Saturday, May 21
9am
Join us at the Maine Lake Science Center on Willet Road for a morning of exploration of Stevens Brook and Willet Brook. We will be looking for macroinvertebrates: small insect life that live in the water, like baby dragonflies! Macroinvertebrates start their lives in streams and ponds and are an important part of these ecosystems. We will collect, identify and release the insect nymphs and learn about stream ecology and stream health right here in our backyard! Join us for this exciting and engaging morning in Pondicherry Park. Please bring water, a snack, appropriate footwear and whatever you use to keep the bugs off of you! Free for LEA members, $5 non-members. Registration is not required but please let us know if you are planning on coming so we have enough supplies! FYI: alanna@leamaine.org.
Friday, May 20 at 9am
Botany and Ornithology on the same day!
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Bluets[/caption]
The Holt Pond Preserve is a beautiful place with abundant plant and animal life. Last spring we offered a double subject walk that was a huge success. Not only did botany enthusiast Ursula Duve point out many different wildflowers but we also saw plenty of avian friends. The star of the show were a pair of scarlet tanagers who usually nest at Holt Pond every year. The flashes of red and yellow were unmistakable and all the participants got a good look.
Binoculars are necessary for the birding part of the walk, LEA has a couple extra pairs if you need to borrow some. A camera is recommended as it is a beautiful time of year and a nice place [caption id="attachment_8015" align="alignright" width="180"]
Ruby Crowned Kinglet[/caption]for pictures. Also the plants tend to stay still and not fly away, allowing for great photo opportunities. Participants will meet at the Holt Pond Preserve parking lot and are asked to wear comfortable walking shoes and long sleeved shirts and pants to combat the bugs. The walk will cover easy terrain and last approximately 2 hours. A snack and water are encouraged.
Registration is required for this event and there are limited spots available. Please register by contacting Mary Jewett at 207-647-8580 or email mary@leamaine.org. Directions to the preserve can be found by clicking here.
As with most LEA events members are given advanced sign up opportunities and free admission. Non-members who sign up early will be put on a waiting list and added to the "attending" list one week before the event. Non-members will be charged a $5 fee for this event. For questions about the sign up policy contact Mary at the email above. It's easy to join LEA and there is no minimum contribution amount. Just visit our website: https://mainelakes.pageuptoday.com/?page_id=207
Thank you to Hu and Ray Caplan for helping to fund this event. Dr. and Mrs. Caplan have been members and directors of LEA since the 1970's. Dr. Caplan was president from 1982-1990 and Mrs. Caplan was LEA's secretary from 1992-2006. The Caplans recognize the vital importance of education in all aspects of LEA's work.
Parents! We are looking for your input. Please help LEA to design new and exciting after school and summer programs! Take our parent survey!
The 20th Annual Maine Milfoil Summit
USM Lewiston-Auburn Campus, 51 Westminster Street, Lewiston
8:30 - Registration and Refreshments 9:00 - Welcome and Orientation – Colin Holme, LEA Executive Director 9:10 – Keynote – Dan Kelting, Paul Smiths College, Adirondack Watershed Institute's Invasive Aquatic Species Program 9:45 – Spacial Distribution of Variable Leaf Milfoil - Lucas Bernacki, Saint Joseph's College 10:15 - Break 10:30 – State IAS Program Updates - DEP -- John McPhedran & MDIFW -- Adam Gormely 10:45 - Big Lake – Invasive milfoil in Downeast Maine –Brad Richard -- Maine Warden Service, John Floyde -- Tucker Ridge Outdoors and Roberta Hill -- Lake Stewards of Maine 11:30-12:00 – Exhibit Hall/Lunch Announcements 12:00-1:00 - Concurrent Training Sessions - ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. 1:30-2:30 - Boat Inspection for BASS Clubs SESSION A - Courtesy Boat Inspector Training (12-1pm – Room 170) - It is MANDATORY that all organizations seeking DEP grants for boat inspection programs send at least one representative to this training. CBI shirts will only be available at the training for those who placed orders. Each lake is allowed three free shirts with multi–lake programs allowed five free shirts. The deadline for orders has passed. Organizations that did not place an online order will receive materials based on that which is available. The cost per extra shirt is $5 based on availability. CBI handbooks, stickers and brochures will be available along with the shirts. DEP staff and LEA’s Mary Jewett conduct the training. SESSION B - How to Lead an Invasive Plant Patrol Plant Paddle (12-1pm - Room 108) - Plant Paddles are short (1 to 2 hour) events that take place on shore and on the water. They provide a fun, informal way to introduce community members to the