Welcome Spring! It won’t be long before walks on our nature preserves will reveal a number of spring ephemeral wildflowers. The trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is among the earliest of our perennial wildflowers to emerge, identifiable by their showy yellow faces and mottled leaves. These spring beauties take advantage of the ample sunlight with lengthening days, while deciduous trees are still barren of leaves. Once the trees leaf out, the flowers and leaves of the trout lily wither and drop, leaving the roots and bulbs underground; you will often find them in colonies that blanket areas of the forest floor.
NATURE CORNER:
The sounds of spring include the quacking of freshly thawed frogs.
Photo by Dawn Morgan
Who is that masked stranger? What are those weird noises? Want to learn more about a cool natural phenomenon that happens every spring? Want to hear the answer to the riddle "why did the frog cross the road?" What about a science project that is fun for the whole family and saves amphibians? Read on…
Welcome Cheryl Daigle - our new program manager!
SRLT has been all-volunteer for more than six years. It will be great to have staff! Cheryl brings extensive experience in communications and outreach at diverse community-based conservation organizations across New England. Her career focus has been on conservation, restoration, cultural vitality and economic health of the communities in which she has worked. She most recently served as the editor of Northern Woodlands magazine. Managing SRLT marks a return to Maine for Cheryl. Previously, her conservation work in the Pine Tree state has been in the roles of executive director at the Maine Lakes Society, outreach coordinator at the Penobscot River Restoration Trust and publications specialist at Maine Sea Grant. Her skills in community engagement, fundraising, grant writing and land stewardship will help our Trust meet the challenges of the future.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Speaker talks at
150 Main St., Waterville
at 6:30 PM
APRIL 19, 2023
Reducing the Impact
of Solar Farms
on Wildlife Habitat
Deron Lawrence from Longroad Energy will inform us about the $200 million Three Corners solar farm under construction in the Benton area.
MAY 17, 2023
Falcons in Maine
Raptor expert and biologist Erynn Call, PhD, will update us on MDIFW's work to promote self-sustaining American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon populations in Maine.
Field Walks
(locations vary)
May 6, 2023
Bird Walk at Haystack Mountain
Join us for a bird walk at the top of Haystack Mountain in Montville. SRLT, Midcoast Conservancy and Friends of Haystack Mountain are co-sponsors.
Our schedule has been updated. Check our events page for details and newly scheduled events
The Speaker Series has moved to Waterville to increase our visibility in the lower Sebasticook area.
See Activities and Events - programs are presented monthly at 6:30 at Chace Community Forum (150 Main St). Food can be brought to the forum, but there are also many dining opportunities in the area for before or after the programs.
Thanks to the crew from RSU-3 for help working on the trails at our Moulton's Mill Preserve. We all enjoyed observing the plants and animals of the preserve on a beautiful October day while opening trails, removing invasive plants and improving access for the public to this superb Unity lowland forest site along 25 Mile Stream.
All our programs are open to the public. For a list of 2023 speaker series programs click here or contact info@sebasticookrlt.org or 948-3766 for more information. Check back soon to see our complete spring program schedule.
