In this outdoor nature workshop* along the Goose River, where Andrew Wyeth found inspiration for some of his key works, we will seek inspiration as well. Join teaching artist Katama Murray and Maine Master Naturalist Susan Cottle at Goose River Peace Corps Preserve to connect to winter, place, and this special ecosystem. We will enjoy a guided walk focused on winter ecology before creating nature mandalas and designs using organic objects. Along the way we will forage for materials and pause to sketch outdoors, and finish by creating temporary mandalas amongst the landscape. 

These meditative processes yield unique, one-of-a-kind results, and provide opportunities to let go while collaborating with nature.
All materials will be provided, and all are welcome!

*This class is weather dependent. We will be outdoors the entire time; please dress appropriately including warm clothing, winter boots, and optional microspikes/hiking poles.

This class is done in collaboration with The Farnsworth Art Museum. The Farnsworth offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America’s greatest artists, with 20,000 square feet of gallery space and over 15,000 works in the collection. It has one of the largest public collections of works by sculptor Louise Nevelson, while its Wyeth Center features works of N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth. The National Register-listed Farnsworth Homestead; the Olson House, a National Historic Landmark; and the Gamble Center for Education complete the complex.

Price: $45.00; $40.00 for Farnsworth Museum and Midcoast Conservancy Members. Space is limited and registration for this event is required.
Midcoast Conservancy members should register by phone; contact Abi at the Farnsworth Museum at 207-596-6457 ext. 115.

Enjoy an evening on skis illuminated by the glow of the full Sap 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 ski and revel in the brightness of earth's closest celestial friend. 

All participants must be competent cross country skiers.

Bring your own ski gear and meet at the Welcome Center at our Hidden Valley. Please bring water and a headlamp. Your guide will lead the group on a moderate 2-3 mile ski along the groomed trails Hidden Valley. We plan to be out for around 2 hours. 

In the case of inclement weather which prevents us from running the hike on March 3, you will be notified by noon that day and the ski will be held on the following evening, March 4. 

All are welcome, youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

This is a free event; registration is required so we can stay in touch with participants and know how many to expect.

Refund policy.

Embark on a refreshing snowshoe and hike journey through the tranquil woods, where a warm cabin awaits with a comforting fire. Indulge in a 60-minute vinyasa flow class with Maine Outdoor Yoga followed by a guided meditation to leave you feeling revitalized and balanced.

Afterward, enjoy light refreshments, soothing herbal tea, and Hot Wassail before we make our way back, celebrating our rejuvenated state of mind. Don’t forget to dress in layers, bring your yoga mat and water, and feel free to borrow our snowshoes and poles if needed.

In this outdoor nature workshop* along the Medomak River, we will seek inspiration for art from nature. Join teaching artist Katama Murray and ecologist Kit Pfeiffer at Riverbrook Preserve to connect to the current season, place, and this special ecosystem as we make designs using organic objects. We will enjoy a guided walk before creating nature mandalas and painting with plant dyes. Along the way we will forage for materials, and learn the process of creating handmade natural dyes and ink using plant pigments from plants and food waste!

Students will learn the basics of creating a natural dye bath and liquid inks to write and draw on paper, and may choose to paint if they wish depending on weather and comfort. These meditative processes yield unique, one-of-a-kind results, and provide opportunities to let go while collaborating with nature.

All materials will be provided, and all are welcome!

*This class is weather dependent. We will be outdoors the entire time; please dress appropriately including warm clothing, winter boots, and optional microspikes/hiking poles.

This class is done in collaboration with The Farnsworth Art Museum. The Farnsworth offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America’s greatest artists, with 20,000 square feet of gallery space and over 15,000 works in the collection. It has one of the largest public collections of works by sculptor Louise Nevelson, while its Wyeth Center features works of N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth. The National Register-listed Farnsworth Homestead; the Olson House, a National Historic Landmark; and the Gamble Center for Education complete the complex.

Price: $45.00; $40.00 for Farnsworth Museum and Midcoast Conservancy Members. Space is limited and registration for this event is required. Midcoast Conservancy members should register by phone; contact Abi at the Farnsworth Museum at 207-596-6457 ext. 115.

Vernal pools sit silent, hidden in the woods, dry for half the year, disguised as forest floor, until early spring when they fill with melting snow and the rains of March. As spring warms up, these seasonal pools suddenly team with life as frogs and salamanders return to lay their eggs. The woods come alive with sounds of frogs, from deafening peeps and to deep ribitts. By late April dozens of egg masses can be seen attached to logs, or free floating just below the surface. Wood frogs, spring peepers, treefrogs, green frogs, and bullfrogs hide in the mud or peek their camouflage heads above the surface. Spotted and blue-spotted salamanders indicate vernal pools are healthy habitats and newts can be found in the duff around the pools.  In the healthiest vernal pools tiny fresh water fairy shrimp hatch from their wintered over eggs to briefly live and reproduce.  

With so much to learn about vernal pools we are offering two programs this spring. First, this indoor visual presentation will introduce participants to the animals whose life cycles rely on these pools, how to identify them, and how you can help protect these crucial yet fragile ecosystems. Our second program on April 26 will be entirely outdoors including a hike out to a couple different vernal pools at Hidden Valley where we will hopefully see egg masses and amphibians.  

