Boothbay Region Land Trust

Story Trail: The Snow Tree
2020-12-01 - 2020-12-31 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a holiday themed family friendly book while walking through the winter woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale to get you into the holiday spirit. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the family friendly read aloud book “The Snow Tree” by Caroline Repchuk with illustrations by Josephine Martin.
Nature lovers of all ages will delight in this ornate picture book that celebrates the holidays and splendor of the natural world. When a little black bear wakes up to find a wintry world of white all around him, he wonders where the colors have gone. As the cub searches for an answer he is helped by a whole host of animals who bring the brilliant colors of the forest to him. What the animals create together with their treasures is a magical symbol of the holiday season and a timeless testimonial to the joy of friendship and sharing.

Story Trail: Over and Under the Snow
2021-01-09 - 2021-02-09 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the winter woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read aloud book “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner with illustrations by Christopher Silas Neal.
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow is a secret world of squirrels and snowshoe hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals who live through the winter, safe and warm. The book “Over and Under the Snow” takes readers on a cross country ski trip through the winter woods to discover the secret world of animals living under the snow.

Self-Guided Winter Tree Identification Walk
2021-02-01 - 2021-02-28 | Cross River Preserve
From bark to twigs to a tree silhouette against a cold winter sky, this is the perfect time to go into the woods and observe and learn tree identification. This self-guided one mile walk will focus on the non-leaf characteristics used to identify tree species including bark patterns and textures, leaf buds and scars, tree shapes, and habitat. Along the wooded trail that ends with views of the Cross River, hikers will find over a dozen different tree species native to our area. Pick up the winter tree identification pamphlet at the Cross River Preserve parking lot kiosk and follow the trail to find the individually marked trees described within. The trail is open anytime during daylight hours throughout the month of February at Cross River Preserve. Please practice social distancing and wear a mask.

Story Trail: Snowflake Bentley
2021-02-13 - 2021-03-14 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the winter woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read aloud book “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin with illustrations by Mary Azarian.
Snowflake Bentley shares the true story of Wilson Bentley from Vermont, who was mystified by snowflakes since he was a little boy. Bentley was determined that one day his camera would capture for others the wonder of the tiny crystal. His enthusiasm for photographing snowflakes was often misunderstood in his time, but his patience and determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each one is startlingly beautiful.

State of the Birds
2021-03-02 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | ME
How are birds doing in the state of Maine? Bird populations are constantly changing. A total of 445 species have been recorded in Maine. Some have been here for a long time while others are fairly new. Some are accidental and others introduced. A few of those species have been extirpated and we may never see them again. Join us on a Zoom call with Nick Lund of the Maine Audubon as he explains some of the major changes and fluctuations occurring with Maine avian fauna. This free online event is offered by the Boothbay Region Land Trust is open to everyone. To register and receive a zoom link to the program, please click on the website listing below or paste the following in your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DRh2-bg-Q72A0ELjsqjLJQ

Story Trail: Ruby's Birds
2021-03-20 - 2021-04-25 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the spring woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read aloud book “Ruby’s Birds” by Mya Thompson with illustrations by Claudia Dávila.
Ruby is a plucky young girl who uncovers the wild side of her city neighborhood with the help of a grown-up friend. When Ruby realizes there are amazing birds right in her neighborhood, her imagination takes flight. Birders have a name for the moment they get hooked―they call it their spark moment. This is the story of Ruby’s spark moment, in her very own words. As you walk you will have the opportunity to find birds in the pages of the story and along the trail.

Landscape Conservation Certification Program
2021-03-31 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Interested in practicing conservation in your own backyard? Join us for an online zoom presentation to learn about the newly developed Certification Program for Conservation Landscapes offered locally by the Knox-Lincoln Soil Water Conservation District. This program will help you implement recommended conservation practices in a systematic way, with guidance and ideas from KLSWCD staff and one-on-one help on your property. It is also a chance to measure your progress and share ideas and practices with your neighbors, friends and family. Residents who complete the Conservation Landscape Certification receive a certificate and document that can support other conservation work they are doing, such as working with the NRCS or state agencies. You can post sign indicating your property is certified, which is a great way to start conversations with others about your efforts. But it’s likely your own immediate reward will be the chance to watch birds and wildlife inhabiting your land, feeding, and raising young, and seeing beautiful changes in the landscape. To register and receive the link for this online zoom presentation, please click on the website link below or paste the following in your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqdeCvrj0iH9fwE-Hw19XYeLHHD_OUCKjc

Story Trail: Roxaboxen
2021-04-28 - 2021-05-27 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the spring woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the classic read aloud book “Roxaboxen” by Alice McLerran with illustrations by Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Barbara Cooney.
Roxaboxen celebrates the imagination of children who, no matter the time or place, can create whole worlds out of what they find around them–here, rocks and boxes, cacti and sand. Marian and her friends find a special place in the desert where in time-honored fashion, they play the games that will prepare them for their grown-up lives. They make houses, drive pretend cars, bake bread, ride stick ponies, fight their wars and bury their dead. Drawn from her mother’s reminiscences, McLerran’s gentle text is both particular and universal, as she fondly tells this evocative story.

