The South Portland Land Trust has partnered with Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and SoPo Trees to offer free fruit trees available for land trust members during the land trust’s Earth Day Celebration.

Apple trees will be available after a MOFGA-run fruit tree grafting class at the South Portland Community Center on Sunday, April 23, concluding the land trust’s Earth Day Celebration.

Classes teach people how to reproduce their favorite apple tree varieties through grafting new small trees for planting. While the in-person class is currently sold out, there is a waitlist available and the association also offers an online version of the class.

SoPo Trees has been challenged finding places around the city to plant their trees and offers land trust members free apple trees.

SoPo Trees “would love for people to take this opportunity to directly positively impact their local community (and the environment and their yards) by planting these beautiful fruit trees,” said Andrew Fersch of SoPo Trees, in a March 19 press release.

South Portland Land Trust members can request up to eight trees by contacting Dana Bettez, SPLT membership and
engagement manager, via email at dana@sopolandtrust.org or by visiting southportlandlandtrust.org/EarthDay2023. Please include the number of trees sought for pick up, name, contact information, and address. One does not need to be signed up for
the grafting class to receive the trees.

According to Hillary Barter, Educational Programs Coordinator at Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, all varieties are well-suited to grow in Maine and will be heritage varieties–not your typical Granny Smiths or Red Delicious. Tree varieties will be hardy – they will do well with less care and are naturally more insect and disease-resistant–and will grow a range of different colors and apples for different uses. Applicants will be able to learn more and choose which varieties they’d like to take home. Many of the varieties available grow at the Maine Heritage Orchard at the association.

More information about the Maine Heritage Orchard is available at mofga.org/our-community/the-maine-heritage-orchard.

To learn more about South Portland Land Trust’s Earth Day Celebration and to sign up for the Fruit Tree Grafting waitlist, visit southportlandlandtrust.org/EarthDay2023. Other events throughout the weekend of April 22 include the trust’s annual Earth Day Citywide Clean Up, a Trout Brook Stream Walk, and a Dow’s Woods Nature Walk, along with a weekend-long photo contest with prizes from local businesses and organizations.

For more information, visit www.southportlandlandtrust.org.

Cape Elizabeth students win National Science Bowl regional competition

A team of high school students from Cape Elizabeth High School won their regional competition for the 2023 National Science Bowl this past weekend and will compete in the national finals this spring, the U.S. Department of Energy, who sponsors the event, announced March 20.

“The National Science Bowl is an extraordinary competition that brings together young minds across America through science and technology,” said Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, DOE Office of Science director, in an email, “and I would like to congratulate the Cape Elizabeth High School team as they advance to the National Finals. Good luck to you – our future scientists, visionaries, and leaders.”

The National Science Bowl brings together thousands of middle and high school students from across the country to compete in a fast-paced question-and-answer format where they solve technical problems and answer questions on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth and space sciences, physics, and math.

The winning team from each qualifying regional competition will be eligible to compete in the national finals held in Washington, D.C., from April 27 to May 1, with all expenses paid. The national event consists of several days of science activities and sightseeing, along with the competitions.

The top two middle and high school teams will win $5,000 for their schools’ math and science departments. Other schools placing in the top 16 in the National Finals will win $1,000 for their schools’ science departments. But to many, the ultimate prize is simply the prestige of winning the National Championship.

The National Science Bowl annually draws more than 14,000 middle and high school competitors. Since the first competition in 1991, approximately 335,000 students have faced off in the National Science Bowl finals.

Middle and high school student teams come from all across the country: large and small schools, urban and rural settings. Each team is composed of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. The competition tests the students on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, energy, and math. The Department of Energy Office of Science manages the National Science Bowl and sponsors the finals competition.

For more information, visit www.energy.gov/science.

SpringFest Gnome Drive is underway

South Portland – Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club announced March 2 that it has launched a Gnome Drive with a goal of providing every young person who attends the May 2023 SpringFest Community Celebration with a gnome.

Jim Britt, president of South Portland – Cape Elizabeth Rotary,  announced the Gnome Drive and “encouraged everyone to donate gnomes that need good homes.”

“Since we announced the 2023 SpringFest Community Celebration gnome theme, these little loveable little creatures have started to appear almost magically,” said Britt in an email. “When an inexpensive gnome spots you shopping at local gift shops or other retailers, buy that gnome and donate it to the SpringFest Gnome Drive. If lovingly cared for, gnomes live in your closets or boxes in storage, set them free by donating them to the Gnome Drive. All gnomes will be given to young people attending SpringFest this May.”

Bring new or like-new gnomes to:

South Portland Recreation Center, 21 Nelson Road, South Portland;
McDonalds Mill Creek, 150 Waterman Drive, South Portland;
Two Lights Dental, 200 Town Common Circle, Cape Elizabeth;
More gnome drop-off locations around South Portland and Cape Elizabeth will be announced and added to the Gnome Drive webpage.

Gnomes should be dropped off in a plastic bag with a note including the donor’s first and last name and email address to receive a thank you from South Portland – Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club. The Gnome Drive continues through May 17.

For more information, email Jim Britt at president@sp-ce-rotary.org or call 207-450-1385.

Genealogical society to host Franco-American program

The Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society will hold an in-person meeting with a speaker on Saturday, April 1, beginning at 1 p.m. The meeting will take place at First Congregational Church of South Portland, located at 301 Cottage Road.

Historian Craig Siulinski’s program is titled, “Franco-American History and Genealogy,” and will have a Quebec-to-New England focus. While providing historical perspectives of New France, particularly the province of Quebec, the program will tell the story of the Franco-American experience while offering sources of genealogical records. Other aspects of the story will look at immigration and the influence of the mills on the lives of Franco-American ancestors.

Those unable to attend can email gpcmgs@gmail.com to register for a Zoom connection to the free program.

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