{"id":12357,"date":"2022-09-27T15:32:20","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T19:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/hancock\/?page_id=12357"},"modified":"2026-02-19T11:39:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:39:27","slug":"tick-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/hancock\/tick-project\/","title":{"rendered":"4-H Tick Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/a> | Instructions for Participants<\/a> | Sampling Site Map<\/a> | In the News<\/a>| Registration<\/a><\/p>\n

The 4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K-12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between<\/span> 4-H Youth Development<\/a>, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab<\/a>, Maine Forest Tick Survey<\/a>, and members of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast<\/a> partnership. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Educator
This photo is courtesy of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as part of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All K-12 educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the project at no cost to you<\/strong>. If you are a formal classroom teacher, after-school educator, 4-H volunteer, outreach coordinator at a local organization, librarian, science center staff, or any other educator working with youth ages 5-18, this project is for you!<\/p>\n Instructions for Participants <\/span><\/a>\n

<\/a>The way the project works:<\/h3>\n

Educators conduct tick drags with youth participants to collect tick specimens in their local area. Specimens are returned to Hancock County 4-H, and then submitted to the UMaine Diagnostic Research Laboratory Tick Lab<\/a> for identification and disease testing, which contributes to the lab\u2019s Tick Surveillance program. Youth data also contribute to a community science (aka “citizen science”) project called the Maine Forest Tick Survey<\/a>, which is a multiyear, multidisciplinary research project established to determine how forest land management practices impact tick populations and disease risk across Maine. Educators receive all test results from their sampling to use in activities with their youth. Project participants gain access to activity guides and lesson plans for facilitating engaging experiences with youth to learn about ticks in Maine.<\/p>\n

Through the 4-H Tick Project, youth are engaged in real-world science and data exploration, and are contributing to important tick research efforts in Maine!<\/p>\n

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\"Tick
This photo is courtesy of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as part of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What we provide:<\/h3>\n
\"Tick<\/a>
Tick Project Supplies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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