Salamanders and Algae: From Roommates to Intimate Partners
2021-04-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Each spring the vernal pools throughout our region host a flurry of activity just below the surface. Amphibians meet in these locations to reproduce, leaving behind their eggs and offspring. Dr. John Burns of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences visits our local vernal pools to study the symbiotic relationship between algae and spotted salamander eggs and larva. Join us to learn about his work through an online presentation on Friday April 30th at 10 AM hosted by the Boothbay Region Land Trust. Yellow spotted salamanders migrate en masse to vernal pools to mate and lay eggs, which swell to form a dense jelly mass holding around 100 embryos each. These eggs and embryos are colonized by a tiny green alga, which have adapted to one another to both benefit from this arrangement. Alga invades the baby salamander tissues and cells forming the only known such association in any vertebrate. In this talk, Burns will speak about the salamander-alga association and discuss the context of why it is currently under intense scrutiny. The uniqueness of the interaction has implications for the development of our own adaptive immune systems. John Burns is a senior research scientist working at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. He received his bachelor’s degree in geoscience from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a master’s and Ph.D. in molecular biology from New York University. He spent five years broadening his horizons working on evolutionary biology and symbioses involving protists and algae at the American Museum of Natural History in New York before starting his own research group in Maine. Today he continues to work on symbiotic interactions, how DNA codes the shapes of cells, and how genetic patterns influence microbe functions in the world’s oceans. To register and receive the link for this online zoom presentation, please click on the website link or paste the following in your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ncMsSjpRSGKxWQ26PsCF9g

Story Trail: Look What I Found in the Woods
2021-05-29 - 2021-06-27 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read aloud book “Look What I Found in the Woods” by Moira Butterfield with illustrations by Jesus Verona.
Open your senses to a world of wonder by taking a walk through the woods in this book. Set off on an outdoor adventure and find natural treasures, from prickly pine cones to swirly snails’ shells, then learn more about the plants and creatures of the forest in this fact-filled guide to the outdoors.

CLIP Work Party
2021-06-09 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-06-23 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-07-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-07-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-08-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Penny Lake Preserve
Join our newly formed Committee to Limit Invasive Plants (CLIP). CLIP work parties will take place every other Wednesday at Penny Lake Preserve during the summer of 2021 (Penny Lake will be the focus point for the group’s initial efforts throughout the summer). CLIP volunteers will be helping eradicate invasive shrubs and vines (bush honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, multi flora rose, autumn olive, and Japanese barberry) on this preserve. Work will consist of pulling, cutting, and piling invasive brush that will be chipped or burned later. No prior knowledge or experience with invasive plants is needed. Training will be provided including species identification and removal techniques. Some tools will be available, but volunteers are welcome and encouraged to bring their favorite pruning shears, loppers, or pulling/cutting devices. Long pants, long sleeve shirts, and gloves are recommended as well as bug spray and water. Your help is vital to supporting native ecosystems on our preserves!

Spring Wildflower Walk
2021-06-11 09:00 - 10:00 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Early summer brings a burst of beautiful wildflowers to the fields and forests of the Boothbay Region. Discover our local plants with Botanist and BRLT Board member Lauren Stockwell during this easy guided walk at Oak Point Farm. Learn to identify some of our common wildflowers while observing the unique features of each plant. Group is limited to 10 participants with the walk to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting BRLT Environmental Educator Tracey Hall at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Nature for Kids: Forests
2021-06-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Nature for Kids is an outdoor discovery program geared towards school age children and their families with a new ecological theme every time we meet. Join us for an easy walk sprinkled with activities that promote nature exploration and connection. The theme for this session is forests: we will build a tree, meet a tree, and adopt a tree at BRLT’s Oak Point Farm. This free event is limited to 12 participants with the program to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting BRLT Environmental Educator Tracey Hall at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Story Trail: A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
2021-07-01 - 2021-07-30 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read aloud book “A House for Hermit Crab” by Eric Carle.
In this story, Hermit Crab outgrows his snug little shell, so he finds himself a larger one — and many new friends to decorate and protect his new house. But what will happen when he outgrows this shell and has to say good-bye to all the sea creatures who have made Hermit Crab’s house a home? Filled with whimsy and wisdom—and based on the true behaviors of the hermit crab—this modern classic features Eric Carle’s trademark vibrant collage illustrations and lively text that make for an enjoyable read. Children facing change in their own lives will relate to Hermit Crab’s story — and learn a lot about the fascinating world of marine life along the way.

