Maine Forest Collaborative Mid-May Newsletter
- Rural Aspirations
- Jun 18
- 4 min read
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
Our high school students did such a fabulous job at our final presentations! Check out their final presentations below to learn about some of the solutions that they developed to natural resource challenges in their own communities.
- Telstar
We also had a great time in afternoon sessions inoculating logs with mushroom spawn, learning about aquaponics, blacksmithing, woodworking, and pickling! In these last few weeks students will be finishing up the final details of their action plan and project.
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES
Mrs. Prentice’s middle school students had a planting day at Babson Creek Preserve with Maine Coast Heritage Trust Last week! Thanks to a grant from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute students planted 800 salt marsh grass plugs into bare spots in the marsh as part of a salt marsh restoration project. They are getting ready for final presentations next week where they will share all about the other parts of their project as well!
Ms. Tardif's students met with Jim Ferrante and Ken Fergusson, district foresters the past few weeks to planted native cedar trees, tackle girdling of Norway maples, remove shrubby honeysuckle, and finish their FERN plot as part of their larger Maine Forest Collaborative project on forest health.
In the News
'We did things backwards here' Some Maine landowners see a future in ecological forest management
Foresters argue the pros and cons of various models of sustainable forestry, but the overall goal is the same: Timber harvests generate profits; woodlands remain healthy.
The world's first super wood is weeks away from full production
Stronger than steel, InventWood is looking to take low-value wood chips and turning them into structural beams that match tropical hardwoods like ipe and walnut for colour.
Maine Calling: New life for old towns
Maine is widely known for outdoor recreation and eco-tourism. Some towns are making the most of that reputation by drawing visitors and supporting businesses centered on the great outdoors. We’ll learn how community leaders, businesses and venues in places like Rockland, Biddeford, and Westbrook are re-energizing their local economies.->>> Full episode
Engagement Opportunities
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!
AMC-BOT LOFT SUMMER CAMP
Train hands-on with industrial robots at the University of Maine! Join us at the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) to gain real skills, real credentials, and real career advantage. Earn an industry-recognized Universal Robots Credential in Educational Robotics Training - Core (ERT-C) curriculum upon passing! 30+ hours of hands-on robotics training using Universal Robots (UR3e)The AMC B.O.T. Loft Summer Camp is a 6 day, 5 night camp that runs for three sessions on:July 13-18July 20-25, andJuly 27-August 1*Must be a high-school student between the ages of 15-18 to apply. Register here.
Just ME for Just US Hiring Rural Youth Organizers
Organizers lead community campaigns that encourage youth participation in local issues relating to outdoor recreation, environment, economy, food, health, housing, transportation, and climate, as well as nonpartisan civic engagement work. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!
For Teachers
Teaching on the Estuary
The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve is offering a free three-day in-person Teachers on the Estuary workshop for up to twelve teachers on July 29-31, 2025! Participants receive $150 worth of equipment to use with their students and a $150 stipend. Teachers traveling a distance will also receive free lodging in Wells. The workshop will be geared towards middle and high school teachers, though others who feel they can adapt content for their audience are welcome to apply. We'll delve into water quality and weather monitoring, nature journaling, climate education, and marine debris investigations, while exploring the marsh and intertidal habitats on foot and the estuary by kayak.
Please share the link below with any teachers who you think will be interested in this field-based opportunity!
Exploring Oceanography Summer Workshop
August 5-8th
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is offering a professional development workshop for Maine high school & middle school science teachers interested in collaborating with Bigelow Laboratory scientists to enhance ocean science education in the state. This four-day summer workshop provides teachers with training, tools and hands-on research experience so that they are better equipped to teach ocean science in their classroom. See here for links to more information!
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