Hunter safety class, 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Community Center, 39 Poulin Drive, Skowhegan. Sponsored by Skowhegan Parks and Recreation; instructors are from the Skowhegan Sportsman’s Club. To register, call Russ Corson at 474-5361. Bring lunch for Saturday.

Winter Walks, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, 9:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, and Jan. 13, 20 and 27. Full moon hikes are planned for Jan. 17, Feb. 15 and March 18. A $5 donation is suggested. Please pre-register, especially if you want to rent snowshoes. Visit www.hvnc.org, call 586-6752 or e-mail waywards@hotmail.com for more information and reservations.

Additional Photos

The Greater Lovell Land Trust’s first winter walk of the season will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Heald and Bradley Pond Reserve in Lovell. Land trust docents will lead the exploration of the winter landscape. The walk is free and suitable for the entire family; pre-registration is not required. Participants are encouraged to dress for cold weather and to bring a snack and water. Snowshoes are highly recommended. In case of inclement weather, call 925-1056 to confirm the program. Participants will meet at the Flat Hill Parking lot at the end of Heald Pond Road. Courtesy photo

Looking ahead

Full Moon Ski, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Long Pond, Belgrade. Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance. Free. Please preregister by calling 495-6039. 

The Kennebec Land Trust invites the public to explore the Curtis Homestead Conservation Area in Leeds from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 23. Bring cross-country skis, snowshoes and sleds. Volunteers will be available to help beginners with skiing or snowshoeing. Hot chocolate and snacks will be served around a bonfire. For more information, call 377-2848. 

NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 5, Cabela’s, Scarborough. Sponsored by Western Maine Property Protection. Shooting will take place in indoor heated range. Cost is $125 per person, or $100 for a couple, which includes all course materials and the use of all firearms and ammunition. Lunch will be provided. This course meets concealed weapon permit requirements. Register by Jan. 29; call 739-9774 or e-mail westernmaineproperty protection@yahoo.com. 

Upland Game Banquet, Feb. 5, sponsored by the Covered Bridge chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, at Keeley the Caterer in Portland. The dinner will celebrate the Maine upland bird hunt and will include raffles and an auction. Proceeds will support habitat improvement projects. For information and tickets, call Robb at 926-5392.

Hiking and snowshoeing, 10 a.m. Feb. 12, Perkins Woods in Wayne. Kennebec Land Trust stewards Stan and Jane Davis will host the event. The includes a majestic stand of white pines and hemlocks, pitch pines and 2,700 feet of shoreline on the Androscoggin Lake. For more information or directions call the trust at 377-2848. 

Ongoing

Portland Trails Winter Walk series, 8:45 to 10 a.m. selected Saturdays: East End Walk on Jan. 8; Fore River Sanctuary on Jan. 15; Evergreen Cemetery on Jan. 29; Fore River Trail on Feb. 5; Presumpscot River Preserve on Feb. 19; Riverton Trolley Park on March 5; Presumpscot River Trail on March 19. Please register for any walk by e-mailing info@trails.org or calling 775-2411. Portland Trails has snowshoes available (free for members, $5/non-members) that can be reserved. For more information or to check on weather cancellations go to www.trails.org. 

The Portland Water District invites preschoolers to join it for environmentally themed stories, activities and crafts. The sessions include: the Wonders of Water, Jan. 21; Incredible Insects, Feb. 18; Plants and Their Parts, March 18; Fun with Frogs, April 15. Programs run 10 a.m. to noon at the Sebago Lake Ecology Center in Standish. To register, e-mail sebagolake@pwd.org or call 774-5961, ext. 3319 or 3320. Donation supports loon preservation. Scholarships available and snacks provided.

Weekly Bird Walk, 7 a.m. Thursdays at Gilsland Farm, off Route One, Falmouth, $5 for Maine Audubon members, $8 for nonmembers. Bring binoculars and a field guide and meet in the visitor center parking lot. Call 781-2330, ext. 209 for more information.

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