Nature for Kids: Ponds
2021-07-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Nature for Kids is an outdoor discovery program geared towards school age children and their families with a new ecological theme every time we meet. Join us for an easy walk sprinkled with activities that promote nature exploration and connection. The theme for this session is ponds: we will use some nets and gentle collection methods to investigate the plant and animal life in the water at BRLT’s Oak Point Farm. This free event is limited to 12 participants with the program to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting BRLT Environmental Educator Tracey Hall at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Gregory Preserve Hike
2021-07-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Pine Tree Preserve
Discover the history and ecology of Greogory Preserve during a leisurely one mile hike with Boothbay Region Land Trust Environmental Educator Tracey Hall. Group is limited to 10 participants with the walk to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting Tracey at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Junior Naturalist Camp
2021-07-26 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-07-27 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-07-28 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-07-29 09:00 - 12:00, 2021-07-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
We are partnering with the Boothbay Region YMCA to offer a half day camp full of exploration of the great outdoors for children ages 6-10. Campers will travel by bus from BRYMCA Camp Knickerbocker to local BRLT preserves, where we will discover the wonders of nature through play and exploration. BRLT Environmental Educator Tracey Hall will offer a variety of activities: dip nets in a pond to see what critters call it home, adopt a tree, build a survival shelter, investigate a rotting log, create nature art, and many more adventures that will connect campers to the outdoors. For more information and to register for camp, visit the Boothbay Region YMCA at www.boothbayregionymca.org.

Story Trail: What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You
2021-08-03 - 2021-09-01 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
Read a family friendly book while walking through the woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1 mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read aloud book “What Would You Do When Something Wants To Eat You” by Steve Jenkins.
What would you do if something wanted to eat you? Walk on water? Stick out your tongue? Play dead? Animals in the wild use all kinds of methods to protect themselves from their enemies. Using dynamic and intricate cut-paper collages, Steve Jenkins explores the many fascinating and unique defense mechanisms creatures use to escape from danger.

Ovens Mouth East Preserve Hike (Event Full)
2021-08-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Ovens Mouth East Preserve
Please note: This event is full at this time. Please consider joining us on a future hike. Discover the history and ecology of Ovens Mouth East Preserve during a leisurely one mile hike with Boothbay Region Land Trust Environmental Educator Tracey Hall. This wooded preserve features shoreline trails, quiet coves, a salt marsh, and the dramatic tidal change of the Ovens Mouth passage. This area has always been inviting for maritime activities because of its deep-water access and protected location. Settled in the mid-1700’s, one of the region’s earliest shipyards was located here and both British and American vessels hid in the coves during the Revolution. Group is limited to 10 participants with the walk to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting Tracey at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Porter Preserve Hike
2021-08-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Porter Preserve, 1 Porter Point Road, Trevett, ME, 04571
Discover the history and ecology of Porter Preserve during a leisurely one mile hike with Boothbay Region Land Trust Environmental Educator Tracey Hall. A trail leads through a thick forest, which features old growth spruce, oak and pine trees. Several scenic overlooks provide views toward cliffs and ledge rocks where seals can occasionally be seen sunbathing at low tide, while a large sandy beach is flanked by signs of an old homestead. Group is limited to 10 participants with the walk to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting Tracey at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Postponed: Nature for Kids: Insects
2021-08-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, 60 Samoset Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538
NOTE: This event has been postponed due to rising Covid cases in our area. A new date will be announced in the future. Nature for Kids is an outdoor discovery program geared towards school age children and their families with a new ecological theme every time we meet. Join us for an easy walk sprinkled with activities that promote nature exploration and connection. The theme for this session is insects: we will use some nets and careful collection techniques to investigate the insect life in the fields and forests at BRLT’s Oak Point Farm. This free event is limited to 12 participants with the program to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting BRLT Environmental Educator Tracey Hall at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.

Ocean Point Preserve Hike (Event Full)
2021-08-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Ocean Point Preserve
Please note: This event is full at this time. Please consider joining us on a future hike. Discover the history and ecology of Ocean Point Preserve during a leisurely one mile hike with Boothbay Region Land Trust Environmental Educator Tracey Hall. Located in the largest wetland area on Linekin Neck in East Boothbay, the 15-acre Ocean Point Preserve includes Tibbetts pond, designated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as significant waterfowl wildlife habitat for inland waterfowl and wading birds. Group is limited to 10 participants with the walk to follow current CDC Covid guidelines for outside gatherings. Registration is required by contacting Tracey at thall@bbrlt.org or 633-4818.
