Portland Public Schools (PPS) recently announced the content completion and implementation of a Wabanaki Studies curriculum, for which fieldwork is a key component. “In 2001, Maine passed a landmark law — An Act to Require Teaching of Maine Native American History and Culture in Maine Schools (Chapter 403, Title 20-A MRSA 4706). Commonly known as […]
Gilsland Farm
A Phenomenal Lineup for November 13!
We are thrilled to announce the slate of presenters for the next installment of Phenomenal: Fall 2025, our bi-annual storytelling event. Join us for a cozy and entertaining evening of live storytelling focused on nature’s many magical responses to the onset of winter. In mid-November, we’re adjusting to shorter daylight hours during which views have […]
Birdability Week 2025! Events and a Fun Birding Volunteer Opportunity
Maine Audubon is committed to helping everyone get outside to enjoy wildlife, but it’s easier for some than others. Those with disabilities, health concerns, or other accessibility issues may have a much harder time. A lack of information about the relative accessibility of different outdoor sites is part of the problem. We’re working this October […]
See you later, summer campers!
Back-to-school sales seem to have started in July this year, so we’ll have to look for a few other signs that summer is winding down: goldenrod blooming everywhere, cooler mornings, and woodchucks munching on a few early windfall apples. At Maine Audubon, that of course means the end of our summer camp season. But before […]
Gilsland Farm: Trail closed for Emerald Ash Borer study
If you’re walking the mowed paths of the West Meadow at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, you may notice a few Trail Closure signs. These signs have been added because Maine Audubon is experiencing a change among the trees that many other places in the country are also seeing. As visitors and readers of our various […]
Pollinator Parade Celebrates 10 Years!
Local families, including pollinator enthusiasts of all ages, will gather at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm on Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 1 pm, for the 10th annual Pollinator Parade and Picnic, to honor the winged species essential to our ecosystems. Since 2015, Birth Roots and Maine Audubon have partnered to raise awareness about the […]
Fiddlehead, Ostrich, and Cinnamon: All about Ferns!
Ferns might be my favorite plant group. Many share a recognizable morphology—a “ferny” look—yet they’re a class of plants with gorgeous structural diversity. Yesterday I took a walk at Gilsland Farm with a macro lens to see what species were up. I bumped into a fern about forty-five seconds after leaving the Visitor Center. The […]
Pollinator Spotlight: Solitary Bees
We’re using the time leading up to the 10th anniversary Pollinator Parade, hosted at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center on May 10, to highlight a few of our favorite pollinator species! If you have tickets to the parade, consider this some extra costume inspiration. And even if you can’t attend, we hope these posts will help […]
Building for Barn Swallows
In my years of regular birding at Gilsland Farm, I’ve seen several species come, and others go, as breeders on the landscape. These changes are generally caused by changing habitat compositions and of course our warming climate, which has caused historically southern species to now nest here. We typically think of nesting habitats as the […]