Friends From The Field Webinars

The Secret Lives of Beavers

Co-hosted Webinar Series with Blue Hill Heritage Trust

Thursday, August 20th, 4:00-5:00 pm 

 

Beavers are incredibly social creatures who are second only to humans in their ability to manipulate and construct their environment to suit their needs. In this presentation, we will talk a little bit about the history of beavers in North America, as well as take a small peek into their natural history and their “personal lives” within their lodges. Join us to learn a little more about these amazing and endearing animals!
Sandra Mitchell is a wildlife rehabilitator and Maine Master Naturalist who holds a special place in her heart for these little construction experts and enjoys sharing a small window into their lives.
This is the 16th in our webinar series co-hosted by BHHT and Island Heritage Trust, featuring local naturalists, professionals from environmentally focused organizations, and outdoor learning experts to share their knowledge, virtually, during a time when we can’t all be out in the field together.
The webinars take place LIVE every Thursday from 4-5pm! We will record the webinar so that if you wish to view it but can’t participate at that time, the presentation will be available to you on our websites and social media.
Click the link below to REGISTER for this webinar:

Friends From The Field Webinars

Upwest & Downeast: Meandering the Maine Coast by Sea Kayak

Co-hosted Webinar Series with Blue Hill Heritage Trust

Thursday, August 13th, 4:00-5:00 pm 

 

In the summer of 2017, Michael & Rebecca Daugherty took the summer off from their jobs as sea kayak guides to live out of their kayaks along the coast of Maine for nearly two months, starting from Deer Isle and twice paddling the stretch of coast between Portland and Canada. Their experience is documented in a new book, a travel narrative written by Michael, and illustrated with relief prints by Rebecca. They will share excerpts and images from the book and Rebecca will talk about her process of painting and drawing on islands and turning those ideas into prints. For the Q&A they’re happy to answer everything you ever wanted to know about kayaking but were afraid to ask.
This is the 15th in our webinar series co-hosted by BHHT and Island Heritage Trust, featuring local naturalists, professionals from environmentally focused organizations, and outdoor learning experts to share their knowledge, virtually, during a time when we can’t all be out in the field together.
The webinars take place LIVE every Thursday from 4-5 pm! We will record the webinar so that if you wish to view it but can’t participate at that time, the presentation will be available to you on our websites and social media.
Click the link below to REGISTER for this webinar:

Friends From The Field Webinars

Co-hosted Webinar Series with Blue Hill Heritage Trust

Updated Schedule and Registration for the Summer

 

July 2nd: Stone Walls of Maine: Stone walls are windows through which we can learn about human history and natural history. Maine Master Naturalist Cheryl Laz will help us understand why there are so many stones and stone walls in Maine, as well as what the walls and surrounding terrain can tell us about the human settlement and land use. We will also examine the role of stone walls in the natural landscape as a habitat for animals and plants.

 

Stone-Wall-References.pdf

Recording of Webinar

 

July 9th: Old Maps, GPS and GIS Ways to Visualize, Navigate and Document – Join Deer Isle resident, Dr. Norbert (Bert) E. Yankielun, P.E. former researcher for the U.S Army Cold Regions Laboratory who specialized in sub-surface instrumentation research for a webinar presentation. This is a non-technical, and hopefully, enlightening and entertaining presentation that examines use of readily available, open-source, digital historical maps and imagery of Deer Isle to better visualize the terrain, environment, and cultural transformations that have historically occurred in our community from 1776 to present. After this presentation, you’ll never look at your local surroundings in the same
way!

Registration

July 16th: Integrating Science into Art – Join Barbara Putnam for a Friends from the Field Webinar and learn why this artist/teacher chose to integrate science into her art and how she challenges her students to do the same. Barbara will share her presentation from an International Conference in Spain, including the work of students at St. Mark’s School. She will touch base on what problems Marine mammals face in the Mediterranean and problems faced by the scientists who study them.

Registration

July 23rd: Secrets of Snake Sex –Snakes are enigmatic vertebrates whose secret lives have fascinated biologists for centuries. The common garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, is a Rosetta stone of sorts that has allowed researchers to decipher the ins and outs of all-things-snake-sex. In this talk, Dr. M. Rockwell Parker will focus on the world-famous breeding aggregations of garter snakes that we study in Manitoba, Canada. He will also describe how their research at James Madison University is illuminating the rules by which sexual odors (pheromones) are turned up, down, on, and off in these fascinating and terribly underappreciated snakes.
This is the 12th in our webinar series co-hosted by BHHT and Island Heritage Trust, featuring local naturalists, professionals from environmentally focused organizations, and outdoor learning experts to share their knowledge, virtually, during a time when we can’t all be out in the field together.
The webinars take place LIVE every Thursday from 4-5 pm! We will record the webinar so that if you wish to view it but can’t participate at that time, the presentation will be available to you on our websites and social media.
Click the link below to REGISTER for this webinar:

Registration 

July 30th: Why Use Native Plants in the Garden? – Native Gardens of Blue Hill cofounders, Cathy Rees and Avy Claire, will discuss their motivations for creating a garden of plants native to Maine. The talk will outline the challenges and potential of the site and how to find the right plant for the right place. It will provide strategies that listeners can use to incorporate natives into their home gardens.

