Bean Island near Sorrento, recently donated to Frenchman Bay Conservancy
Photo credit: Lisa Heyward
Bean Island Update
In our January newsletter, we announced the donation of Bean Island to Frenchman Bay Conservancy (FBC). The news has been well-received and shared by multiple media outlets. Aaron Dority, FBC's Executive Director, was interviewed by WLBZ 2/WCSH 6 and appeared on the morning news on January 26, 2016. You can view the media clip below. If you missed FBC's January e-newsletter, you can check it out here or read more about the donation in this article published in the Bangor Daily News on January 19, 2016
Click on the photo to view the video clip of Aaron Dority's interview with WCSH6.
Bean Island is located on the right, in the distance. Photo credit: Lisa Heyward
Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, February 12-14
A number of outdoor events and activities will be held in Hancock County February 12-14 in celebration of Great Maine Outdoor Weekend (GMOW) and hundreds will take place statewide. Activities range from cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bird watching, picnics, star-gazing, wildlife programs, and festivals. Nearly all events are free and family-friendly.
Frenchman Bay Conservancy, the Sunrise Trail Coalition, and East Coast Greenway Alliance are holding a cross-country ski, snowshoe, or hike of the Sunrise Trail, starting from Washington Junction in Ellsworth on Saturday, February 13 at 10:00 am. Refreshments around a bonfire to follow! Participants will get a taste of the planned 2-mile extension of the Down East Sunrise Trail, which will connect Washington Junction with downtown Ellsworth. The project is slated to go into construction this summer and is part of the 2,900 mile East Coast Greenway, a developing trail network linking communities from Maine to Florida. If you are in need of equipment or to register for the event, contact eileen@frenchmanbay.org or 207-422-2328.
The next day, Sunday, February 14, Frenchman Bay Conservancy is hosting a snowshoe or hike on the Simon Trail in Lamoine (139 Partridge Cove Road) from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. This is a unique opportunity to explore a one-mile trail on privately owned conserved land. For more information, contact simon.lamoine@gmail.com.
The Great Maine Outdoor Weekend is a project of the Maine Outdoor Coalition, which is a network of partners dedicated to increasing connections to the outdoors for all people in Maine by identifying, promoting, and amplifying opportunities for statewide action and impact. For more information about events both local and across Maine, check out www.greatmaineoutdoorweekend.org.
NOTE: If there is not enough snow for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, a decision will be made whether or not to continue with a hike or cancel the events once the weather forecast is more certain; please see www.frenchmanbay.org or FBC's Facebook page for an update on plans.
Participants of the 2015 Down East Sunrise Trail Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe. Photo Credit: East Coast Greenway Alliance.
