ALL UPCOMING PROGRAMS WILL BE ON ZOOM, JOINTLY WITH THE BELFAST FREE LIBRARY, AND CAN BE ACCESSED ON THE LIBRARY AND BBWC WEBSITES

January 21, 6:30 pm, How the Natural Resources Council of Maine works to protect Maine's Forests, Rivers and Wildlife.

Lisa Pohlmann is the CEO of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. NRCM isMaine’s leading environmental advocacy organization with more than 25,000 members and supporters in Maine and beyond. Started by Maine people in 1959,

NRCM is based in Augusta, is actively engaged in policy making, and works statewide to protect Maine’s woods, waters and wildlife.

As NRCM’s Forests and Wildlife Program Director, Melanie Sturm is continuing the organization’s long history of protecting Maine’s remote places by monitoring development in the North Woods and ensuring the state’s scenic and natural character is preserved for years to come. Her work includes serving as NRCM’s point person for the Land for Maine’s Future program, ensuring forest protections are enforced, and tracking wildlife and land management regulations and policies.

To view this program on YouTube, click on this link: https://youtu.be/ugCjnlIK4iE

February 18, 6:30 pm. “Upstream Solutions to Recycling and Plastic Pollution.”

Chrissy Adamowicz, NRCM Sustainable Maine Outreach Coordinator, will speak about how/why our broken recycling system is contributing to a plastic pollution crisis. Learn about upstream solutions, and Maine’s latest efforts to fix recycling.Chrissy has been working at NRCM for 2.5 years, providing education and outreach to communities on waste solutions.

March 18, Thursday. 6:30 pm. “What’s New in the Penobscot River?”

Danielle Frechette, fish biologist, will give an overview of diadromous fish restoration in the Penobscot River as a result of the Penobscot River Restoration Project

Danielle is a Marine Resource Scientist for the Department of Marine Resources, Division of Sea-Run Fisheries and Habitat working on the Penobscot River Res toration Project.

Register in advance for this meeting::
https://networkmaine.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqf-ypqzMrG9Mc-TtpJGK3Ds- jrj-8HMqt

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

March 25, Thursday. 6:30 pm. “Browntail Moth in Waldo County”

Browntail Moth program by Tom Schmeelk, State Entomologist, on Thursday March 25th at 6:30 pm via Zoom.

Responding to the acute infestation in Belfast and surroundings, we will learn about how to protect ourselves, and how as a community we can work to curb the problem.

The program is cosponsored with the Belfast Library, Belfast Garden Club, Friends of Belfast Parks, and Friends of Sears Island.

Register in advance for this program:
https://networkmaine.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkdOCprD0jEtKeM7BQ-wa6pUkOiisAD30H

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

April 15, Thursday. 6:30 pm. “Running Silver!”

Landis Hudson, Executive Director of Maine Rivers, will talk about what it takes to restore river health. How can you fix a river?

What is the relationship between rivers and the Gulf of Maine, and how are dam removals shaping the future of river restoration efforts in Maine? Landis will draw on her experiences leading the Alewife Restoration Initiative to restore fish passage to China Lake by removing dams and installing fishways to bring back an annual run of nearly one million adult
alewives.

Register in advance to ZOOM this meeting:

https://networkmaine.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEscu2tqzMqEtB2ivlIS3LkAIvrKoQ3Q2Ge

After registering, you will rget a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.

May 20, Thursday. 6:30 pm. “Environmental Effects of Invasive Species and Pollution”

Dave Thomas, AP Environmental Science teacher at Belfast Area High School, andhis students will report on their research.

They will discuss who’s eating juvenile clams in Belfast Bay and what effect micro plastics have on the feeding rate of
zooplankton

Take a Local Hike on Belfast’s

“In-Town Nature Trail”

By Cloe Chunn, Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition

The In-Town Nature Trail can be walked slowly in sections, each detailed by a map/ brochure, or walked as a whole for maximum exercise. Six public parking areas are noted on the map. Four segments, each measuring between 1 and 1.5 miles, are described in detail by the map/brochure.

Segment 1 goes from the Armistice Footbridge to the Boathouse, taking you along the Harbor Walk to the Boathouse. To add an extra half-mile, walk the Footbridge both ways. This is where you can get closer views of birds in the water and foraging In mudflats at low tide, especially in winter.

