Are you an avid trail runner? Newly interested in trying the sport? Great, come run with us!

This Wednesday evening group run will include both a 2.5 miles and 3.5 mile loop along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Meet our run volunteers at the Welcome Center and be directed along the marked route of your choice. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than running through the woods, exploring new terrain and meeting new people?

Come join us on the trail!

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.

Are you an avid trail runner? Newly interested in trying the sport? Great, come run with us!

This Wednesday evening group run will include both a 2.5 miles and 3.5 mile loop along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Meet our run volunteers at the Welcome Center and be directed along the marked route of your choice. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than running through the woods, exploring new terrain and meeting new people?

Come join us on the trail!

Registration

Are you an avid trail runner? Newly interested in trying the sport? Great, come run with us!

This Wednesday evening group run will include both a 2.5 miles and 3.5 mile loop along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Meet our run volunteers at the Welcome Center and be directed along the marked route of your choice. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than running through the woods, exploring new terrain and meeting new people?

Come join us on the trail!

Registration

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

Bog Explorations

Join us for this exploration of Hidden Valley Nature Center’s bog to learn about the plants and animals that inhabit this special ecosystem, and what makes this wetland unique and sensitive! Naturalist Lynne Flaccus will lead participants of all ages as we explore the surrounding forest and the edges of the bog, using our own observation skills to make discoveries.

Have you ever wondered what makes a bog different from other types of wetlands? What type of plants grow there and why? What adaptations do they need to survive? Why do some plants have fuzzy leaves? And why are some bog plants insectivorous (they don’t have teeth, do they)?

As we walk the trail to the bog, we’ll look for patterns in the forest that help us see differences and similarities between the surrounding uplands, and what we find in the bog. What are the birds, mammals and reptiles living in and around the bog? What types of insects make their home here?  Enjoy observation games and a small scavenger hunt to discover the inhabitants of the bog. We will do our explorations from the boardwalk, to help protect this fragile wetland, there is so much to see, smell, feel and hear without even getting wet feet!

Please meet outside at the Welcome Center promptly at 10:00 a.m. Participants should bring a water bottle, snack if you choose, insect protection, and sturdy walking shoes or boots (depending on recent weather, you might want footwear for muddy trails to the bog.) 

And don’t forget to bring your own curiosity and nature detective skills! 

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.

Are you an avid trail runner? Newly interested in trying the sport? Great, come run with us!

This Wednesday evening group run will include both a 2.5 miles and 3.5 mile loop along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Meet our run volunteers at the Welcome Center and be directed along the marked route of your choice. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than running through the woods, exploring new terrain and meeting new people?

Come join us on the trail!

Registration

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: May 23

Registration

Refund Policy.

Spring is in the air, and that means garden time! Organic perennials from Rebel Hill Farm can help create inviting habitat for the natural community on homeowners’ land. Rebel Hill Farm growers will be on hand to help with picking the right plants at Midcoast Conservancy’s Edgecomb office.

Why choose native plants?  Replacing unnecessary lawn with densely planted woodlots that can serve as habitat for local biodiversity. Homeowners can do this by planting the borders of their properties with native trees and plants.

Julie and Peter Beckford of Rebel Hill Farm in Liberty raise field-grown perennials, with a focus on native plants and medicinal herbs. Their plants are certified organic and necessarily hardy. The Beckfords believe the plants gardeners choose to grow matter a lot to wildlife and the surrounding natural areas. They encourage gardeners to plant many of the beautiful flowers used by local pollinators, caterpillars and birds. Native, as they use the term, means: growing in Central or Eastern North America prior to European settlement. Beyond that, they distinguish plants that are Maine natives. Besides selling to area markets, Rebel Hill Farm holds a number of sales where they enjoy helping gardeners find the plants that will best suit their particular conditions.

Join Midcoast Conservancy and the Atlantic Salmon Federation on World Fish Migration Day, May 25th, for a dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Branch Pond Dam and Fishway Project! 

This year, for the first time in over 200 years, river herring will be able to access Branch Pond to spawn. You’ll learn about the new Branch Pond Fishway and other recently completed fish passage projects in the Sheepscot River, including the removal of Coopers Mills Dam and partial removal of Head Tide Dam. The completion of these 3 projects over the past 7 years is part of a long term effort to reconnect the Sheepscot River to the ocean for native sea-run and resident fish through the removal of fish passage barriers.

