LAND TRUST OFFERS FREE KITES AND ICE CREAM AT BEECH HILL

(Rockport)— The 3rd Annual Kites and Ice Cream event will be staged on Saturday, September 12 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport. A rain date is scheduled for Sunday, September 13.  The event is free and open to the public, but limited to the first 120 children who register.

Free kites will be provided to those who register, and a coupon for one free ice cream, supplied by Stone Fox Farm Creamery, will be available for each child. To register your child, simply call the Land Trust office at (207) 236-7091. An adult must accompany participating children at all times. Ice cream will also be available for sale.

This event is supported by the Cascade Foundation and they will also match all gifts from those who join and make a membership donation at the event, up to $5,000.

Beech Hill Preserve, a 295-acre conservation property, is managed for the purposes of maintaining its scenic beauty, historic value, grassland bird habitat, and organic blueberry production.

Please note: The Land Trust will designate appropriate kite-flying areas at the crest of the hill to protect the integrity of the blueberry fields. The Land Trust does not allow dogs at Beech Hill during public events.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust works to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. The Land Trust has protected nearly 10,000 acres since 1986. For more information about the Land Trust, please visit www.coastalmountains.org or call(207) 236-7091.

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July’s Camden Area Nature Walk: Camden Snow Bowl/Ragged Mountain

July’s Camden Area Nature Walk: Camden Snow Bowl/Ragged Mountain Preserve, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 11th. 

Interested in learning about birds, trees, flowers, insects, animal tracks and other areas of natural history? Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Conservation Commission have teamed up to co-sponsor monthly natural history walks in the Camden area.  July’s walk will take place on July 11th from 10 a.m. to noon, starting in the parking lot of the Camden Snow Bowl.  Botanist and Maine Master Naturalist Ellen Blanchard will be joining us to help with wildflowers and other plants.  The first half of July is also the best time to find many butterfly and dragonfly species.  As usual, we will also comment on any other natural history that we see.   

Advance registration is not necessary. To learn more and to find notices of location, last minute changes and/or cancellation, visit Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Events Calendar page atwww.coastalmountains.org.  

The Camden Nature Walks explore Land Trust preserves and other local hiking spots to encourage natural history discussion and education. Participants should come prepared for an outdoor excursion, easy to moderate in pace.  Please leave dogs at home.  The walks are designed to encourage experts and amateurs to discuss and share their knowledge of natural history.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve nearly 10,000 acres to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. For more information about the Land Trust please visit www.coastalmountains.org or call (207) 236-7091.

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Coastal Mountains Land Trust Announces New Executive Director

Coastal Mountains Land Trust announces the selection of Ian Stewart as its next Executive Director. Stewart, who has directed the Land Trust’s stewardship program for the past 13 years, was chosen to lead the Land Trust based upon his deep understanding of how the organization operates, his commitment to being strategic, and his long-standing ties with the community. Stewart will begin his role as Executive Director on August 1^st and in the interim will work to ensure a smooth transition with current Director, Doug Sensenig who is moving with his family to Hawaii.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ian to this new position and look forward to bringing his energy, enthusiasm and strategic mind to be on the many exciting projects before us,” said Jim Kroschell, President of the Land Trust’s Board. “Ian has demonstrated a deep commitment to conservation and this community, and is the right person to lead the organization moving forward.”

A native of Seattle, Stewart originally came to Maine to attend Bowdoin College. He joined Coastal Mountains Land Trust shortly after completing a Master’s in Forestry at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 2002. During his time with the Land Trust, he has overseen the management of the Land Trust’s rapidly expanding Preserve system and conservation easement stewardship program. In his time with the organization, the Land Trust has conserved more than 6,000 acres of land. He has also demonstrated a strong commitment to engaging individuals and community groups in the work of the Land Trust. Stewart has greatly expanded the scale and impact of the organization’s volunteer program. He lives in Appleton with his wife Jennifer and two daughters.

