Upcoming events
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Field Day & Fun Run at Rogers Farm
Sept. 6, 2025 | 10am-1pm
University of Maine Cooperative Extension hosts this fun event. Explore 30+ themed gardens, tastings, art in the garden, and more. The ½ mile Harvest Fun Run is for kids ages 12 & up. This is a free event.
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NGBH Fall Native Plant Sale
September 6, 2025 | 9am-noon
Native Gardens of Blue Hill hosts their semi-annual native plant sale with regional nurseries on site.
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Narraguagus Marsh Restoration Talk
Sept. 9, 2025 | 7-8pm
Downeast Salmon Federation hosts this talk held at the Milbridge Historical Society in Milbridge.
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Emerald Ash Borer DACF Update
Sept. 11, 2025 | 9:30am - noon
Maine Forest Service is presenting a Emerald Ash Borer update for cities and towns at the Belfast City Boathouse. How Communities can take measures to prepare for and respond to this destructive pest.
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Growing Great Garlic - Webinar
Sept. 16, 2025 | 6:00-7:15pm
This webinar will cover the essentials of growing your own garlic, from planting and care to harvest and storage. Participants will also learn how to identify and address common issues. $0-$15 fee with sliding scale.
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Maine Outdoor Film Fest Selects
Sept 18, 2025
Adventure and Conservation films from across Maine and around the world at the Alamo Theatre in Bucksport. In partnership with PRNEMBA and GPMCT Sustainable Single Track Committee.
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Maine Woodland Owners Day at the Common Ground Fair
Sept. 19-21, 2025 | 9am-4pm
Maine Woodland Owners will host a day of presentations including Tree Identification, Invasive Plants in Your Woods, and Fungi of Your Forest.
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Rare & Native Plant Guided Hike at Corea Heath
Sept. 22, 2025 | 12:00pm
Join Master Gardener volunteer, Lauren Landers, for a walk to learn about the native plants in Corea Heath, a 600-acre property encompassing wetlands, habitat for inland & coastal waterfowl and wading birds, and mixed forests of hardwoods, spruce, fir and jack pines.
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Preserving Ash, Protecting Traditions
Sept. 27, 2025 | 10am-4pm
Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust presents on the cultural and ecological significance of ash trees, and ow to manage emerald ash borer. Includes Wabanaki basketmaker demonstrations.
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Water Quality Volunteers
Ongoing Workshops
Help monitor water quality in Hancock County with ongoing workshops provided for volunteers by Lake Stewards of Maine with DEP.
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Backyard Rewilding
Ongoing CLC Program
Join our Rewilding program, made possible by the Davis Conservation Foundation, led by Tabatha White. Turn your backyard into a biodiverse haven for native species! Call 667-8663 to schedule a free site visit.
Get Involved
Our conservation work in Hancock County depends on community residents and organizations to support and contribute to it. We maintain a list of conservation-related opportunities that are organized by our partners, and, when possible, we organize events and volunteer opportunities that are specific to our soil and water projects. We invite you to join one or all of these opportunities to stay connected with conservation work in our community.
We also invite you to consider giving to our District. We accept donations of all sizes, and encourage you to reach out to us if you’re interested in partnering to accomplish and expand conservation goals. Please call us at 207.667.8663 or email hcswcdinfo@hancockcountyswcd.org for more information.
By providing Envirothon and other quality education programs to students today, we hope to ensure the continued value of Maine’s natural resources. Envirothon is aligned with Common Core Standards, the guiding principles for Maine’s education system.
Youth Engagement
Envirothon
What is Envirothon? A natural resource problem-solving competition for grades 9-12. In an outdoor setting, students are tested in five natural resource areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and a current national environmental issue. Envirothon is a team effort that includes site-specific, hands-on tasks. A team includes three to five students, an alternate, and an adult advisor. Regional and state competitions are held each spring. The top Maine team qualifies for the North American Envirothon finals, an opportunity to compete against teams from across the United States and Canada.
Why Envirothon? The State of Maine has a long history of natural resource use and management. Maine is 90% forested, has 6,000 lakes and ponds, 4,500 miles of mainland shoreline, and 32,000 miles of rivers and streams. We have an abundance of wildlife and fish, and agriculture continues to be an important resource. The Maine Association of Conservation Districts has a strong, shared commitment to preserving these natural landscapes.
Educational Farm Tours Program
The Educational Farm Tours Program was created to increase students’ access to local agriculture and agricultural education through tours, hands on activities and educational lessons. The hope is that these experiences will help foster a greater understanding of our food and fiber system as well as its importance in Hancock County.
Reimbursement is available once for each class/youth group per school calendar year as grant funds allow. Reimbursement is meant to cover the tour fee the farm charges the school/youth group.
The following farms participate in the Educational Farm Tours Program that is sponsored by the Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District. Each farm is unique in what it has to offer a visiting school or children’s group.
Please contact the individual farms directly for more information. If you would like your farm to be a part of the Educational Farm Tours Program, please contact the Hancock County SWCD office at 207-667-8663.