Summer is in full bloom at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Wildflowers are buzzing with pollinators, mushrooms are popping, and, yes, the humidity is socked in (though there are fresh rivers and ponds to cool off in!). We’re keeping pace with summer’s bloom and busy with many updates we’re eager to share with you today.
You’re invited to the 6th Anniversary Celebration! Registration is open for our 6th Anniversary Celebration of the designation of the monument on Saturday, August 27, at New England Outdoor Center in Millinocket. We can’t wait to gather as a community to celebrate our shared accomplishments and look forward to an exciting future. And, of course, to toast to our friends, summer, the monument and communities connected to it. Tickets are $25 per adult, and children 17 and under are free. There will be a live performance by Firefly the Hybrid (who delivered this amazing performance during the New Moon Teachings series), local food, Maine Beer Co. beer, daytime adventures, and more. Visit our Anniversary Celebration page for more details and to buy your tickets today.
*New* Birding Hotspot Map produced by Maine Audubon and Friends – All summer long, we’ve been working with our friends at Maine Audubon to highlight the national monument as a premier birding location and all-around some of the best access to the north woods in Maine. Following a fun and educational bird walk in the monument on June 26, we’ve teamed up to release this new Birding Hotspot Map, available on the Audubon website. For all you birders and wildlife observers, Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument is calling on community scientists to help them document the plants, animals, and insects that can be found in the monument and in the greater region. Current species checklists can be found on the monument website. eBird is the best place to share your bird lists and iNaturalist can be used for all plants and animals and is great if you have photos. When using eBird, please add lists to the specific locations within the monument.
Sometimes when you’re out looking for birds, you’ll find a moose! Photo courtesy of Nick Lund, Maine Audubon
Wabanaki Youth in Science (“WaYS”) – The WaYS group is back for their third summer at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Friends, NPS staff, and WaYS work together to establish procedures that sustain the program in addition to on-site, in-kind, and financial support from Friends. The WaYS crew works and learns in the monument and Acadia National Park. By bringing Cultural Knowledge and western science together while working on ancestral lands, crew members gain work experience through natural resources, cultural resources, and trail work projects. After two weeks at Acadia National Park, the crew has arrived at Katahdin Woods and Waters to work with NPS employees and education volunteers on natural resource projects. They have participated in water quality testing with Penobscot Department of Natural Resources and dragonfly-mercury sampling with NPS.
Maine Conservation Corps (“MCC”) Environmental Stewards – With thanks to the National Park Foundation Service Corps fund, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters has allocated funds to support two MCC Environmental Stewards who will help with NPS trail work this summer! One steward is here already and is working in the monument with Christopher “Dewey” Loft, Facility Manager at NPS, as their site supervisor.
Professional Development with Katahdin Learning Project – Katahdin Learning Project recently hosted two professional development opportunities for local educators and outdoors professionals. On June 28 and 29, we hosted the annual Teacher Camp to help educators implement place-based learning into their work. Ten teachers will be moving forward with community place based education projects in the region. On July 13 and 14, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Venture Team Leader, Nyle Sockbeson, and our own Elise Goplerud teamed up to facilitate a Leave No Trace trainer course for Katahdin region outdoor professionals. During these two days of hiking and camping, participants thoughtfully discussed wilderness ethics, low-impact recreation, and our role as outdoor educators. We practiced new techniques, tested out lessons and activities with each other, and, of course, no LNT trainer course is complete without a hilarious conversation on proper human waste management!
Ripple Effect – As Friends here in the Katahdin Region, we strive to amplify the work of our local, regional, and national colleagues, and bring news to you from Katahdin Woods and Waters and the communities connected to it. This month we’re highlighting recreational opportunities in the Katahdin Region!
Resources to visit Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Reach out for trip planning support from Friends’ staff – we’re here to help!
Bike Maine 2022: Lincoln – This year, the annual BikeMaine Weekend includes curated routes through the Katahdin region! Click here for registration (open through Aug 18) and more information for single-day rides or the full 3-day weekend. In addition to the daily rides, BikeMaine has worked with the town of Lincoln to schedule programming for the weekend including gravel rides, a farmers market, and a Maine Beer Company beer & wine garden. Registration for these programs can be found on the “Calendar” page of their website here.
Community Outdoor Fun – Katahdin Gear Library, Age Friendly Millinocket, Katahdin Area Trail, Millinocket Memorial Library, and OSI have teamed up to provide fun for local communities this summer. Each of the following programs meet weekly at the Katahdin Gear Library (215 Penobscot Ave, Millinocket): Women’s Trail Run is every Tuesday at 7am until Aug 16, the Group Mountain Bike Ride is every Wednesday at 6pm until Aug 17, and the Age-Friendly Community Walk is every Thursday at 8:30am until Aug 18! Learn more on the Katahdin Gear Library Facebook page.
Sponsor Spotlight – 6th Anniversary – This month, we’re sending extra-special thanks to the businesses and organizations supporting our 6th Anniversary Celebration next month!
Presenting sponsor Maine Beer Company
Katahdin sponsor Richardson’s Hardware
Lookout sponsors Bangor Daily News, Down East Magazine, Elliotsville Foundation, Inc., L.L.Bean, National Parks Conservation Association; Deasey Sponsors Burt’s Bees, Haley Ward, NEMO Equipment, New England Outdoor Center; Barnard sponsors F.A. Peabody, Katahdin Trust, Lee Auto Malls, Trust for Public Land; and Hathorn sponsors Appalachian Mountain Club, Bangor Savings Bank, Ellis Family Markets, Gideon Asen Law, Maine Audubon, and Natural Resources Council of Maine.