Registration

 

MORE TO COME FOR AUGUST!

DON’T LEAVE THE LIGHT ON!

The caterpillars of the invasive browntail moths have irritating hairs which can cause rashes and breathing problems for sensitive people.
 
From Maine.gov:
• There is a possibility of adult moths picking up the toxic hairs from the caterpillar stage as the moths emerge from their cocoons; however, the brown hairs on the abdomen are not the toxic hairs.
• The caterpillars, pupal cocoons, and shed skins have the toxic hairs that can cause a skin rash.
• The hairs on the adult moths are not toxic and do not cause a skin rash.
 
Most moth species are valuable pollinators and food for our spring nesting songbirds. So how do you know if you have the invasive browntail moths? See the brown tuft at the rear?
 
For the next week or so don’t leave lights on overnight to attract the adults to your neighborhood.
Next winter you will want to be vigilant about removing the winter nests.
 
A big “Thank You” to Marnie Reed Crowell for her efforts to educate our community about this invasive species.
 

WEBINAR: Seaweed Biology, Natural History, Edibility, and Art!

 

Join Hannah Webber, Marine Ecology Program Director for Schoodic Institute and BHHT board member. She will take us on a virtual tour of seaweed at both BHHT and Island Heritage Trust properties and teach us about identification, natural history, biology, debility, and even how to make art with this amazing local life form!

This is the 7th in our webinar series co-hosted by BHHT and Island Heritage Trust, featuring local naturalists, professionals from environmentally focused organizations, and outdoor learning experts to share their knowledge, virtually, during a time when we can’t all be out in the field together.

The webinars take place LIVE every Thursday from 4-5 pm! We will record the webinar so that if you wish to view it but can’t participate at that time, the presentation will be available to you on our websites and social media.

Click the link below to REGISTER for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EOjRDyYrSVGb0a8SM9oIRA

Webinar: Sustainable Foraging with Brighid Doherty

May 28th: Sustainable Foraging with Brighid Doherty, founder of The Solidago School of Herbalism – The intrigue around harvesting wild medicinal plants is ever-growing.  It is important to know how to harvest wild plants in ways that support their populations.  We are currently putting many medicinal and edible wild plants at risk of endangerment from over-harvesting and poor wildcrafting techniques.  Learn how to tend wild populations of medicinal plants, so future generations may also benefit from their gifts.  Learn what plants are safe to harvest from the wild and what plants are endangered.  This is information anyone who works with wild plants needs to know.

Registration

COVID-19 UPDATE

We will continue to update this page as necessary with new information. Check our events calendar HERE.

Heritage House is closed to the public, and the staff is working from home until further notice. We will check phone messages every day, but emailing iht@islandheritagetrust.org with any questions or concerns is the best option. Thank you for understanding.

  • Get outside for physical and mental wellbeing, but do it safely
  • While getting outside, please follow the CDC guidelines for health and safety. PLEASE, DO NOT go for a walk if you are exhibiting symptoms. Clear recommendations can be found here.
  • When you visit a preserve, always have a plan B and C if you arrive at a full parking area. View preserve and access information here.
  • You will notice the below sign posted at our trailheads, for everyone’s safety please do not use the sign in box and there are no brochures available at this time. Regional trail guides are available for free on our office door at 420 Sunset Rd. Deer Isle.
  • We request that dog owners to keep pets leashed in order to better prevent close contact interactions.

Library Talk: Intertidal Zones

Join Island Heritage Trust’s Environmental Educator, Martha Bell, to explore

Deer Isle/Stonington’s intertidal zones.

This pre-recorded educational video is scheduled to premiere on our youtube page, Tuesday, May 12th at 4:30pm.

 

Part 1: Reach Beach

Part 2: Salt Marsh

Questions? Email: jmccarty@islandheritagetrust.org

Evergreen Medicine

Come for a virtual medicinal evergreen walk with local herbalist, Brighid Doherty at Pine Hill Preserve. The walk will focus on the health benefits of a variety of evergreen trees including Pine, Cedar, Juniper, and Spruce. We will also look for spring medicinal weeds that may be sprouting, along the way. All ages are welcome!

 

For More Info: https://www.solidagoherbschool.com/

Monthly Nature and Bird Walk – May

We hope you enjoy this early May nature and bird walk with our Executive Director, Paul Miller. We will be pre-recording and sharing our monthly nature and bird walks with you on facebook, youtube, and our IHT website until we can walk together again. ENJOY!

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW OR HEARD IN THIS VIDEO…

BIRDS: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/

Ruffed Grouse:

Yellow-rumped Warbler: 

Pileated Woodpecker: 

Black-capped Chickadee: 

White-throated Sparrow: 

Ring-billed Gull: 

Herring Gull:

Bufflehead: 

Red-breasted Merganser: 

Common Loon: 

Common Merganser: 

 

PLANTS ‘Go Botany’: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org 

American trout-lily: 

Canada-mayflower: 

Common strawberry: 

American dog violet: 

OR

Wooly blue violet: