September FBC Newsletter

Starfish at Tidal Falls

Dear Frenchman Bay Conservancy Supporter,

In August, we held two successful trail work days at Corea Heath and Mariaville Falls Preserves. Thirteen volunteers brushed and cleared the entire length of the Corea Heath trail in just a couple hours! At Mariaville Falls, we held another work day in anticipation of the grand opening event (details below) in October; three chainsaw operators and six brushers spent a hot and sticky morning widening the access road.

Frenchman Bay Conservancy's annual members meeting on August 11 was well attended and the evening's program described the history and details of how the "Schoodic to Schoodic" vision is being accomplished. Our wonderful Monday Music series, attended by hundreds every week, came to an end on August 17 as did the 2015 Joint Lecture Series with Friends of Taunton Bay on August 21, which was attended by nearly 200 over the course of the summer. Local nature photographer, Gerry Monteux, led an outdoor photography workshop at Tidal Falls on August 20 for ten participants who had the opportunity to ask questions, try out new equipment, and hone their photography skills with an expert.

The summer season may be winding down, but there are still a number of events and activities lined up for this fall, detailed below.

Monday Night Music 2015

Aislinn Sarnacki, Bangor Daily News Reporter for the Outdoors pages, discussed local hikes during the 2015 Joint Lecture Series with Friends of Taunton Bay

Upcoming Events

Mariaville Falls Preserve Grand Opening

Saturday, October 3
10:00 AM

Join us for the grand opening celebration of Frenchman Bay Conservancy's Mariaville Falls Preserve with a guided hike of the new trail. Refreshments to follow. This event is free and open to the public. Rain or shine. For more information, contact eileen@frenchmanbay.org or 422-2328.

Directions: From Route 1A north in Ellsworth (the Bangor Road) go north and turn right onto Mariaville Road at Ellsworth Business Park at Boggy Brook. Set your odometer to zero. Keep bearing right on Mariaville Road (Route 180) for 8.3 miles until you reach the junction of 181 (just past Beech Hill School) on the right. Take 181 and go for 9.7 miles to the wooden FBC preserve sign on the left.

Maine Conservation Corps Trail Crew
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

A six-person Maine Conservation Corps (MCC) trail crew will be building trail as part of the Schoodic Trail Connector for eight weeks, starting September 22. This will eventually connect Route 1 in Sullivan to Schoodic Mountain in the Donnell Pond State Reserve Land, with a nine mile trail. We are looking for volunteers to assist the crew and help get even more trail built during this concentrated effort. If interested, contact FBC at 422-2328 or eileen@frenchmanbay.org.

Baker Hill & Long Ledges Preserves Work Day
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

In anticipation of the Autumn Trail Race (more information below), we are looking for volunteers to help with trail maintenance at our Baker Hill and Long Ledges Preserve. The dates and times of the trail work days are to be determined...stay tuned for more information. If you're interested in helping, please contact eileen@frenchmanbay.org or 422-2328.

Autumn Trail Race

Sunday, November 1

This is the third year of the Downeast Double Trouble Trail Race Challenge. The Sullivan race takes place on our Long Ledges and Baker Hill preserves trails. The race begins at Sumner High School on Route 1 in Sullivan. Click here for more information.

See you out there,
Eileen Bader
Community Outreach Coordinator