Maine Forest Collaborative May Newsletter
- Rural Aspirations
- Jun 18
- 6 min read
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
Congrats to Schenck MFC students who received funding for $1200 worth of trail maintenance gear thanks to the generosity of the Northern Forest Center through the RK Mellon Foundation for a school trail clean up project!
Congrats to TCTC natural resource students for wrapping up their WFA class! They are now getting ready for Envirothon!
Telstar is making some serious headway with their project with a script planned out for a video about native whitefish and their competition, an article outline, and are working to get some clarification from their design team member to make sure they understand the current whitefish status in Maine. They have finalized a date to visit the fish hatchery in Grey and to film their video. Kudos to these students and Ms. Johannesen for actively using their Project Action Plan to update progress so I can keep track of your project and give feedback, and for being ready to do a mock presentation for me on Friday!
Schenck has also set a date to do some filming for a small hike and trip to town to film the amazing OSI gear exchange. We are excited to move forward with next steps and filming!
PCSS students have begun working on their own land, clearing a trail and building a campsite area and firepit. They have also already started on their presentation!
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Mrs. Prentice’s middle school students are managing their salt marsh grass experiment, testing different variables and collecting data.
Ms. Tardif's students have their next visit in the books with Jim Ferrante! They will be wrapping up their FERN plot and we will try to tackle the invasive shrubby honeysuckle and Norway maples on campus.
In the News
Researchers bizarre new way to make wood as transparent as glass
Making sturdy, semi-transparent wood with cheap, natural materials->>> Full Article
This start-up turns paper back into wood - for cars, furniture & more
PaperShell is creating durable artificial wood that can be used in furniture, building materials, and other applications.
Spruce budworm is back in Maine
While always present in the landscape, the budworm had population surges on a 30-to-60-year interval. When this happens, the defoliation of fir and spruce can cause stand mortality.->>> Full article
Engagement Opportunity
Outdoor Recreation Survey
Rural Aspirations and Maine Outdoor Brands are working to get a sense of what students know about outdoor recreation and outdoor recreation careers. Students in Maine Forest Collaborative helped to create this survey to gather this information from students in grades 6-12. Anonymous results will be shared with community partners so the industry can better design career exploration opportunities with students.Students who participate will be entered into a drawing to win outdoor recreation gear provided by Maine Outdoor Brands. Students will also have a place to enter teachers, who will also be entered into a separate teacher drawing (teachers, feel free to help students with reading/clarification) We will notify the principal at the school with winning student and teacher names.Please share this survey (surveymonkey.com/r/MaineRec) with students for their feedback, and great job TCTC, PCSS, and Schenck for helping me put this together!
Alewife Run!
The Maine Dept. of Marine Resources alewife days has a new offering this spring! Maine has a wide array of places to watch the annual alewife migration into Maine lakes. 2022-maine-alewife-trail-03-print-quality.pdf. To help facilitate that experience for school kids DMR is offering to pay for busing to and from sites. The peak of the run in most locations is the week of Mother’s Day, click this link to contact the department to schedule a visit.
Vernal Pools
What is the distribution of caddisflies, fairy shrimp, and amphibian species in vernal pools in the Northeast? How will their distribution change as the climate warms? Participate in Project Vernal Pools with your students this spring and become part of the effort to answer important questions, observe changes to special spring ecosystems, and learn about the local environment.
Virtual Vernal Pools Expert Q&A
When: Wednesday, May 7, 9:30 am
What: Join Aram Calhoun and Hamish Grieg of the University of Maine for a conversation about the importance of vernal pools to forest ecosystems and learn why it is important that community scientists in the region are collecting information on key vernal pool species.
Details and Registration.
Vernal Pool Data Collection
When: End of April – middle of June
What: Head out into the field this spring to observe vernal pools and monitor the unique species that rely on them by contributing to Project Vernal Pools. Check out this educator info session for tips on getting started.
Funding Opportunity
Russell Libby Agricultural Scholar Awards
MOFGA awards three $1,500 scholarships each year in the following categories:
MOFGA Journeyperson Program participant who is still farming in Maine, past or present participants welcome
Maine high school senior planning to study sustainable or organic farming, preference for colleges in Maine
Teacher, school, or education center looking to support an agricultural related project in Maine, such as a campus garden, classroom project, or a guest lecturer.
