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Maine Forest Collaborative January Newsletter

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Piscataquis students are up and running with their prime project time fast approaching with maple sugaring season! Their project's challenge statement is, "How might we educate people on how and why utilizing maple trees is important so that we can share resources with the community, learn a future skill, and set up the community for self-sufficiency?" They are planning a community pancake breakfast to be able to bring the community together and provide education about utilizing forest resources. 


Tremont students have a big picture challenge this year, and their solution multi-faceted. They are exploring, "How might we Raise awareness about the environment and what’s happening around everyone so that our community can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and waste and decrease the effects of climate change?" Their solutions include, examining school energy efficiency, growing seaweed, creating a compost program at their school, and growing salt marsh grass. Students just presented to their school board on the energy efficiency part of their project and provided recommendations. Check out their presentation here!


Greenville students have been collecting data on ash trees and learning about invasive Emerald Ash Borer this fall. They are in the midst of exploring forest health challenges. Their project is developing toward forest health and students are starting to explore and solidify their solutions with the help of MEEA Fellow, Amir-Colbert Stone, and with feedback and help from NREC, who students will work with for part of their solution. 


HIGH SCHOOL

Belfast students are just finishing up their semester, and the CNF project. Their project focused on exploring cellulose nanofiber as a sustainable solution to a product. They landed on looking at its application as a wire coating, with their challenge question being, “How might we compare CNF to conventional materials so that we can determine thermal and electrical conductivity, and flexibility and viability as an alternative coating to rubber electrical wire?”. In addition to various experiments and data collection on the properties of CNF applies as an insulation to wires, students ended up with creating article about their project that we hope to feature in the Process Development Center newsletter. Stay tuned for more on its release! 


Telstar students are also finishing up their semester and did a great job presenting their final presentation this week. Their challenge was focused on pollution in local waterways with their challenge question being, "How might we clean up and spread awareness of water pollution in our local waterways so that our wildlife and community can benefit from cleaner water?" Students ended up organizing a bottle drive at school to raise money for the project, testing water quality at local rivers, collecting trash and data on trash at various boat launches, and designing a website with informational flyers to post at local boat launches. 


Piscataquis students are getting into their action plan and starting to plan details of how they will be executing their solution. They are exploring, "How might we increase Piscataquis area’s tourism and outdoor recreation by creating advertisements for businesses that highlight their outdoor amenities and activities so that more visitors and tourists are encouraged to come visit our local outdoor recreational places, and show support for them?" They are now working on organizing trips to various places in the area to highlight the business and its attraction.


Schenck students are also in the midst of their action plans and starting to execute pieces after breaking into smaller working groups. Their challenge statement is, "How can we improve trail access and popularity by making them more fun and engaging so that more people are encouraged to use them confidently, safely, and with clear navigation?". They are working on creating an experience and lesson for elementary school students and teachers, adding elements to the trails, making trails more visible, and creating a sustainability plan for trail maintenance. 


TCTC students are working toward their action plan as well. As a group of students all connected to fishing, they are exploring, "How might we inform people about invasive fish species so that the community can make a positive difference and allow our native species to thrive?" They are planning to coordinate with a local ice fishing derby to provide an informational and fun session and materials on preventing the migration of invasive fish to new water bodies.


In the News

Maine loggers are used to hard times. Then came the tariffs

As the important winter logging season begins, people are seeing the values for their timber fall, while their costs to operate are going up.


Pollution fighting fungi? Mushrooms could help address Merimack's PFAS problem

Angela Graves has lived in Merrimack almost all her life. She grew up aware of the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant on the edge of town, and as a teenager learned alongside her community of the dangerous “forever chemicals” it emitted for years. Now, eager to see those pollutants scrubbed from her hometown’s soil and frustrated by a lack of progress, Graves herself has proposed an experimental solution: fungi.


Fighting bugs with bugs: How the midcoast is defending its hemlocks

The hemlock woolly adelgid is indifferent to property lines as it marches inland to Maine’s hemlock belt.


Funding Opportunities

Karma for Cara Foundation Mini Grant Application

Students 18 years of age and under may apply for funds between $250 and $1,000 to complete service projects in their communities throughout the United States. If applying on behalf of an entire class or student group, please designate a maximum of three student leaders to be the main points of contact for the project. We realize additional students may be involved, but having clear points of contact will make communication much easier.

