Fall Migration Bird Walk, 7:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Great Pond Mountain Wildlands in Orland. Michael Good, president of Down East Nature Tours in Bar Harbor and founder of the Acadia Birding Festival, will lead the walk. Meet at the Wildlands south gate on Route 1 (just south of the Route 176 intersection). The walk will last two hours. Bring binoculars, water, sturdy footwear, snacks and bug repellant. Call 469-2008 or e-mail cheri@greatpondtrust.org for information and to pre-register. 

The Skowhegan Sportsman Club will hold a concealed carry handgun class on Saturday. This is a basic pistol shooting course. Call Don Perrine at 660-6382 to register. 

Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants, presented by Kennebec Land Trust and Longfellow’s Greenhouses, at Longfellow’s in Manchester on Saturday. Using native plants to protect water quality, 9-9:45 a.m.; Why landscape with native plants? 10-10:45 a.m.; Feeding the birds: Native plants for food, cover & nesting, 11-11:45 a.m.; Proper planting methods for your new native shrubs & trees, 9 a.m.-noon. For more information, call 377-2848 or go online to www.tklt.org. 

Stargazing party, 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Orland. Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust and Penobscot Valley Star Gazers Club. Meet at south gate of the Great Pond Mountain Wildlands on Route 1 (just south of the Route 176 intersection). Bring a blanket or light chair, binoculars, star charts, telescopes, planispheres and any other astronomical gear. Rain/cloud date is Oct. 9; check online at greatpondtrust.org, e-mail info@greatpondtrust.org or call 469-2008 for weather updates or more info. 

Wilderness first aid/CPR training weekend, Friday through Sunday, Appalachian Mountain Club Knubble Bay Camp, Georgetown. Learn a pragmatic approach to treating injuries and managing emergency situations in the backcountry. Upon completion participants will receive SOLO, WFA and AHA CPR certificates. Lodging and three meals. Cost will depend on number of participants. Call Gail Fensom at (603) 244-2500 or e-mail gailrond@comcast.net. 

Maine Lighthouse Ride, sponsored by Eastern Trail Alliance, Saturday at Southern Maine Community College in South Portand. Ride options include a 25-mile ride, a 40-mile look, a 62-mile metric century and a 100-mile loop. For more information or to register, visit www.EasternTrail.org or call 284-9260. Registration is $60.

Looking ahead

Handgun safety course, the Sportsman’s BARR in Gardiner, 6-9 p.m. Sept. 14. This class fulfills the requirements for a safety course before applying for a concealed firearms permit. Cost of the class is $50. For more information call 588-0888. 

The Chewonki Foundation will host the following wilderness retreats at its sporting camp on Fourth Debsconeag Lake near Greenville: The Wilderness Yoga Retreat with Lisa Maxwell will take place on Sept. 16-19; the Wilderness Artist Retreat with Colin Page will take place Sept. 27-Oct. 1. For more information, call 882-7323. 

“What can we learn from the mud?” 9-11 a.m. Sept. 18. Kennebec Land Trust. Meet at the Wayne Elementary School at 9 a.m. for this program, which explores the impact of climate on landscape by examining wetland sediment cores in Muddy Pond.

Portland Volkswalk, 8:30 a.m. Sept. 19, 5- and 10-kilometer self-guided walks hosted by the Southern Maine Volkssport Association. Directions and map provided. Free. Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum, 58 Fore St., Portland. For more information, call Marilyn Russell, 632-7438. Rain or shine.

Inland Woods Trail opening celebration, 9-11 a.m. Sept. 25 (rain date: Oct. 9). Inland Hospital along with partners CeMeNEMBA, Kennebec Messalonskee Trails and Waterville Parks & Recreation invite the community to explore new and revitalized trails in the heart of Waterville now open to the public. The trail offers easy access to the adjoining 150-acre Pine Ridge Recreation Area. FMI: inlandhospital.org or 861-3292. 

Autumn sea kayaking weekend, Oct. 1-3, Appalachian Mountain Club Knubble Bay Camp, Georgetown. Wet suits/dry suits and good sea kayaking skills required. Lodging and three meals. $80 AMC members ($90 non-members). Call Gail Fensom at 603-244-2500 or e-mail gailrond@comcast.net. 

The Kennebec Land Trust will celebrate the release of the book, “Between Person and Place: Conservation Histories from the Kennebec Land Trust,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 2 at Sturtevant Farm Scenic Area in Fayette. For more information, call 377-2848 or go online to www.tklt.org. 

Kennebec Messalonskee Trails Hike and Mushroom Hunt, 1 p.m. Oct. 3, Messalonskee Stream Trail, Kennedy Memorial Drive, Oakland. Local mushrooming experts will lead a hike and give tips on collecting edible mushrooms. Please bring a brown paper bag for gathering. People of all ages welcome; held rain or shine. No charge but donations graciously accepted. FMI: www.kmtrails.org.

Ongoing

Weekly Bird Walk, Thursday mornings at Gilsland Farm, Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth, 7 a.m., $5 for Maine Audubon members, $8 for nonmembers. All skill levels. Bring binoculars and a field guide and meet in the visitor center parking lot. 781-2330, ext. 209.

The Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center offers canoe and kayak rentals from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends in September. For nonmembers, it is $16 per hour, $23 for an hour and a half and $30 for two hours. For Maine Audubon members, the price is $15 per hour, $22 for an hour and a half, and $29 for two hours. For more information call 883-5100 or visit www.maineaudubon.org/scarbmarsh.