“We have an incredible opportunity to ensure that the landscape around us, which in so many ways defines who we are and how we feel about our community, is cared for forever. As a Land Trust, we need to continue to protect land to serve as habitat for wild things, to provide open space for people to explore, and to ensure that our sense of place continues to be as strong as it is today,” said Stewart. “I am looking forward to continuing to engage people in the real and positive work of taking care of land in this place we love.”

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,740 acres to date. For more information about the organization and opportunities to become involved, please call (207) 236-7091 or visitwww.coastalmountains.org.

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Saturday Workparty at Beech Hill Preserve

Saturday Workparty at Beech Hill Preserve

Join Coastal Mountains Land Trust for a volunteer work party at the Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport on Saturday, May 16.

Stewardship Project Manager Jackie Stratton will lead a work party between 9am and noon to transport firewood to be donated to local non-profit Waldo County Woodshed. Four-foot sections of sugar maple have been stacked just off the Rockville St trailhead, where the Land Trust is thinning two acres to become a sugarbush for future maple syrup production. Volunteers will transport the firewood to the parking lot, where trucks and trailers will deliver the firewood to Waldo County Woodshed’s firewood yard in Searsmont to be split and donated to local families in need. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work boots, gloves, and a picnic lunch, and meet at the Rockville St Trailhead. All levels of strength are welcome!

This work party is a part of a new Saturday work party series which the Land Trust has organized for 2015 in order to provide weekend opportunities for individuals and families interested in volunteering with the Land Trust. The Land Trust will host at least one Saturday workparty each month into the fall.  If you are interested in joining us or simply want to learn more, please contact the Land Trust at 236-7091 to sign-up.

Waldo County Woodshed is a volunteer non-profit group that works to provide firewood for people in need in the Waldo County area. For more information, visit waldocountywoodshed.org. Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,740 acres to date. For more information about this event, our volunteer program, and the Land Trust in general please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

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NEW SIGN EXPLORES HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY OF BALD AND RAGGED MOUNTAINS

(Camden)--- Coastal Mountains Land Trust is pleased to have recently installed a new interpretive kiosk panel at its Bald Mountain Preserve trailhead located at the top of Barnestown Road in Camden. The sign was made possible through the generous support of the Maine Humanities Council.

The purpose of the new sign is to provide information about both the human and natural history of Bald and Ragged Mountains and to describe the Land Trust’s ongoing efforts to see this iconic landscape permanently conserved. One half of the newly installed sign uses words and photographs to describe the human history of “Barnestown,” the settlement of numerous homes settled by various members of the Barnes family dating back to the late 1790s. In 2012, the Barnes-Pendleton family, which the sign states “was made up of ordinary people who raised blueberries, baked pies, went to church… and doted on their children,” generously donated the land that made the Land Trust’s new Bald Mountain trailhead possible.

The second half of the sign introduces visitors to the importance of conservation of the Bald and Ragged Mountains. As the fourth and fifth highest mountains on the east coast, Bald and Ragged Mountains have been designated as an area of statewide significance by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and represent an enormous opportunity to permanently protect wildlife habitat, secure trails and access, protect clean water, and preserve the scenic character of our community.

If you are interested in viewing the new sign and/or accessing the Bald Mountain Preserve via its new trailhead, drive west up the steep hill on Barnestown Road past the Camden Snow Bowl and look for the new parking area approximately 1/10^th of a mile after the intersection with Gillette Road.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,740 acres to date. For more information about the Bald & Ragged Mountains campaign, volunteering, and the Land Trust in general please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

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Nature Walk to take place at Beech Hill Preserve

May’s Camden Area Nature Walk to take place at Beech Hill Preserve on Saturday, May 2. 

Interested in learning about birds, trees, flowers, insects, animal tracks and other areas of natural history? Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Conservation Commission have teamed up to co-sponsor monthly natural history walks in the Camden area.  Walks take place on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. May’s walk will take place on Saturday, May 2, starting at the Beech Hill Road entrance to the Beech Hill Preserve:

 (http://www.coastalmountains.org/conserved_lands/preserves/beech_hill.html). 

