The Wrack

Weve known for decades the high costs of digging up and burning oil, coal, and natural gas. Science, and now morality, implore us to find cleaner, more guilt-free energy sources.

Today's preschool story hour featured local author/illustrator Tony Viehmann's Whales Are Amazing...Just Like You! After a reading of this playful story in the library, our group of little marine scientists moved to the barn and learned that blue whales can grow up to 100 feet long. We measured this distance together and discovered that blue whales are a few feet longer than the barn! Below are photos of some of the participating preschoolers and their caregivers, creating their very own whale sock puppets to take home.

I had a very busy weekend. I led vernal pool walks for both the Kittery Land Trust and the Great Works Regional Land Trusts on conserved properties known for their vernal pool habitats. But not only was I busy, so were the inhabitants of these very cool pools.

all photos: Brenna Crothers

A tough winter gives way and spring is in the air.

It has been nearly two months since Linda Littlefield Grenfell, the Reserve's Environmental Educator, presented her Lunch 'n Learn entitled, "What Do I Want to Do Next?" It followed our tremendously successful Volunteer Fair, where community members gathered to learn more about the varied year-round volunteer opportunities available at the Reserve.

Linda's presentation was centered around retirement, aimed at providing useful tips for retirees. Two months later, I am still reflecting upon the content of her talk.

Learning how the reserve system works as a whole, how neighboring reserves strive to work together, and how staff members collaborate on ideas.

On Tuesday, six of us traveled to Augusta for the 2015 Maine Sustainability and Water Conference. This conference was established by UMaine in 1994 to bring together water resource professionals, researchers, consultants, citizens, students, regulators, and planners to discuss the future of Maines water resources. This year's conference included presentations, panel discussions, and poster displays. Session topics ranged from Ocean Acidification to Municipal Water Resources Management to Urban Sustainability & Climate Change, to Sustainable Engagement with the Food System, as well as many more!

Four reserve staff had the privilege of sharing recent and ongoing projects:

Our study of water temperature in the Mousam River during summer 2013 found conditions that do not support native coldwater fish species during the most critical time of the year.

Jeremy Miller, research associate at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, is no stranger to Wells Harbor. But recently he saw something he'd never seen before. Or at least, he thought he did.

For the past thirty years (and counting), each month has been warmer than its average. We may remember, year to year, locally colder Januarys or cooler Julys, but around the world, our collective thermometers have not seen a dip for 360 straight months.