Maine Forest Collaborative Mid-October Newsletter

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Our cohort day will be Monday October 27th from 9:30-1:15 at the Bangor Parks & Recreation Department. 

Both Greenville and Tremont have taken advantage of this lovely October to get a head start on some project pieces. Tremont went out into the marsh with Tatia Bauer of Maine Coast Heritage Trust to collect data on feldspar plots established last spring. Greenville students got out to collect data on ash trees on school property for GMRI's Ecosystem Investigation Network. PCMS has shared their Map of Place Presentation with high school students for feedback and is getting ready for a visit with District Forester Jim Ferrante to help identify maple trees on the property. 

HIGH SCHOOL 

Students are starting to select and define their challenges for their project this year. We've had a couple zoom check ins with schools over the last few weeks which have gone great!

Schenck students are off to a great start and have selected their challenge - improving and increasing use and awareness of the trail behind the school.

Belfast students have selected their independent projects and are beginning to prototype. 

PCSS students were inspired by the cohort day and so far are interested in increasing awareness of outdoor recreation in some way.

TCTC's challenge will be connected to invasive fish species in some way. 

Telstar students were also inspired by the cohort day and are interested in river pollution. They have submitted a MEEA grant and are have some ideas for solutions and project support! 

After challenges are selected students will research the challenge and then connect with design team members. 

In the News

Goats on the slopes? A potential climate solution hits the ski trails at Jay Peak 

Every fall, ski areas across Vermont have to brush hog and weed whack their slopes to clear them of shrubs and grass for ski season. Now, some mountains are experimenting with a different kind of mower: goats and sheep ->>> Full article

Workforce development program will focus on Maine's outdoor recreation field

Main Street Skowhegan, a nonprofit focused on the revitalization of the Somerset County town, plans to launch a program to provide hands-on training and certification opportunities in the outdoor recreation industry ->>> Full article

Maine's longer, hotter summers are reshaping our natural world

The Portland Press Herald spoke to two dozen experts this summer about the ways increasing heat is affecting the Maine's environment, ranging from the short-term impacts of heat waves on bats and birds to the long-term effects of warming lakes, forests and oceans ->>>  Full Article

Materials on Lend!

MFC Materials! 

Thanks to some grant funding we now have an MFC kit full of supplies for teachers to be able to use with students! It includes everything from calipers and loppers to GPS units and a game camera, and more! Check out what we have available and just email me to request an item! If you're interested in something that is checked out, let me know and we will get it to you next! 

Engagement Opportunities

Lab to Classroom! 

Rural Aspirations and MaineTREE co-led a workshop this spring for graduate students designed to help them share their work in the classroom! A handful of University of Maine Graduate students have designed lesson plans to be able to share their ongoing research with youth in schools in a hands on and engaging way. The goal is for these visits to increase youth exposure to post-secondary research efforts and career opportunities and to create a bridge between institutional research and education. Note: We will share a rough outline of the plan with you prior to the visit so you know what to expect. 

Please complete this form to be connected with a graduate student to be able to set up this classroom visit. We will try to match you with students based on interest and geographic proximity.

Green Schools Symposium

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is thrilled to announce Maine's first-ever Green Schools Symposium—a groundbreaking event celebrating climate education and sustainability leadership across Maine’s schools. It will take place on Friday, November 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Thomas College in Waterville.

This unique, statewide gathering will bring together school leaders, educators, youth, environmentally-focused nonprofit organizations, and private entities for a full day of networking, resource sharing, and cross-sector collaboration. Please register here and attend to hear inspiring stories of school-led sustainability efforts and explore practical tools for improving energy efficiency, cutting facilities costs, and creating healthier learning environments.

Funding Opportunities

MEEA Outdoor Education Mini Grants 

Up to $1,500 to fund your school’s outdoor learning environmental education, and Wabanaki studies projects! Applications open today! Apply by October 17th. (Even a loose concept will be considered, your solution does NOT need to be fully developed yet!)