The walk will be moderate in intensity, as it involves walking to the top of Beech Hill.  We will cover both the open fields and woods, looking for early signs of spring, including migrating birds (bring binoculars, if you have them).  If the sun is shining, we should see Brown Elfins, a beautiful small butterfly that uses blueberries as its host plant.   

Advance registration is not necessary. To learn more and to find notices of location, last minute changes and/or cancellation, visit Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Events Calendar page at www.coastalmountains.org.  

The Camden Nature Walks explore Land Trust preserves and other local hiking spots to encourage natural history discussion and education. Participants should come prepared for an outdoor excursion, easy to moderate in pace.  Please leave dogs at home.  The walks will be facilitated by area naturalist Roger Rittmaster and will encourage experts and amateurs to discuss and share their knowledge of natural history.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve nearly 10,000 acres to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. For more information about the Land Trust please visit www.coastalmountains.org or call (207) 236-7091.

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Full Moon Astronomy Outing for Kids

Full Moon Astronomy Outing for Kids ON BEECH HILL

(Camden)- Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Public Library team up to celebrate the full moon and spring stars on Saturday May 2nd from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport. Join Camden Public Library’s Children's Librarian Miss Amy up at Beech Nut for star stories and a star party, and learn about the night sky while observing a full moon by telescope. (Leave yourself time to get up the hill, and bring a flashlight to find your way back down!) All ages are welcome. Please note: children must be accompanied by an adult for the entirety of the event.

Land Trust staff will open Beech Nut, the historic sod-roofed stone hut on top of Beech Hill preserve, for this special evening open house. Miss Amy will read star stories and the library’s circulating telescope will be on hand to view the full moon up close. Be sure to bring warm layers and a flashlight to help guide your way up and down the ¾-mile trail.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust owns and manages Beech Hill Preserve and completed rehabilitation of the historic building from its foundation to its sod roof in November of 2007. The Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of western Penobscot Bay, and has protected over 9,300 acres in the region for their natural, scenic and public recreation resources. For more information on the Land Trust, visit www.coastalmountains.org or call 236-7091.

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APPLE TREE PRUNING WORKSHOP

(Belfast) – Coastal Mountains Land Trust and Belfast Transition will hold an apple tree pruning workshop at the Head of Tide Preserve in Belfast on Tuesday, March 24 from 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM. Licensed arborist Jacob DiGirolamo will lead the workshop and teach participants how to restore neglected apple trees by increasing light and air flow while focusing on form. Those interested in a hands-on experience may bring a sharp pair of pruners or handsaw. Although the terrain is gentle, participants should prepare for snow-covered and uneven footing. The Head of Tide Preserve, located on Doak Road, is part of the Passagassawakeag Greenway, an on-going Land Trust initiative to create a public trail and wildlife network on conserved land along the banks of the Passagassawakeag River. The Preserve is host to Belfast Transition's demonstration Permaculture Project, which will see its first installation this spring. Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve 9,744 acres to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. For more information about the Land Trust, Belfast Transistion, or to find driving directions please visit www.coastalmountains.org, www.belfasttransition.org or call (207) 236-7091.

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February’s Camden Area Nature Walk

February’s Camden Area Nature Walk to take place at Merryspring Nature Center on February 7. 

Interested in learning about birds, trees, flowers, insects, animal tracks and other areas of natural history? Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Conservation Commission have teamed up to co-sponsor monthly natural history walks in the Camden area.  Walks usually take place on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. February’s walk is also sponsored by Merryspring Nature Center and will take place on Saturday, February 7 from 10 a.m. to noon at Merryspring (www.merryspring.org).  Participants will meet in front of the office building.  We will likely focus on animal tracks and signs and winter tree identification.  Snowshoes may be helpful, but not essential, if there is a recent snowstorm.

Advance registration is not necessary. To learn more and to find notices of location, last minute changes and/or cancellation, visit Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Events Calendar page atwww.coastalmountains.org or Merryspring’s website.  

