A Steward's Observations
By Ryan O'Neill
Stewardship Project Manager
| |
I love iNaturalist. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. It’s this amazing virtual gathering place for naturphiles to share and seek help in all things flora and fauna. I use it a lot in my day to day, mostly for identifying species I come across, but other times to just share cool finds and show off some rare or interesting species on our preserves. Last week I came across some ghost pipe, this stuff is so rad. It doesn’t contain any chlorophyll, the stuff that makes plants green, thus, they are ghost white. They also cannot be cultivated or planted from seed because of the special relationship they have with the mycorrhizal fungi network found in mature forests of oak, hemlock, et. Al. | |
|
After posting it, later that evening I received a message from a grad student at Purdue University studying the the insect plant relationship of thrips and ghost pipe. He wondered if I might sample some, and send it to the entomology center at Perdue. I thought, “this will make some great e-news material” and went back to responsibly sample some ghost pipe and lend an ecological hand!
Check me out on iNaturalist @ryanocmlt and don’t forget to click like and subscribe!
| |
Newman Preserve photo by Heather Daniels Pusey | |
Thursday, September 1
10:00 a.m.
Newman Preserve, Northport
| |
Join Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital’s Journey to Health program for a Happy Wanderers Hike at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 1st at the Newman Preserve in Northport. This will be an out and back hike totaling 2.2 miles of moderate hiking. The trail descends into woodland rich in wildlife and brings participants to the bank of pitcher pond.
How to get there: From Lincolnville Beach, take US-1 north 5.3 miles, then turn left onto Beech Hill Road in Northport. Follow Beech Hill Road 3.8 miles, passing over a hill, to a small parking lot on the right. The trailhead is on the opposite side of the road from the parking lot.
The Happy Wanderers meet on the first Thursday of each month at the trailhead of a Coastal Mountains Land Trust preserve. The hikes range in location from Rockport to Searsport. Each outing is led by a Coastal Mountains and Journey to Health staff member. We hope you can join us! Register here.
Full 2022 Happy Wanderers schedule
| |
Arts on the Hill: Gawler Family Band
Thursday, September 8
6:00 p.m.
Beech Hill Preserve
Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Arts on the Hill program brings the Gawler Family Band to Beech Hill Preserve as part of this popular summer concert series.
The Gawler Family is a fun-loving, folk-singing, fiddle-playing family from the heart of Maine. You don't want to miss this get up and dance show! Bring a picnic dinner, relax and enjoy music on top of the spectacularly beautiful Beech Hill.
All performances are free and open to all ages, but please leave your dogs at home.
Mazie Cox and Brinkley Thorne generously help underwrite the Arts on the Hill music series
| |
Kites & Ice Cream!!
Saturday, September 10
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport
Back by popular demand, Coastal Mountains Land Trust will host Kites and Ice Cream, an end of summer favorite! Come fly a kite on Saturday, September 10th from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport. This fun event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Free kites will be provided to registered children, along with a coupon for a complimentary ice cream cone (ice cream will also be for sale for all of you big kids). Please leave your pets at home for this child-packed day of fun.
Register your child here, or go to our website – coastalmountains.org – and look for the big pink Kites and Ice cream registration button! An adult must accompany participating children throughout the event. In the event of inclement weather, Kites & Ice cream will take place on Sunday, Sept. 18th.
| |
Calvatia Gigantea (Giant Puffball)
Photo by Roger Rittmaster
| |
Mycena Leaiana
Photo by Roger Rittmaster
| |
Coastal Mountains Nature Program walk
Mushrooms and Other Fungi
Saturday, September 17
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
St. Clair Preserve (Knights Pond), Northport
Coastal Mountains Nature Program presents Mushrooms and Other Fungi on Saturday, September 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the St. Clair Preserve (Knights Pond) in Northport. The popular Coastal Mountains Nature Program is a series of monthly naturalist-led walks and talks exploring the natural history of Mid-Coast Maine.
Dr. David Porter, emeritus professor of mycology at the University of Georgia, will share his broad and in-depth knowledge of mushrooms. During the first hour, after a brief demonstration of how to describe a mushroom and make spore prints, we will spread out to collect mushrooms along the trails in and around the St. Clair Preserve. During the second hour, we will meet in the parking lot to identify the mushrooms and talk about their biology and ecology.
DIRECTIONS
Take Route 1 to Northport, turn west on Beech Road for 2.3 miles, turn left on Knights Pond Road and drive 1.8 miles to the end.
| |
You are invited to our
2022 Annual Membership Meeting &
Volunteer Celebration
Tuesday, September 20
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Rockport Boat Club
4 Main Street, Rockport
Please join us for our annual end of summer gathering. Board and Staff of Coastal Mountains Land Trust are truly grateful for your generous support. Join us for dinner at the Rockport Boat Club, right on Rockport Harbor. This event is hands-down staff's favorite event of the season, as we gather with friends in celebration.
RSVP by September 13 to info@coastalmountains.org, or 207-236-7091
| |
Arts on the Hill: Mallett Trio
NEW DATE! Thursday, September 22
6:00 p.m.
Beech Hill Preserve
Stormy weather caused us to reschedule the Mallett concert last week - fingers crossed that the September date is smooth sailing! Maine's popular Mallett Brothers Trio will play at Beech Hill as part of Coastal Mountains Land Trust's Arts on the Hill outdoor music series. The Mallett Brothers Band is an independent rock and roll / Americana / country band from Maine. We couldn't fit the entire band on the hill, but we have the Mallett Brothers Trio!!
Please leave your dogs at home for this free event.
Mazie Cox and Brinkley Thorne generously help underwrite the Arts on the Hill music series.
| |
The "Thrill of the Hill" 5K-ish Race!
RACE RESULTS
Our first ever Beech Hill race was a smashing success! 43 runners came out for this inaugural race on one of the coolest courses around! Participants enjoyed the sun, scenic views, shaded trails, blueberry prizes, ice pops, tutus, and more. Thanks to all the runners and the volunteers - particularly the Search & Rescue folks - who made this morning such a memorable one.
| | | | |