Include numbers. We want to know how many students will be involved in executing the project, how many people will benefit from the project, etc. Please note that more isn’t necessarily better. The numbers simply help us better understand the scope of the project.

While we understand the need for purchasing items to donate to others, microgrant projects should involve more than just purchasing items and donating them. Are you transforming the items you purchase into something else that can be used in a variety of ways? Are you bringing students together to pack/organize/make something out of what you purchase?


For Teachers

Climate Ready Lessons for Maine Educators

  • Check out the Salt Marsh Restoration Webinar to learn about Tonya Prentice's students MFC project last year! 

    Maine educators are invited to a free webinar series featuring place-based, classroom-ready climate education lessons from the Maine Climate Education Hub. 

    Winter Webinar Highlights

    • Teaching Economics Through Climate: Snowmobile Business PlanJanuary 13, 2026 — Students explore how climate change impacts regional small businesses through gameplay and collaborative problem-solving.  Presenter:  Sherri Calhoun, Aroostook County Teacher

    • Connotations in NatureJanuary 27, 2026 — Students analyze how language shapes our relationship with the natural world, comparing Indigenous and anthropocentric perspectives.  Presenter:  Will Cogswell, Mt Ararat H.S

    • Salt Marsh RestorationFebruary 3, 2026 — A science-focused session examining Maine salt marsh ecosystems and climate-driven restoration efforts run by middle school students.  Presenter:  Tonya Prentice, MDIRSS teacher

    • Maple Sugaring in a Warming ClimateFebruary 26, 2026 — Using real data and local examples, students investigate how climate change is affecting Maine’s maple industry.  Presenters:  Molly AuClaire & Robin Lea, GMRI

    All webinars are free and led by Maine educators and partner organizations. Lessons are available on the Maine Climate Education Hub through SubjectToClimate.

    Sign up through eventbrite:   Empowering Maine Classrooms: Climate Lessons for Teachers, a free 8-part webinar series for K–12 educators, hosted by SubjectToClimate and the Maine Environmental Education Association.


Winter Seed Sowing Resources

If you received seeds from Wild Seed Project, here are some resources to support you! If you want to sow seeds with your students but didn't get any, let Sara know and I will get you set up! 

Here are the seed sowing strategies you can use!  

→ You can find the seed sowing lesson here along with the accompanying worksheet!

→ You can find all the lesson plans here. 


NOAA Data Resources

Did you know that NOAA collects terabytes of data every day from weather stations, radar, satellites, ships, buoys, and sensors? This information isn’t just collected for our scientists to use; anyone can take on the role of scientist using our publicly available resources. But with dozens of websites and hundreds of variables to choose from, it can be tricky for educators to know how to get their students started with scientific data. This collection highlights ocean and atmosphere data sources that are easy to use and appropriate for classrooms and informal learning environments.  Check it out here!


Below Zero Workshop

Migration, hibernation, and adaptations- winter wildlife ecology is an engaging topic for any classroom! This interactive Below Zero workshop provides the opportunity to practice a variety of nature-based lesson plans that connect students with the outdoors in all seasons! All formal and informal educators are welcome.

Developed by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and part of the Project Wild family of curricula, Below Zero is a collection of 46 adaptable K-12 lesson plans that integrate winter wildlife survival strategies into art, math, science, and physical education lessons. Register here!

Wednesday, January 28 - 9:00am - 3:00pm

Training will take place both indoors and outdoors - so come prepared to go outside for a few activities. Please pack a lunch (refrigeration available). Water, coffee, tea and light snacks in the morning will be provided.


Wabanaki Studies PD

Virtual introductory sessions (attend either one if you did not participate in the fall): Jan 15th 3:30-4:30 and January 21st 4-5 PM

Independently complete Essentials for Teaching and Learning Wabanaki Studies Microcourse (10 hours)

In person gatherings (choose one, fall participants are welcome): 

  • Lewiston area either 2/26, 2/28 or 3/1

  • Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay - 1-3 PM 2/24

Independently complete Climate Education and Wabanaki Studies Microcourse (10 hours)

In person wrap up gatherings:

  • Franklin County- either March 31, April 2, 4, 11

  • Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls club 10-12 April 7


 
 
 

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