The Camden Nature Walks explore Land Trust preserves and other local hiking spots to encourage natural history discussion and education. Participants should come prepared for an outdoor excursion, easy to moderate in pace.  Please leave dogs at home.  The walks will be facilitated by area naturalist Roger Rittmaster and will encourage experts and amateurs to discuss and share their knowledge of natural history.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve nearly 10,000 acres to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. For more information about the Land Trust please visit www.coastalmountains.org or call (207) 236-7091.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Doug Mills newest documentary "Windjammer" on DVD plus "The Great American Windjammer Vol.1" 

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SALMON ECOLOGY WALK ON THE DUCKTRAP RIVER

Lincolnville, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust invites the community to join fisheries biologist Peter Ruksznis on a salmon ecology walk on Thursday, October 23 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm along the Ducktrap River.

The Ducktrap River's pristine and undisturbed corridor makes it one of only eight rivers in the United States that supports a wild Atlantic salmon population. Peter Ruksznis, a fisheries biologist with the Department of Marine Resources, will lead a walk on the river  to explain Atlantic salmon ecology and biology and hopefully find salmon redds, the depressions in the riverbed where female salmon lay their eggs. Participants should meet at the Tanglewood parking lot, and group size is limited to 15, so please reserve your place by calling (207) 236-7091 or emailing info@coastalmountains.org.

For more than a decade the Land Trust has been working to conserve the Ducktrap River and its watershed, in large part to protect the habitat of these endangered fish. To date, 84% of the land on the river has been permanently conserved, including the 1,136-acre Ducktrap River Preserve owned and managed by the Land Trust.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected nearly 10,000 acres. For more information about this event, and to find directions to the Land Trust office and Fernalds Neck Preserve, please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

LAND TRUST OFFERS FREE KITES AND ICE CREAM AT BEECH HILL

Rockport, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Cascade Foundation invite the public to participate in the second annual Kites and Ice Cream event held on Sunday, September 14 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport.

The Land Trust welcomes children to come fly kites and eat ice cream at the top of Beech Hill. The event, sponsored by the Cascade Foundation, is free and open to the public. Kites will be provided and one free ice cream, provided by Stone Fox Farm Creamery, will be available for each child.

The event is free but registration is required and limited to 100 children. To register, simply call the Land Trust office at (207) 236-7091. Participating children must be accompanied by an adult. Participants who do not register are welcome to fly their own kites, and ice cream will also be available for purchase for those who did not register for the event, accompanying adults, and other preserve visitors.

In addition to sponsoring the event, the Cascade Foundation has made a generous offer to match any

FAMILY INSECT SAFARI AT HEAD OF TIDE PRESERVE

Belfast, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust will host an insect safari on Thursday, July 24 from 10am-12pm at the Head of Tide Preserve in Belfast. This outing is free and open to the public. No advance registration is necessary, and the walk will take place rain or shine.

Kathy Murray, entomologist for Maine Department of Agriculture, will lead an exploratory hands-on workshop for insect lovers of all ages. Using her insect collection to give an introductory glimpse into the world of insects, Murray will lead the group through forests, fields, and along the Passagassawakeag River in search of insects of all sorts. Terrain is gentle and easy, but participants should dress for an outdoor exploration.

Murray earned a Ph.D. in Entomology at the University of Massachusetts and has been engaged in insect

SUNSET HIKE CELEBRATES SOLSTICE ON BEECH HILL PRESERVE

ROCKPORT, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust will celebrate the Summer Solstice on Friday, June 20 at 6:30 pm with an evening hike on its Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport. The outing is open to the public and free of charge. No advance registration is necessary. Please leave dogs at home.

Land Trust staff will lead a moderate 3/4-mile walk up Beech Hill; participants can meet at the Beech Hill Road trailhead or head up to the top on their own. Beech Nut, the historic sod-roofed stone hut, will be open and staff will be on hand to provide guests with information about the history and management of the preserve, including the hut and the surrounding blueberry farm. Visitors may also enjoy field guides, spotting scopes and a Beech Hill community scrapbook. Hikers are encouraged to bring a dinner picnic to enjoy at the hut. Sturdy hiking shoes, water, and bug repellant are also recommended. The preserve offers spectacular panoramic views, a perfect location for a sunset picnic to celebrate the arrival of summer.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust owns and manages Beech Hill Preserve and completed rehabilitation of the historic building from its foundation to its sod roof in November of 2007. The Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of western Penobscot Bay, and has protected over 9,500 acres in the region for their natural, scenic and public recreation resources. For more information on the Land Trust, visit www.coastalmountains.org or call 236-7091.