NRCM Sustainability Grants

NRCM is offering grants of up to $2,000 for schools organized nonprofit committees, municipalities, and community libraries to help them reach their sustainability goals.

The Sustainability Grant Program encourages communities to adopt innovative, practical, and effective measures to reduce waste. This grant program helps schools, municipalities, and other nonprofit entities share the tools, knowledge, and skills to prevent waste at the source, and divert valuable resources from the landfill.

Deadlines:

- December 5th 

Learn more and apply here!

For Teachers

Maine Forest Technician Curriculum

MaineTREE is seeking educators who teach environmental science, forestry, wildlife, and related classes, as well as FFA programs, alternative education programs, and CTE schools with natural resources, forestry, and outdoor leadership programs, to participate in a project to develop a high school level Maine Forest Technician Curriculum. 

Through a grant from Maine Timberland’s Charitable Trust and a Maine DOE Climate Education Professional Development grant, we are: 

• Working with Educators and Natural Resource Professionals to co-create a curriculum for Maine-specific forest and natural resource-based units for courses like yours.  

Beginning in November, we are offering a 20-hour professional development series, which will run to April break:

•   One-hour live sessions will occur every other week, will include perspectives  from educators teaching similar classes and programs, natural resource professionals, and space for you to express your needs for curriculum resources needed for you or your students

•   The weeks without live sessions will include short (~one-hour) asynchronous learning materials review.

•  $1,000 stipends and 20 contact hours are available for participants who complete the series, which includes submitting feedback forms for the webinars and resources you’ve reviewed or used with students. 

  Sign up for this opportunity here 

Teacher Winter Weekend at the Ecology School

Join us this January for a restorative weekend of professional development at River Bend Farm, home of The Ecology School. Attendees will head out into the winter landscape to experience outdoor learning led by The Ecology School's seasoned educators, and have time to design outdoor learning as a year-round reality for their students. Presentations by both teacher ambassadors and community partners will demonstrate and encourage participants with how to take the next steps to make outdoor and place-based learning a reality for their students. Attendees will also enjoy delicious meals, stay in our comfortable, sustainably built dorms, and have time to enjoy the beautiful River Bend Farm landscape in the winter. This opportunity is open to any teachers or school staff who are looking to make outdoor learning a reality for their students. No prior outdoor teaching experience necessary.January 23-25, 2026 (Snow date January 30-February 1) ***Teachers and attendees will receive a $200 stipend after attending, and be reimbursed up to $150 for travel. After being accepted, attendees will be asked to pay a $50 registration fee. This fee may be waived if it presents a barrier to attending.***Both new participants and Teacher Institute alumni are welcome to apply. Priority will be given to new applicants.APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN NOW and will be reviewed beginning November 1. All applicants will be contacted by November 25 with your application status. Click here to Learn More. Limited space still available!

Rural Thrive "What I Need (WIN)" Funds

We know that rural teachers are talented professionals who often face barriers to getting the support they need to access continuing education: Fewer local professional development offerings, insufficient district funding, lack of substitute teacher availability, transportation costs, and trainings that are poorly aligned with rural school or community needs.

To address this, the Rural Thrive project is making a pool of funds available to support rural teachers in accessing what they need to support their longevity, resilience and  growth in the profession of teaching using a responsive low-barrier grant disbursement model. Up to $2500 are available per teacher. Apply here!

Ocean Water Quality Curriculum

In collaboration with NOAA and the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance, a series of 5 lessons were created for middle/high school students (grades 8-12) highlighting concepts and data collected from the eMOLT Project. The lessons include concepts involving commercial fishing, ocean currents, understanding water characteristics, reading and creating temperature profiles, and exploring water quality data. This curriculum is free and can be found on the Cape Cod Fishermen's Alliance website. If you use the curriculum in your classroom, there is also the chance to win your own water quality device to collect your own data after filling out our survey!