We invite people of all ages to join Maine Master Naturalists Bonnie Potter for one or both of these fascinating vernal pool programs. 

For questions, please reach out to Zoe Thomas at zoe@midcoastconservancy.org. 

While this is a free event, we appreciate your registration which is essential for our planning.
All are welcome! Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Refund Policy.

Ticks are one of the most hated Maine critters, disturbing once bucolic picnics, meadow frolics, and walks in the woods with the threat of pin heads buried in our skin, sucking our blood, and leaving humans and their pets with life long diseases. But how much do you really know about the ticks that live in Maine? Join Chuck Lubelczyk, Vector Ecologist with the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, ME, to learn all about ticks.

This walk and talk will look at the life cycle of ticks, how they survive throughout the year, and which habitats they are most likely to proliferate. Chuck will cover aspects of tick bite prevention and the risk of tick-borne disease on the midcoast. He will also answer questions about tick control options for homeowners and pet lovers.

Chuck has been a resident of Maine’s midcoast since 2015, with his wife, Laura. When not working on their small homestead, he can be found hanging with his dog, Charlie (a complete coincidence) or hiking in the backwoods of Maine. He has been working on vector-borne disease research and surveillance in New England since 1994, after graduating from the University of New Hampshire. He graduated from the University of New England with a masters in public health in 2018.

For questions, please reach out to Zoe Thomas at zoe@midcoastconservancy.org. 

While this is a free event, we appreciate your registration which is essential for our planning.
All are welcome! Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Refund Policy.

Vernal pools sit silent, hidden in the woods, dry for half the year, disguised as forest floor, until early spring when they fill with melting snow and the rains of March. As spring warms up, these seasonal pools suddenly team with life as frogs and salamanders return to lay their eggs. The woods come alive with sounds of frogs, from deafening peeps and to deep ribitts. By late April dozens of egg masses can be seen attached to logs, or free floating just below the surface. Wood frogs, spring peepers, treefrogs, green frogs, and bullfrogs hide in the mud or peek their camouflage heads above the surface. Spotted and blue-spotted salamanders indicate vernal pools are healthy habitats and newts can be found in the duff around the pools.  In the healthiest vernal pools tiny fresh water fairy shrimp hatch from their wintered over eggs to briefly live and reproduce.  

With so much to learn about vernal pools we are offering two programs this spring. In this second program we will hike to at least two different major vernal pools at Hidden Valley. Hopefully the group will see and learn to identify salamander and frog egg masses, encounter a few species of frogs, and check under logs and leaves for newts.  Learn more about the first program, offered March 29 here.

We invite people of all ages to join Maine Master Naturalists Bonnie Potter for one or both of these fascinating vernal pool programs. 

For questions, please reach out to Zoe Thomas at zoe@midcoastconservancy.org. 

While this is a free event, we appreciate your registration which is essential for our planning.
All are welcome! Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Refund Policy.

Calling all real estate professionals, join us to gain an understanding of conservation easements!

The goal of this workshop is to equip real estate professionals in midcoast Maine with a clear, practical understanding of how conservation easements work and the role of land trusts in this process.

Gain the information needed to accurately advise clients, both sellers considering easements and buyers interested in conserved properties, while supporting long-term land conservation in the region.

***PENDING APPROVAL FROM THE MAINE REAL ESTATE COMISSION*** This is a continuing education course certified by the Maine Real Estate Commission. Participants will receive three hours of credits. Snacks and drinks will be provided. 

Space is limited. Please register with Georges River Land Trust.

This is a joint program between Midcoast Conservancy, Georges River Land Trust, and Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust. 

Refund Policy.

Own a mountain bike and ready to hit the trails this spring? Then join us on this after school mountain bike ride.

Sarah Plummer, local yoga and outdoor adventure instructor from Maine Outdoor Yoga, will lead this group ride along the trails at HVNC. Participants will learn the basics of mountain biking on this fun and challenging beginner to intermediate ride.   

Make sure your bike is trail ready, tires inflated, brakes in working condition and able to navigate trail riding. Please bring a helmet, wear sneakers and bring water in a well fitted backpack. 

The group will meet at the Welcome Center at 3:00 PM and return before 4:30 PM. Parents are welcome to join the ride if they have their own bike, bike on your own, or enjoy a walk while the kids ride.

This ride will happen rain or shine.

While this is a free event, we appreciate your registration which is essential for our planning.

Own a mountain bike and ready to hit the trails this spring? Then join us on this after school mountain bike ride.

Sarah Plummer, local yoga and outdoor adventure instructor from Maine Outdoor Yoga, will lead this group ride along the trails at HVNC. Participants will learn the basics of mountain biking on this fun and challenging beginner to intermediate ride.   

Make sure your bike is trail ready, tires inflated, brakes in working condition and able to navigate trail riding. Please bring a helmet, wear sneakers and bring water in a well fitted backpack. 

The group will meet at the Welcome Center at 3:00 PM and return before 4:30 PM. Parents are welcome to join the ride if they have their own bike, bike on your own, or enjoy a walk while the kids ride.

This ride will happen rain or shine.

While this is a free event, we appreciate your registration which is essential for our planning.