Starting at 9:30 am, food will be available to purchase from the Branch Mills Grange, who are raising money for building renovations. At 10:00 am there will be a presentation, after which, we’ll provide a tour of the site and if the fish cooperate, see some alewives using the fishway! 

Bring your canoe or kayak to use the new hand-carry boat launch and explore Branch Pond after the event.

This is a free event, but space is limited and registration is encouraged.

Are you an avid trail runner? Newly interested in trying the sport? Great, come run with us!

This Wednesday evening group run will include both a 2.5 miles and 3.5 mile loop along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Meet our run volunteers at the Welcome Center and be directed along the marked route of your choice. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than running through the woods, exploring new terrain and meeting new people?

Come join us on the trail!

Registration

Join Maine Master Naturalists for ecology exploration at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Search for animal tracks in the snow, learn how Maine mammals move, and discover their hidden habitats. Venture to the pond to check out a beaver lodge and talk about the amazing adaptations of this busy builder. Bring your binoculars to focus on birds and learn to identify those you spy. Examine mosses and lichens of all kinds on rocks, trees, and the forest floor. Delve into the role mushrooms play in the balance of the forest, how they grow, and what kinds flourish locally. Venture to a vernal pool to explore what lies beneath the surface and the importance of these seasonal wetlands. Find a quiet spot under a special tree to sketch the bark or write the feelings of the forest.  

Participants of all ages welcome so lace up your boots or grab the kids for a morning of engaging outdoor learning.  

Each Saturday will offer a different topic to be explored in depth, led by a Maine Master Naturalist but guided by the interests of the group. The series runs from March 16th until December 21st.

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.

Are you an avid trail runner? Newly interested in trying the sport? Great, come run with us!

This Wednesday evening group run will include both a 2.5 miles and 3.5 mile loop along the trails at Hidden Valley Nature Center. Meet our run volunteers at the Welcome Center and be directed along the marked route of your choice. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than running through the woods, exploring new terrain and meeting new people?

Come join us on the trail!

Registration

Join us for a morning adventure on the trails or water at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Never biked on trails or snow before but want to give it a try? Get fitted with one of our mountain or fat bikes and learn the basics from a biking expert before heading out on the trails. Been mountain biking for years but want to learn more about bike maintenance? Come join our bike maintenance tutorial so you can keep your bike in tip top shape.

Interested in learning to navigate the water by kayak or canoe? Hike with us down to Little Dyer Pond to learn the basics of paddling and boat handling. Head out on the water to discover beaver activity, otter slides and the secrets of the marsh grasses.

Interested in learning to cross country ski but don’t know how to start? Join us for a lesson. Rent equipment or bring your own and learn to kick and glide, turn, slow down and climb hills on skis. Always wanted to try skate skiing but don’t have equipment? Rent a set of combi skate skis and let our instructors get you started.  

No matter the season, we have adventures awaiting!   

Registration

Refund Policy.

Birds and Their Habitats

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

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: June 21

Registration

Refund Policy.

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.

Join us for a morning adventure on the trails or water at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Never biked on trails or snow before but want to give it a try? Get fitted with one of our mountain or fat bikes and learn the basics from a biking expert before heading out on the trails. Been mountain biking for years but want to learn more about bike maintenance? Come join our bike maintenance tutorial so you can keep your bike in tip top shape.

Interested in learning to navigate the water by kayak or canoe? Hike with us down to Little Dyer Pond to learn the basics of paddling and boat handling. Head out on the water to discover beaver activity, otter slides and the secrets of the marsh grasses.

Interested in learning to cross country ski but don’t know how to start? Join us for a lesson. Rent equipment or bring your own and learn to kick and glide, turn, slow down and climb hills on skis. Always wanted to try skate skiing but don’t have equipment? Rent a set of combi skate skis and let our instructors get you started.  

No matter the season, we have adventures awaiting!   

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.

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: July 21

Registration

Refund Policy.

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.

Join us for a morning adventure on the trails or water at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Never biked on trails or snow before but want to give it a try? Get fitted with one of our mountain or fat bikes and learn the basics from a biking expert before heading out on the trails. Been mountain biking for years but want to learn more about bike maintenance? Come join our bike maintenance tutorial so you can keep your bike in tip top shape.

Interested in learning to navigate the water by kayak or canoe? Hike with us down to Little Dyer Pond to learn the basics of paddling and boat handling. Head out on the water to discover beaver activity, otter slides and the secrets of the marsh grasses.

