IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

The East Coast Greenway is a developing trail and transformative vision, with the aim of creating nearly 3,000 miles of safe, off-road routes that connect Maine to Florida for biking, walking, and rolling. Join us to explore the current state of the Greenway in Maine, with a focus on the existing route in Lewiston, and to learn about exciting plans for future expansion into Auburn and statewide improvements. We'll also share stories of inspirational through-travelers and provide tips on how you can access the Greenway locally for multi-use recreation and sustainable transportation.

Based in Maine, Emily Paskewicz joined the East Coast Greenway Alliance in 2024 as its Northern New England Manager. In this role, Emily carries region-wide responsibilities for all aspects of Greenway development, advocacy and state committee and volunteer engagement. She supports communities along the route in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts as they plan, build and maintain sections of the Greenway.

Zoom and in person at APL

Lindsay will join us via Zoom. Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may either Zoom in from home or come to the library to watch the presentation on the big screen.

Lindsay Ware will introduce us to the work of Science Dogs of New England, an organization that trains both dogs and their human handlers to use the superior scent-detection abilities of dogs for low-impact conservation and research work. The presentation will include a video of the dogs working on important environmental research. 

Lindsay has partnered with dogs for conservation purposes since 2011, when she began training dogs to find mortally wounded large game animals for hunters. Passionate about wildlife and conservation from a young age, Lindsay earned her B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Unity College, and her M.S. in Biology from the University of Western Ontario. She spent many years traveling the U.S. and Canada working as a wildlife research technician for several government and non-profit agencies.

IN-PERSON at L-A Metro Chamber of Commerce (415 Lisbon Street, Suite 100, Lewiston, ME)

When we think of plants and botany, many of us think first of flowers, but there is a whole world of non-flowering plants out there. These include lichens, liverworts, mosses, clubmosses, horsetails, ferns and conifers. This course will cover the basic structures, functions, ecological relationships, and taxonomy of this diverse group of organisms, including an introduction to the specialized vocabulary used to study them. The course is primarily taught with PowerPoint but will include live and preserved specimens from each group. An optional field trip on a weekend day will be scheduled near the end of the course.

Jeff Pengel was trained as a geologist and botanist and holds degrees in Natural Science and Secondary Education. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide, a Maine Master Naturalist instructor, and an Appalachian Mountain Club volunteer naturalist. Jeff has worked as geologist, high school science teacher, outdoor educator, and park ranger but has spent most of his career in IT and project management.

IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

In this class students learn the basics of bird watching. Topics include useful equipment (binoculars, guidebooks, cell phone apps), desirable skills (identification by visual field marks or by songs and calls), accounts of some of the common birds in the area and major categories of birds, productive locations and seasons for birding in Maine, and finally a discussion of the joys and satisfactions of watching birds.

Loring Danforth is a retired professor who taught at Bates College for many years. He has been an active birder for 40 years and has birded extensively in Maine and in other areas around the world.

IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

Astronomers are the 'canaries in the coalmine' and leaders in addressing a number of new and major environmental issues. Light pollution, space crowding and space debris, and climate change are all connected with our disciplines. As individuals and communities, we can make a difference - but only if we know what the issues are and how to address them. The documentary film, Defending the Dark, tells the story of our work combatting light pollution and protecting the dark skies of northern Maine, with lessons that can be applied anywhere. Our workshop and presentation will discuss these and other environmental issues that we can, and must, address.

Douglas Arion, PhD is the director of Mountains of Stars, a public science outreach and education program that engages the public with 'environmental awareness from a cosmic perspective,’ is Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy and Donald D. Hedberg Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Entrepreneurial Studies at Carthage College, and has been a leader in many astronomy educational programs. Arion led the effort to create the AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park, which protects over 100,000 acres in Maine – the last substantial dark sky region in the eastern 2/3 of the US. He produced Defending the Dark, a documentary on dark skies in Maine that has been shown on PBS across the US and at several major film festivals. Among his many awards and honors is Dark Sky Defender Award from the International Dark Sky Association.

IN PERSON at BEAVER PARK (all participants will be asked to complete a Liability Release and Emergency Contact Forms prior to the walk)

A guided nature walk to explore spring birds, wildflowers, and any other interesting finds we encounter.

(The Walk will be held at Beaver Park, Lisbon, ME. Located on Cotton Rd., off of Pinewoods Road. Trails are level and wide. Meet at large main parking lot on the left by the big field just beyond main gate. Meet at 9 am, walk will end by 11 am, participants may leave at any time. No entry fee required. Bring binoculars if you have them.)

Rain date - Thursday, May 29

Alan is a Maine Master Naturalist and a lifelong science and nature enthusiast. Linda enjoys sharing her lifelong love and knowledge of birds with others.