Do you know someone who might be a good fit? Learn more here and apply here.
For Students
Maine Guide License Reimbursement!
TourismforME wants to help you reach your Outdoor Recreation career goals by reimbursing the cost of your Maine Guide or Maine Whitewater Guide Certification!Requirements for either reimbursement program:
You are a Maine resident between the ages of 17-24.
You are a high school graduate or have earned a HiSET or GED certification.
You are an individual applying for reimbursement of your own payment (no businesses, schools, or organizations may qualify for reimbursement).
You have completed the TourismforME online training and gained your badge.
You have completed the licensure requirements outlined in the program outline PDF document within the 2025 calendar year.
Applications for reimbursement will be open from March 1, 2025 through November 1, 2025 or until funds are depleted. Learn more and apply here!
For Teachers
Protecting Ash for the Future
August 5-6, Houlton,
(Sara will be attending, please join me!!)
Join a collaborative effort to preserve ash trees from the dual threat of climate change and the emerald ash borer. In this two-day workshop, you will meet with project scientists, Wabanaki basketmakers, and other educators from across Maine, collect and contribute ash inventory data, and learn about ways students can lead stewardship efforts in their communities.,
Educators who participate in the Ash Stewards project will receive curriculum resources, stipends, funds for classroom supplies, travel reimbursement, food, and lodging.
Find out more in this full project description. If you are interested, email Abigail Long at along@gmri.org.
Sharing Nature: An Educator's Week
Hog Island, August 10-15
This is not your average professional development program! During this action-packed week you will learn approaches, methods, and activities for engaging both children and adults with nature. Our goal is for you to leave empowered to improve access to the outdoors in your own community!,
Throughout the week, you will explore an abundance of habitats on Hog Island like the tide pools, spruce-fir forest, marshes, bogs and streams. You will embark on a full day adventure to Eastern Egg Rock to see the restored puffin and tern colony. Some workshops may include incorporating art, journaling and social-emotional skills into your science lessons and techniques for teaching outside in any environment. Most importantly, you will join a community of fellow educators from a diversity of backgrounds.
40 Continuing Education Credits, or CEUs, are available through the University of Southern Maine for completing the course. Maine educators are eligible for a reduced in-state tuition rate. Merrymeeting Audubon Society is offering a scholarship for the session. You can learn more about the scholarship opportunity here.
Learn more at our website. If you have any questions, please contact Rosy Tucker: rosy.tucker@audubon.org.
Friends of Katadin Woods & Waters Teacher Camp
Stacyville, ME - June 24, 2025
Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters presents Teacher Camp annually as a professional development opportunity and a supportive gathering that helps educators add relevancy to their instruction to enrich their school communities. A fresh theme is developed each year in response to teachers’ needs.
Place-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that focuses on developing students’ sense of place and learning through exploring their environment. PBL is the foundation of Teacher Camp and will connect the following principles to our focus: grounded in place, real, empowering, collaborative, integrated, and rigorous.
Forests of Maine Teacher Tour!
MFC teachers, I highly recommend this training! The tours prepare participants to return to the classroom with stimulating approaches to share knowledge about the forest with students, colleagues, and communities. Throughout the four-day tour, participants engage in Project Learning Tree activities, meet professionals who work in the Maine woods, and develop ideas on how to bring the forest to the classroom or the classroom to the forest. Plus you can earn up to 30 contact hours!
Rangeley Lakes Region: July 8 - 11
Downeast Lakes Region: July 22 - 25
MEEA Annual Conference
At the MEEA Annual Conference, you can gain inspiration from engaging workshops, celebrate your peers, and enjoy sharing space with new and old friends in environmental education.
Registration fees | Friday, May 9th $0-50; Saturday, May 10th $0-150Venue | Founder’s Hall at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Maine — off the I-95 corridor around a 35-minute drive west of Bangor. Sign up for carpooling and lodging sharing. MEEA is not providing lodging for this event.Learn more and register here!
Comments