Beech Nut Centennial Talk to be offered at Rockport Library

Beech Nut celebrates its 100th year.

Rockport, Maine - To commemorate its 100th anniversary, Coastal Mountains Land Trust will offer an informative presentation on Beech Nut, the stone hut atop Beech Hill Preserve. Local architect Meg Barclay will present a history of the building, including the story of Hans Heistad, the Norwegian architect who designed the hut, the history of the property, and the rehabilitation of the building that occurred in 2007. Membership Coordinator Ellen Skoczenski will talk about the Land Trust's process for acquiring the property, making the decision to renovate, and what's next for the building.

The talk will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at the Rockport Public Library from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public; registration is not necessary. The talk coincides with Rockport Public Library's 100th anniversary.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,500 acres to date. For more information about this event, other preserves or the Land Trust please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

STAR GAZING ON BEECH HILL

Camden, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Public Library team up to celebrate the full moon and spring stars on Wednesday, April 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport. Land Trust staff will open Beech Nut, the historic sod-roofed stone hut on top of Beech Hill preserve, for this special evening open house. Miss Amy, children's librarian at the Camden Public Library, will read star stories in the hut at 7:00 PM, and the library's circulating telescope will be on hand to view the full moon up close. Be sure to bring warm layers and a flashlight to help guide your way up and down the 1-mile trail.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust owns and manages Beech Hill Preserve and completed rehabilitation of the historic building from its foundation to its sod roof in November of 2007. The Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of western Penobscot Bay, and has protected over 9,300 acres in the region for their natural, scenic and public recreation resources. For more information on the Land Trust, visit www.coastalmountains.org or call 236-7091.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust Offers Volunteer Training Opportunity

Camden/Belfast, Maine - Do you care about the natural places within our community?  Do you enjoy meeting new people? Want to learn more about the ecology of this area? Coastal Mountains Land Trust is seeking new volunteers to help with a wide range of projects including field work, preserve monitoring, invasive plant control, community outreach, office mailings and event logistics.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has always been an organization that relies on the participation of the many volunteers that support it, explains Ian Stewart, Stewardship Director. We want to continue to engage the community with hands-on support as volunteers, to care for the land we've protected through western Penobscot Bay.

For those interested in learning more, the Land Trust is offering two volunteer orientation sessions.  The first is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26th from 5:00 - 6:30pm in the 3rd floor conference room at the Belfast Free Library in Belfast. The second session will be held on Wednesday, April 2nd from 5:00 - 6:30pm at the Land Trust office in Camden. At both sessions, the Land Trust's stewardship staff and Volunteer Coordinator will provide an overview of the Land Trust's conservation programs as well as a summary of the volunteer positions that the Land Trust is seeking to fill. Please register to attend by calling the Land Trust at 236-7091.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,300 acres to date. For more information about this event, other preserves or the Land Trust please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

LAND TRUST HOPEFUL THAT SPRING IS COMING, HOLDS TALK ON SPRING EMERGENCE

Camden, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Knox Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District are teaming up to present a naturalist talk about the biological changes that come with spring. Rebecca Jacobs, Education Coordinator for the Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District, will lead the talk.

Have you ever wondered why the snow melts first in the wetlands? Or which trees bloom first in Maine? This slide show presentation will answer those questions and more as Jacobs discusses the plants and animals that herald the coming spring. The presentation will be held at the Camden Public Library on Tuesday, March 18, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,300 acres to date. For more information about this event, other preserves or the Land Trust please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

The Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District conserves land and water resources for Knox and Lincoln counties through proactive efforts, actions and education since 1947. To learn more visit www.knox-lincoln.org.