Segment 2 goes from the Boathouse to City Park along Bayview St. and Northport Ave. Or, if the tide is fairly low, walk along the beach to the Park. Long ago a collection of exotic trees was planted in the Park, recently revived as an Arboretum. Learning the local trees will enhance the rest of the In-Town Nature Trail.

Segment 3 takes you back towards town on Northport Ave. to see the State Champion Black Locust tree and State Champion Copper Beech tree. You can also practice identifying sidewalk trees based on what you learned at the City Park Arboretum. Look for Sugar, Norway, and Red maples, Red and Pin oaks, and Basswood (American linden).

The trail turns onto Salmond St., and winds its way up to Kirby Lake, “The Muck.” On the way, check the cell tower above the sheriff’s offices, in case a peregrine falcon may be hunting from the top. At The Muck, follow the trail around the pond, a good place to watch for spring migrants and summer wading birds.

Segment 4 returns you from The Muck to Armistice Footbridge by an interesting oute. Cross Lincolnville Ave. and follow signs through a wooded landscape—a peaceful place considering its location behind a shopping center, to the parking lot of the Quirk auto dealership. Cross Main St. and wander through beautiful Grove Cemetery. Come back out onto Main St., walk up the hill towards town, and take aside visit to the Wales Park pollinator garden. Back to Main Street, walk Anderson Street downhill, through Eleanor Crawford Park, onto Bridge Street, and eventually to the Footbridge.

The map/brochure, designed by Margot Carpenter at Hartdale Maps, with by Dan Avener, can be printed from this link:

PASTE THIS LINK IN YOUR BROWSER:http://belfastbaywatershed.org/resources/belfintownnatcomb.pdf

Things to do Outside

In this time of COVID-19, with the danger of meeting indoors, there are plenty of ways to get outside and enjoy the coming of Spring in the Belfast Bay watershed. We need to dress for and be wary of ticks, and we need to maintain social distance from any other people we meet on trails, but we can still enjoy being out in the fresh air and sunshine.

Following is a list of parks and trails in the area -

Belfast City Parks https://www.cityofbelfast.org/173/Parks-Facilities
Belfast Footbridge and Harbor Walk to Boathouse and beach https://www.belfastmaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/HarborWalkInfo.pdf
Belfast Rail Trail http://belfastbaywatershed.org/trail-guides.php
Little River Community Trail http://belfastbaywatershed.org/trail-guides.php
In-Town Nature Trail. Map/brochures available at the Footbridge kiosk and on a pole at The Muck. http://belfastbaywatershed.org/trail-guides.php
Hills to Sea Trail http://belfastbaywatershed.org/trail-guides.php
Sears Island in Searsport https://friendsofsearsisland.org/
Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=33
Trails on Coastal Mountains Land Trust preserves in Prospect, Stockton Springs, Searsport, Belfast, Swanville, Northport, Lincolnville, Camden, Rockport. https://www.coastalmountains.org/get-outside
Trails on Georges River Land Trust preserves in Liberty, Montville, Searsmont, Appleton, Union, Warren, Thomaston, Rockport http://www.georgesriver.org/preserves-trails/
Trails on Midcoast Conservancy Land Trust preserves, Waldo, Lincoln, Kennebec counties https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/explore/land-water-trails/
Moose Point State Park, Searsport https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=19
Camden Hills State Park https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/camden-hills-state-park-interior-trail-network
Sandy Point Beach, Stockton Springs. https://mainebyfoot.com/sandy-point-beach-stockton-springs/

Activities we can do while outdoors-

Keep a bird list of new bird arrivals with dates. Migration time is March-June. Report rare sightings to https://ebird.org/alerts
Birding destinations http://belfastbaywatershed.org/trail-guides.php
Listen and learn the songs unique to each bird species.
Keep a nature journal of sightings and sketches.
Become a backyard naturalist and get to know as many species of animals and plants in your yard or neighborhood as you can.
Take photographs of what you see and send to iNaturalist Nature Challenge https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020
Listen for frogs singing from March through June. To help acquaint you: https://musicofnature.com/calls-of-frogs-and-toads-of-the-northeast/
Visit a Little Free Library near you. Borrow or swap books. https://www.waldoreads.com/waldo-county-literacy-volunteers-community/little-libraries/locations
Download and print nature coloring pages at https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0374/5921/files/Brainstorm_Coloring_Sheets_-_Natural_Elements.pdf?v=1584408130

Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition

Welcome to the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition

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WATERSHED NEWSLETTER INSIDE!

SIX GREAT SPRING 2021

INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMS