FREEPORT

Wolfe’s Neck park offers programs through October

Guided nature programs, free with park admission, will be offered at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park through Oct. 31. The programs start at 2 p.m. at the benches by the second parking lot, weather permitting, and may include walks, short talks and activities in a beautiful natural setting.

Park admission is $1 for ages 5-11, $3 for Maine residents ages 12-64, $4.50 for nonresidents ages 12-64, $1.50 for nonresidents over 65; children under 5 and Maine residents over 65 get in free.

Here’s the program schedule:

• Today: Tree Hunt — Stop by the benches to get your papers for this fun, self-guiding hunt, and then come back afterwards to see how well you did. Wheelchair accessible.

• Monday: Nature Legends — Enjoy this short walk on the accessible path with stops for stories based on Wabanaki legends. Wheelchair accessible.

• Saturday: Fall Foliage Tour — Stroll through the forest on the accessible path to enjoy the beauty and learn about the changes happening around you. Wheelchair accessible.

• Oct. 17: Casco Bay Walk — Enjoy views of the rocky shore and islands in the bay on this 1-mile walk with the park manager.

• Oct. 30: Fall in the Forest — Fall is a great time to get to know the trees, and this program is a fun way to do it. Wheelchair accessible.

• Oct. 31: Stories in Stone — Learn the story of Maine’s rockbound coast on this walk with short talks and activities.

For more information, or to make reservations for group progams, call 865-4465.

HINCKLEY

Museum kicks off new ways to learn about forest bugs

A new Forest Insects Along the Trail program will be launched from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the L.C. Bates Museum.

Hands-on children’s activities will cover the beneficial insects, harmful insects and those that bite. This insect exploration will include indoor and outdoor activities, including a forest insect hike along the Dartmouth Trail that begins behind the museum.

In the museum, visitors can view a DVD about the life of the monarch butterfly, make a bug mask, use a large magnifying glass to look closely at amazing bug life, or draw a favorite bug.

The program will introduce two educational backpacks full of activities for families to use along the trail. The backpacks can be checked from the museum when it is open for use on the Good Will-Hinckley trails. A donation of $2.50 will be requested for using a backpack to help maintain the materials.

The new forest insect program will be available for groups at the museum or to be presented through outreach programs at schools.

The insect program and backpacks are made possible by support from a grant provided by the Maine Department of Conservation.

For more information, call 238-4250 or e-mail lcbates@gwh.org. The L.C. Bates Museum is located on Route 201 on the campus of Good Will-Hinckley.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children.

 

AUGUSTA

Firewood sales to benefit woodland owners group

Firewood purchases from the Hammond Forest in Rome can help sustain Maine’s working forest and support the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine.

Ron Dostie of Augusta will harvest 150-plus cords of firewood-quality hardwood to improve the growing conditions of a dense young forest along the Watson Pond Road. Orders for stove-length or tree-length firewood may be placed at 623-6414.

In 2000, Paul and Emily Hammond donated their family’s 200-acre woodlot to SWOAM to permanently protect the land. Adjacent to the 6,400-acre Kennebec Highlands preserve, the property includes walking trails, wildlife habitats and legacies of its agricultural past. The property is open to the public and one of SWOAM’s more than 20 similarly protected properties. Though a nonprofit organization, as a private landowner SWOAM pays property taxes on all such lands.

Based in Augusta, but strengthened by 10 chapters throughout the state, SWOAM strives to ensure that Maine’s forest resources are well managed to provide income, recreational opportunities, clean water, wildlife habitats and forest products for current and future generations of Mainers. SWOAM may be reached at www.swoam.org or by calling 626-0005.

WILTON

Tread Lightly! class to teach how to spread message

A Tread Lightly! trainer class will be held at the Wilton fire station from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24.

Tread Lightly! has been teaching responsible recreation and landowner respect nationally for 25 years, first as part of the U.S. Forest Service, then as a government and industry-sponsored nonprofit.

Anyone who wants to have a positive impact on continued, appropriate trail access should consider learning how to help spread the Tread Lightly! message as a Tread trainer. The cost of the class is $25.

For more information, call Steve Salisbury at 841.8434, e-mail ssalisburyktm@hotmail.com or go online to www.treadlightly.org.