 August 2022
Gimme Shelter! Ecological Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee at the Bigelow Reserve.
I?ve always been a bit of a science nerd. I won my high school?s Chemistry Award, and I love to measure things and analyze data. That?s probably why the state?s Ecological Reserves Monitoring program has always resonated with me. (And, of course, the sampling plots are in some of the most remote and scenic spots in the state.) I recently joined the Ecological Reserves Scientific Advisory Committee for a day-long field trip to the Bigelow Ecological Reserve. While dodging thunderstorms (unsuccessfully, I might add), we discussed plot sampling methods, carbon accumulation in soils, tree growth and mortality rates in managed vs. unmanaged forests, and how forests change over time. The hardwood stand we visited was one I had sampled in 2002 and 2012, which made me wonder if I have aged as gracefully as the stately old forest.
Maine?s Ecological Reserve Monitoring initiative, now in its third decade, has taught us a lot about how Maine forests work, and it?s just one of the dozens of research projects that the Bureau has supported on State Parks and Public Lands. In the last few months, I?ve reviewed research proposals related to air quality, background levels of PFAS in soils, the use of LIDAR (remote imagery) to map deer habitat, the relationship between ticks and small mammals, the application of tree DNA to investigate illegal logging, the climate change implications of ?cold air pooling? in mountain regions, bird migration patterns, and the vulnerability of high elevation red spruce stands. Notably, researchers approach us from across the country, recognizing the outstanding condition of Maine?s woods, wetlands, and waters. The research value of our Parks and Public Lands may be the most overlooked public service they provide.
~ Andy Cutko, Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
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The Brook Trail, on the Tumbledown Public Lands, is a popular 1.8-mile trail to Tumbledown Pond. This summer an?AmeriCorps Maine Conservation Corps? Field Team led by MCC Crew Leader Eli Fay has been working on improving the trail with a focus on creating structures of size and durability to withstand the high water flow and foot-traffic that the trail receives.
In just two weeks the MCC Field Team has set seven new stepping stones, built two large check steps while improving the drainage on existing check steps, and constructed two rock bar grade dips large enough to avoid being washed out or covered by runoff. They've?also cleared three blowdowns at the top of the trail.
In the upcoming weeks, the Field Team will begin what will likely be their season's largest project, a stone staircase totaling approximately 30 steps beginning about 1/2 a mile from the top of the Brook Trail. They will also add additional stepping stones at points along the trail where water has been pooling during the wet season.
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A newly constructed rock bar, for diverting water off-trail, on the Brook Trail at Tumbledown Public Land.
Please join us in thanking this Team, and all the MCC Field Teams, whenever you see them hard at work on the trails. And, consider becoming an MCC Field Team Member or join a field team at work as a volunteer.
Photos courtesy of Eli Fay, MCC Field Team Leader
~ Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist
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Camden Hills State Park's signature location is the scenic vista high atop Mt. Battie where sweeping views of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and surrounding islands await. On a clear day, visitors can see Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. It is this view that is to have inspired Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem Renascence and continues to inspire wonder today. Download the new Camden Hills State Park Guide & Map?to start planning your visit.
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Learn how to be shark smart this summer while visiting coastal beaches in Maine and New England.
Be Shark Smart
To stay safe and to protect wildlife:
- Follow lifeguard instructions, signs, and warning flags.
- Be aware that sharks hunt for seals in shallow water.
- Stay close to shore where rescuers can reach you.
- Swim, paddle, kayak, and surf in groups; and avoid splashing.
- Avoid seals and schools of fish.
- Avoid murky or low-visibility water.
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The 2023 Maine State Park Pass will go on sale on August 15, 2022. It is a great deal because the 2023 Park Pass is good for the remainder of 2022 and all of 2023; that's sixteen months for the price of twelve months!
Purchase your 2023 Park Pass at a Maine State Park. View the list of participating parks and their day-use fees.
Please note that Maine State Park Passes are:
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Not accepted at: Acadia National Park, Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Baxter State Park, Maine Wildlife Park, Peacock Beach, Penobscot Narrows Observatory, Penobscot River Corridor, Scarborough Beach, the Songo Lock, or Swan Island.
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For day-use only and does not include camping.
A Maine State Park Pass is your day-entry key to extraordinary locations and activities.
Photo: Row 1: Warren Island ranger cabin, xc-skiing at Mount Blue; Row 2: Adirondack shelter at Aroostook, sunset at Roque Bluffs State Parks.
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Bradbury Mt. State Park, Pownal
Camden Hills State Park, Camden
Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site, New Harbor
Ferry Beach State Park, Saco
Mount Blue State Park, Weld
Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, Freeport
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Have even more fun in the parks this summer. Become a Junior Ranger! Start by getting a Junior Ranger booklet at one of the 12 participating State Parks. Each park's Junior Ranger booklet is filled with fun activities to help you learn about the park's plants and animals, amazing history, and how you can help conserve and protect the park. And, each booklet explains how you can earn your Junior Ranger badge or patch! View all the Junior Ranger Program details and location information.?
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Jordan Parks, the 2022 Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visiting Artist, will begin an immersive experience in the Allagash on August 15. During the two-week stay, Jordan will be based out of the Waterway's Lock Dam Cabin and will spend time traveling the waterway and exploring the shoreline for artistic inspiration.
An Open Studio and Program will be offered on August 25 at the Chamberlain Bridge Ranger Station. Look for the details in a special bulletin that will be sent to newsletter subscribers in mid-August.
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Photo by Lauren Sophia and courtesy of Jordan Parks.
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Now through October, you can view iconic art on select trails in Maine. A collaboration of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's (DACF) Bureau of Parks and Lands, the Portland Museum of Art (PMA), and L.L.Bean to showcase over two dozen stunning reproductions of PMA's permanent collection in an exhibit titled, "Art Outside and On the Trail," the pieces are on display at these State Parks: Bradbury Mt., Scarborough Beach, Sebago Lake, and Wolfe's Neck Woods.?
"This display of artwork in our State Parks presents a unique opportunity for nature, culture, and art to come together for public benefit and enjoyment," said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. "This opportunity to create connections to the natural world through art in our State Parks is one we are truly excited to support."
"We are full believers that art is the heart of our communities, and we are proud to partner with L.L.Bean, Maine State Parks, and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens to bring reproductions from the PMA's collection beyond the museum and out into Maine's state parks, trails, and open spaces," said Mark Bessire, the Judy and Leonard Lauder Director of the Portland Museum of Art.?
This showcase of art, part of L.L.Bean's summer across Maine, features more than two-dozen paintings at five locations. Take a selfie with the art and you can get free admission to the PMA's Konkel Family Welcome Center. Check in at all five locations before October 31 to get a free family membership to the Portland Museum of Art. Read all the details at Art Outside and On the Trail.
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Send article suggestions or newsletter comments to?Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist, webmaster, and newsletter editor for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.
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