This past July, we had the opportunity to get a bird's-eye view of the Sebasticook River Watershed through the generosity of LightHawk and volunteer pilot Jim Schmidt. The above photo shows the Pleasant Lake Preserve, the peninsula that juts out into the lake and accessible by a causeway (seen at the center of the image). You can find more information on the preserve and it's beautiful system of trails here. We will be sharing more aerial photos of the lands we are working to protect over the coming months.
LightHawk's mission is to accelerate conservation success through the powerful perspective of flight.
NATURE CORNER: On the Trails and In Your Yard, Summer is a Good Time to See Some Helpful Herps
Photo by M. Chatfield
The most common snake in Maine is the Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) and while it is not unusal to see them basking in a sunny spot on the trail or curled up atop your compost pile, this rainy spring we have seen a few perched high up in the vegetation drying out (photo right). Yes, snakes can climb, and their desire to get up and away from all that moisture presents some nice viewing opportunities for the observant SRLT trail hiker. Read more ...
THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!
The Connor Mill Trail in Unity, where SRLT holds an easement, was heavily impacted by the flooding of Sandy Stream this past winter and again in early May. With the help of volunteer crews led by Ron Waldron, Gerry Sawyer and Doug Miller, the bridge at the head of the trail is now back in place along with two others farther along the trail. Great work by all who lent a helping hand! The complete trail is not officially open, as flood conditions persist at Bacon Brook - the metal bridge there is not in place yet and a final log bridge needs to be realigned when flood waters recede. We welcome new volunteers here and at our other preserves throughout the watershed. Please contact us at info@sebasticookrlt.org if you'd like to join our volunteer crew!
Watch this video for an aerial perspective of the Sebasticook River Watershed!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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OCTOBER 14, 10 am - 12:30
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Wild Mind, Wild Heart: Nature Walk
Pleasant Lake Preserve
Join us at the beautiful Pleasant Lake Preserve in Stetson for a meditative walk with Peter Wohl, author, Registered Maine Guide, and spiritual director at Treetop Zen Center.
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OCTOBER 15, 9 am - 12 pm
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Avenza Maps Workshop
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Unity Library and the Richardson Memorial Preserve
Learn how to use the Avenza Maps App for tracking boundaries, woodland navigation, mapping trails and more!
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OCTOBER 21, 9 am - 12 pm
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Bird Watch on Haystack Mountain
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Montville
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Join us to watch the fall migration of hawks and other birds on Haystack Mountain in Montville. Led by expert birder Tom Aversa, the event is co-sponsored by Midcoast Conservancy, Sebasticook Regional Land Trust and Friends of Haystack Mountain.
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Volunteer Work Days are typically held on the Last Sunday of the Month
(locations vary)
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OCTOBER 29
Moulton's Mill Preserve
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Our schedule has been updated. Check our events page for details and newly scheduled events
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 summer program schedule.
