding their young. 

Imagine yourself living in a bird’s world, constantly aware of predators, always seeking food sources and building complicated nests from available resources. Discover what foods lie on the forest floor, from hidden bugs to delicate seeds, and what these tasty morsels reveal about the birds living in the trees above. Visit a variety of habitats to gain a better understanding of which birds live where and why.

Steve and Sue have been leading bird walks and creating educational programs in nature for over 20 years. They too are a migratory species – summering in Maine and migrating down to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas each winter. 

This is an all-ages event. Children are welcome with adult supervision. Bring bug repellent and water.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration is Closed

Refund Policy.

With funding from the Maine Forest Service’s Project Canopy Program, Midcoast Conservancy has developed a new educational walking tour at our Hidden Valley Nature Center. 

The tour is complete with wonderful new informational displays and offers views and comparisons of MC’s management through the years and incorporates both Low Impact Forestry and Maine Audubon's Forestry for Maine Birds.  Join us for our inaugural tour walk guided by our forest managers.

This is a free event, but registration is required.

Registration

Yay! It’s Vernal Pool season!

Come learn about the amazing web of life that abounds in our vernal pools. Bonnie Potter, who has been exploring vernal pools for decade, will be our guide.

Of all the interesting ways to observe the advance of spring, vernal pools are one of the most fascinating. A vernal pool is a temporary woodland pond or small body of water, often overlooked, which plays a central role in the life cycle of many amphibians and turtles and the organisms that rely on them. They have important implications and impacts on local wildlife, outdoor recreation, and forestry operations. We invite anyone to come and learn why vernal pools are so important to protecting Maine’s woodlands.

Participants will learn about the species of frog, turtle, and salamander that rely on vernal pools; learn to identify and count egg masses; and learn about the complex dynamics that make vernal pools so fascinating.

This is an all-ages event—children are welcome with adult supervision. During the event, we will walk approximately 1.5 miles on forest trails, pausing to visit a number of vernal pools.

A note to educators

There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground. 

Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.

We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!     

Registration

Refund Policy.

THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELLED

This workshop will cover the basics of home firewood production from the selection of wood species, cutting a number of different diameters of wood, a variety of hand and mechanical splitting techniques, as well as storage/drying options for the homeowner.

Taught by Kirk Niese, a long-time low-impact forestry practitioner and instructor. This course was developed from Kirk’s extremely popular “Home Firewood Production” talk given annually at the Common Ground Country Fair and designed to be an in-depth learning experience.

Note the rain date for this event is Sunday, April 28.

Registration for this event is required and space is limited.
This event is not meant for anyone under the age of 16.

Please review our refund policy here.