APPLE TREE PRUNING WORKSHOP TO BE OFFERED BY LAND TRUST

Belfast, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust will hold an apple tree pruning workshop on its Stover Preserve in Belfast on Saturday, March 15 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Licensed arborist Jacob DiGirolamo will lead the workshop and teach participants how to increase light and air flow and restore neglected apple trees. The pruning demonstration will take place during the first half of the workshop. Those interested in a practical application are invited to stay and prune trees on the preserve. A pair of pruners and sharp handsaw will be required. Although the terrain is gentle, participants should prepare for snow-covered and uneven footing. Parking lots are not plowed and space is limited, so please carpool if possible.

The Stover Preserve is part of the Passagassawakeag Greenway, an on-going Land Trust initiative to create a public trail network on conserved land along the banks of the Passagassawakeag River.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve more than 9,300 acres to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. For more information about the Land Trust, the Passagassawakeag Greenway Campaign, or to find driving directions please visit www.coastalmountains.org or call (207) 236-7091.

Conservation Groups Team Up to Host Hike in Stockton Springs

Stockton Springs, Maine - Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition (BBWC) offer a winter exploration of the Main Stream Preserve in conjunction with the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, a statewide event that promotes outdoor activities for all, sponsored by the Maine Outdoor Coalition.

The hike will explore the Main Stream Preserve in Stockton Springs on Saturday, February 15 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Ellen Skoczenski, Membership Coordinator for the Land Trust and Skip Pendleton of the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition will lead the excursion via snowshoe or cross country ski to explore the 250-acre preserve. Participants should come prepared for a challenging excursion; there are no established trails and footing may be uneven. Extra layers and water are recommended. The location of entry to the preserve will depend on weather and conditions, so participants should meet at the intersection of Route 1 and the Harris Road in Stockton Springs to carpool or get directions.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve land to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay. The Land Trust has protected over 9,300 acres to date. For more information about this event, other preserves or the Land Trust please call (207) 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

The Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition is a group of individuals working to support conservation and stewardship of natural, scenic, historic, and public access resources of the Belfast Bay watershed through research, community-building, and education. For more information, visit www.belfastbaywatershed.org.

February Naturalist Walk to take place in Camden

Camden, Maine - Interested in learning about birds, trees, flowers, insects, animal tracks and other areas of natural history? Coastal Mountains Land Trust and the Camden Conservation Commission have teamed up to co-sponsor monthly natural history walks in the Camden area.  Walks occur the first weekend of each month. February's walk will take place on Sunday, February 2 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM on the back side of the Camden Hills State Park Multiuse Trail, starting at Stevens Corner (the intersection of Beach Road and Youngtown Road in Lincolnville). Please note that there is a $3 entrance fee for those under age 65; seniors are free.

To get to Stevens Corner from downtown Camden drive approximately 5.8 miles north on Route 1 and turn left on Route 173 (Beach Road) in Lincolnville Beach.  Then Drive 2.2 miles to the intersection of Beach Road and Youngtown Road.  The parking lot will be on the left.  Alternatively, from downtown Camden turn left on Route 52 (Mountain Street) and drive 4.6 miles, past Megunticook Lake, to the intersection with Youngtown Road.  Go about 2.7 miles on Youngtown Road to the intersection with Beach Road.  The parking lot will be on the right.

The naturalist walks explore Land Trust preserves and other local hiking spots to encourage natural history discussions and education. Participants should come prepared for an outdoor excursion, easy to moderate in pace.  Snowshoes may be helpful if there is a recent snowstorm.  Please leave dogs at home.  The walks will be facilitated by area naturalist Roger Rittmaster and will encourage experts and amateurs to discuss and share their knowledge of natural history.

Advance registration is not necessary. To learn more and to find notices of location, last minute changes and/or cancellation, visit Coastal Mountains Land Trust's Events Calendar page at www.coastalmountains.org/news/calendar.

Coastal Mountains Land Trust has worked since 1986 to permanently conserve more than 9,300 acres to benefit the natural and human communities of the western Penobscot Bay region. For more information about the Land Trust please visit www.coastalmountains.org or call (207) 236-7091.