Community Calendar

Step into STEM with us as we turn Maine Audubon at Fields Pond into a 230 acre science laboratory! This 6-week afterschool club will spark curiosity, nurture a love for the outdoors, and help discover how we can protect our planet—all while having tons of fall fun! This club combines outdoor exploration, guided hiking, and nature based experiments to deepen your students’ connection with the natural world. Sign up your 2nd-5th grader today!

While this is designed to be a drop off program for participating students, families are welcome to explore the trails or nature center at Fields Pond during the program if that is desired!

Preference is given to those who sign up for the series, please call the center to see if there are drop-in spots available. 207-989-2591

Natural Selection
We join Darwin on his voyage to the Galapagos Islands where he was inspired to develop his theory of transmutation by natural selection. From the comfort of Down House, Darwin himself will explain the mechanism of natural selection to the audience, and support it by showing examples in nature

Andri Snær Magnason is an Icelandic writer and documentary film maker born in Reykjavík in 1973. His work ranges from poetry to non-fiction, children's literature, science fiction, theater and documentary film. He has won the Icelandic literary Award in all categories. His work is published and performed in more than 40 languages and his one man show in the City Theater in Iceland had dozens of sold out performances. Magnason will explore what it means to be a writer seeking to express the true scale and scope of Climate Change. He will weave a story through family stories, myth and science to navigate and understand the scale of our shared global challenge.

The next program in the Rockport Public Library’s series in partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club, Maine Chapter, will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. The program entitled “Conservation in Our Community” will highlight nearly 40 years of conservation work by the Coastal Mountains Land Trust (CMLT). The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

CMLT Board President Jeff Davis and Senior Stewardship and Land Protection Manager Jack Shaida will share details on the work CMLT does across 16 towns, from Rockport to Prospect, and how conservation can be beneficial to communities in different ways. They’ll touch on land protection, stewardship, sustainability, and their Learning Landscapes Program, while answering overarching questions like: “What is a Land Trust?” and “How Do Conservation Easements Work?”

Witness the exciting changes fall brings and build your ecological literacy with Fields Pond Audubon Center’s Homeschool Naturalists program! Designed for children ages 6-14, this engaging series will start as a whole mixed age group, then break into age based investigation teams to dive deeper into that week’s theme!

Together, we’ll:

Study the magic behind fall leaves,
Explore fall seed dispersal and native plant life cycles
Study the role of naturalists in identifying trends and patterns in our natural world.
Learn how the local habitat prepares for the coming winter
And more!
Each session combines outdoor exploration, guided hiking, and nature journaling to deepen your connection with the natural world.

Come walk the native plant gardens at Ft. Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth as we get to know the character of this place in autumn.

This is the third of four walks, spaced throughout the year in each unique season, where we will all engage in observing and asking questions of our surroundings, and identifying the varied plants, shrubs, trees, ferns, and wildlife along the trail. Each season brings something new and spectacular to look at. The goal of these walks is to foster relationships with place through relationships with plants, and encourage further stewardship of our community spaces. We’ll focus on the Children’s Garden at Ft. Williams, a beautiful example of cultivated landscaping that centers native plant species.

Young children and their grown-ups are invited to spend an hour exploring nature together through stories, songs, art, and play. Ages 2-5, drop-ins may be available upon request, please call for availability.

Flies & Lies fly-tying group is open to anyone interested in fly tying and fly fishing. Meet at the Machias Savings Bank every other Sunday (twice per month) from October 6 to April 20 to promote fly fishing, conservation, and fun. Bring your own tools, materials and snacks.
For more information, contact Bob Bechtold Trichoptera42@gmail.com 207-288-4957 or go to https://downeasttu.org/ and Downeast TU on Facebook.

Rusty Rocket’s Last Blast
Join Rusty Rocket and his band of rocket rookies as they explore the solar system. Fly across Saturn’s rings, soar along a Martian canyon; delve deep into the solar interior!