threat of invasive aquatic plants and the importance of early detection. These guided learning experiences are well-suited to community events such as lake days, civic group meetings, school outings, lake association meetings, etc. The Lake Stewards of Maine will provide an overview of what is involved in organizing and leading a Plant Paddle, and get you off to a good start in planning your own community event. Attendees will receive a packet of useful information, resources, and materials. Follow this link to register: For more information or to join the mailing list, email mary@mainelakes.pageuptoday.com or call LEA at 207–647–8580. Directions to 51 Westminster Street, Lewiston From the South (I-95) Take Exit 80 (formerly Exit 13). Take a left at the light and then take your first right, headed for Lisbon Falls. Turn left at the second stoplight (Maine Public Broadcasting will be on your left) onto Westminster Street. USM's Lewiston-Auburn Campus is towards the top of the hill on the right, after Ryder Truck. From the North (I-95) Take Exit 80 (formerly Exit 13). Bear right coming off the exit and then take your first right, headed for Lisbon Falls. Turn left at the second stoplight (Maine Public Broadcasting will be on your left) onto Westminster Street. USM's Lewiston-Auburn Campus is towards the top of the hill on the right, after Ryder Truck. From In Town Lewiston Take Canal Street to Lisbon Street toward Lisbon Falls. (Route 196).After going under the Maine Turnpike Underpass, turn left at the second stoplight onto Westminster Street. USM's Lewiston-Auburn Campus is towards the top of the hill on the right, after Ryder Truck. From Brunswick Take Route 196 to Lewiston. Turn right onto Westminster Street (across the street from the Tire Warehouse). USM's Lewiston-Auburn Campus is towards the top of the hill on the right, after Ryder Truck.
Education and advocacy are the tools we use to fulfill our mission of lake protection. But as an organization, we recognize the need for more research on our lakes. In response to this need, we have created the Maine Lakes Science Center. Plans are continuing to move forward on this dynamic project, which will not only provide a hub for research, but will also allow us to expand our educational capabilities. Activities have begun at the Center and we hope to have it fully operational by 2016. In the meantime, what exactly is the Maine Lake Science Center and why do we need it?
What is it?
The Maine Lake Science Center is located on a 16-acre parcel of land in Bridgton, abutting Pondicherry Park. An existing building on the site has been renovated to serve as researcher housing, a meeting room, laboratory, education center, and a welcome center for the park.
The Center will serve as a hub for world-class lake research by providing support to researchers in Maine and beyond who come to study our lakes. In addition, the property will allow us to expand our educational offerings by introducing field training and classroom work through an on-site educational center.
Why?
Forty-three years of work has led us to conclude that Maine lakes are degrading because of development in the watershed and climate change. The urgency to act is expressed best by this quote by the Maine Lakes Society: “Lake scientists estimate that we have less than two decades to make the changes required to preserve our lakes – or we will lose them forever.”
Maine lakes and their watersheds comprise much of the land area in a majority of Maine towns, yet few resources have been devoted to their study and protection. The Maine Lake Science Center will be a powerful voice for change throughout Maine and beyond. We view the Center as the next logical step in LEA’s development and a rare opportunity to accomplish our mission before irreversible damage is done.
How will it work?
The Science Center is a division of LEA that is governed by its own board of directors, the Lake Science Advisory Board. This board consists of university and college professors, scientists and lake managers from across the state and country. For more information about the board, view the Lake Science Advisory Board White Paper.
The Science Center works under the guidance of this board to actively pursue projects that will greatly enhance our understanding of water bodies in New England, using the lakes and ponds of our area as study sites. In this way, the breadth of knowledge in the field in general will grow, and at the same time LEA will acquire some of the most detailed information attainable on the lakes and ponds in this region.
The Center works closely with the academic community, other caretakers of lake and watershed study sites across the country, and non-profit organizations with similar goals. Projects will continue to be sought out that not only give us more information about our lakes and ecosystems but also on how people use, understand, and interact with them on all levels.
Map showing location of Maine Lake Science Center and proposed trail within Pondicherry Park.