—This blog post was adapted from an email transmitted on July 14, 2022. To sign up for our email list, please email info@friendsofkww.org—
July eNewsletter
Posted: August 1, 2022 by Sarah Andre
Anniversary, Birding, WaYS, and more!
Summer is in full bloom at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Wildflowers are buzzing with pollinators, mushrooms are popping, and, yes, the humidity is socked in (though there are fresh rivers and ponds to cool off in!). We’re keeping pace with summer’s bloom and busy with many updates we’re eager to share with you today.
You’re invited to the 6th Anniversary Celebration! Registration is open for our 6th Anniversary Celebration of the designation of the monument on Saturday, August 27, at New England Outdoor Center in Millinocket. We can’t wait to gather as a community to celebrate our shared accomplishments and look forward to an exciting future. And, of course, to toast to our friends, summer, the monument and communities connected to it. Tickets are $25 per adult, and children 17 and under are free. There will be a live performance by Firefly the Hybrid (who delivered this amazing performance during the New Moon Teachings series), local food, Maine Beer Co. beer, daytime adventures, and more. Visit our Anniversary Celebration page for more details and to buy your tickets today.
*New* Birding Hotspot Map produced by Maine Audubon and Friends – All summer long, we’ve been working with our friends at Maine Audubon to highlight the national monument as a premier birding location and all-around some of the best access to the north woods in Maine. Following a fun and educational bird walk in the monument on June 26, we’ve teamed up to release this new Birding Hotspot Map, available on the Audubon website. For all you birders and wildlife observers, Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument is calling on community scientists to help them document the plants, animals, and insects that can be found in the monument and in the greater region. Current species checklists can be found on the monument website. eBird is the best place to share your bird lists and iNaturalist can be used for all plants and animals and is great if you have photos. When using eBird, please add lists to the specific locations within the monument.
Wabanaki Youth in Science (“WaYS”) – The WaYS group is back for their third summer at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Friends, NPS staff, and WaYS work together to establish procedures that sustain the program in addition to on-site, in-kind, and financial support from Friends. The WaYS crew works and learns in the monument and Acadia National Park. By bringing Cultural Knowledge and western science together while working on ancestral lands, crew members gain work experience through natural resources, cultural resources, and trail work projects. After two weeks at Acadia National Park, the crew has arrived at Katahdin Woods and Waters to work with NPS employees and education volunteers on natural resource projects. They have participated in water quality testing with Penobscot Department of Natural Resources and dragonfly-mercury sampling with NPS.
Maine Conservation Corps (“MCC”) Environmental Stewards – With thanks to the National Park Foundation Service Corps fund, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters has allocated funds to support two MCC Environmental Stewards who will help with NPS trail work this summer! One steward is here already and is working in the monument with Christopher “Dewey” Loft, Facility Manager at NPS, as their site supervisor.
Professional Development with Katahdin Learning Project – Katahdin Learning Project recently hosted two professional development opportunities for local educators and outdoors professionals. On June 28 and 29, we hosted the annual Teacher Camp to help educators implement place-based learning into their work. Ten teachers will be moving forward with community place based education projects in the region. On July 13 and 14, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Venture Team Leader, Nyle Sockbeson, and our own Elise Goplerud teamed up to facilitate a Leave No Trace trainer course for Katahdin region outdoor professionals. During these two days of hiking and camping, participants thoughtfully discussed wilderness ethics, low-impact recreation, and our role as outdoor educators. We practiced new techniques, tested out lessons and activities with each other, and, of course, no LNT trainer course is complete without a hilarious conversation on proper human waste management!
Ripple Effect – As Friends here in the Katahdin Region, we strive to amplify the work of our local, regional, and national colleagues, and bring news to you from Katahdin Woods and Waters and the communities connected to it. This month we’re highlighting recreational opportunities in the Katahdin Region!
Community Outdoor Fun – Katahdin Gear Library, Age Friendly Millinocket, Katahdin Area Trail, Millinocket Memorial Library, and OSI have teamed up to provide fun for local communities this summer. Each of the following programs meet weekly at the Katahdin Gear Library (215 Penobscot Ave, Millinocket): Women’s Trail Run is every Tuesday at 7am until Aug 16, the Group Mountain Bike Ride is every Wednesday at 6pm until Aug 17, and the Age-Friendly Community Walk is every Thursday at 8:30am until Aug 18! Learn more on the Katahdin Gear Library Facebook page.
Sponsor Spotlight – 6th Anniversary – This month, we’re sending extra-special thanks to the businesses and organizations supporting our 6th Anniversary Celebration next month!
Presenting sponsor Maine Beer Company
Lookout sponsors Bangor Daily News, Down East Magazine, Elliotsville Foundation, Inc., L.L.Bean, National Parks Conservation Association; Deasey Sponsors Burt’s Bees, Haley Ward, NEMO Equipment, New England Outdoor Center; Barnard sponsors F.A. Peabody, Katahdin Trust, Lee Auto Malls, Trust for Public Land; and Hathorn sponsors Appalachian Mountain Club, Bangor Savings Bank, Ellis Family Markets, Gideon Asen Law, Maine Audubon, and Natural Resources Council of Maine.
—This blog post was adapted from an email transmitted on July 14, 2022. To sign up for our email list, please email info@friendsofkww.org—
Category: eNewsletters and emails