Interested in learning to cross country ski but don’t know how to start? Join us for a lesson. Rent equipment or bring your own and learn to kick and glide, turn, slow down and climb hills on skis. Always wanted to try skate skiing but don’t have equipment? Rent a set of combi skate skis and let our instructors get you started.  

No matter the season, we have adventures awaiting!   

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.

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.

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.

SAVE THE DATE!

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

Rock out with Primo Cubano, Papa Tim & the Whiskey Throttle Band, Cowboy Angels, and The Dooryarders.

Local beer and food to keep your dancing energy up!

Online ticket sales begin in May, but mark your calendar TODAY!

Join us for a morning adventure on the trails or water at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Never biked on trails or snow before but want to give it a try? Get fitted with one of our mountain or fat bikes and learn the basics from a biking expert before heading out on the trails. Been mountain biking for years but want to learn more about bike maintenance? Come join our bike maintenance tutorial so you can keep your bike in tip top shape.

Interested in learning to navigate the water by kayak or canoe? Hike with us down to Little Dyer Pond to learn the basics of paddling and boat handling. Head out on the water to discover beaver activity, otter slides and the secrets of the marsh grasses.

Interested in learning to cross country ski but don’t know how to start? Join us for a lesson. Rent equipment or bring your own and learn to kick and glide, turn, slow down and climb hills on skis. Always wanted to try skate skiing but don’t have equipment? Rent a set of combi skate skis and let our instructors get you started.  

No matter the season, we have adventures awaiting!   

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.

Join Maine Master Naturalists for ecology exploration at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Search for animal tracks in the snow, learn how Maine mammals move, and discover their hidden habitats. Venture to the pond to check out a beaver lodge and talk about the amazing adaptations of this busy builder. Bring your binoculars to focus on birds and learn to identify those you spy. Examine mosses and lichens of all kinds on rocks, trees, and the forest floor. Delve into the role mushrooms play in the balance of the forest, how they grow, and what kinds flourish locally. Venture to a vernal pool to explore what lies beneath the surface and the importance of these seasonal wetlands. Find a quiet spot under a special tree to sketch the bark or write the feelings of the forest.  

Participants of all ages welcome so lace up your boots or grab the kids for a morning of engaging outdoor learning.  

Each Saturday will offer a different topic to be explored in depth, led by a Maine Master Naturalist but guided by the interests of the group. The series runs from March 16th until December 21st.

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 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.

Join us for a morning adventure on the trails or water at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Never biked on trails or snow before but want to give it a try? Get fitted with one of our mountain or fat bikes and learn the basics from a biking expert before heading out on the trails. Been mountain biking for years but want to learn more about bike maintenance? Come join our bike maintenance tutorial so you can keep your bike in tip top shape.

Interested in learning to navigate the water by kayak or canoe? Hike with us down to Little Dyer Pond to learn the basics of paddling and boat handling. Head out on the water to discover beaver activity, otter slides and the secrets of the marsh grasses.

Interested in learning to cross country ski but don’t know how to start? Join us for a lesson. Rent equipment or bring your own and learn to kick and glide, turn, slow down and climb hills on skis. Always wanted to try skate skiing but don’t have equipment? Rent a set of combi skate skis and let our instructors get you started.  

No matter the season, we have adventures awaiting!   

Registration

Refund Policy.

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.

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.

Registration

Refund Policy.

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.

Join us for a morning adventure on the trails or water at Hidden Valley Nature Center!

Never biked on trails or snow before but want to give it a try? Get fitted with one of our mountain or fat bikes and learn the basics from a biking expert before heading out on the trails. Been mountain biking for years but want to learn more about bike maintenance? Come join our bike maintenance tutorial so you can keep your bike in tip top shape.

Interested in learning to navigate the water by kayak or canoe? Hike with us down to Little Dyer Pond to learn the basics of paddling and boat handling. Head out on the water to discover beaver activity, otter slides and the secrets of the marsh grasses.

Interested in learning to cross country ski but don’t know how to start? Join us for a lesson. Rent equipment or bring your own and learn to kick and glide, turn, slow down and climb hills on skis. Always wanted to try skate skiing but don’t have equipment? Rent a set of combi skate skis and let our instructors get you started.  

No matter the season, we have adventures awaiting!   

Registration

Refund Policy.

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.