Ongoing 4-H Programming

Facilitated by 4-H Community Education Assistant Rebecca TayGreen Four Leaf Clover with 4 White H's

Click on the links below to see more information about our current offerings:

Nature Journaling

Bring your curiosity and skills of observation, and join Rebecca to start a nature journal as we explore local Great Works Regional Land Trust preserves.  You don’t need to be an artist to benefit from nature journaling.  Learn different techniques and observe what is happening in nature at that moment. Each meeting will have a different theme. Basic nature journaling supplies will be provided for use including a simple journal, clipboard, pens, and pencils. 

You only need to sign up for the sessions that you are interested in. Indicate on the registration page which sessions you plan to attend. More sessions may be added for upcoming months. See Registration for Nature Journaling links below. Check back for updates!

Who: Youth aged 5-18. Enrollment in 4-H is not required. Please submit one form per participant. Caregivers must stay with participants under age 13. Drop off of participants age 13 and over is welcome if a health form is submitted to rebecca.tay@maine.edu.

When:

    • Monday, August 4th, 1-2:30 | Goodwin Forest | Diagramming – Break down a found natural object into parts and draw the parts in your journal.
    • Thursday, August 7th, 9:30-11 | Negutaquet Conservation Area | Zoom In, Zoom Out – Focus on three levels of magnification of a natural object in your journal: actual size, magnified, and a more distant view.
    • Tuesday, August 19th 10-11:30 | Orris Falls Conservation Area | Life Underneath – Draw what you see when you disturb the leaves, a log, or a stone.  What is hiding beneath?
    • Monday, August 25th, 4:30-6 | Payeur Preserve | Nature’s Treasure Map – In your nature journal, invent place names and sketch nature discoveries as you draw a map.
    • Monday, October 6th, 1-2:30pm | Savage Wildlife Preserve | Going to Seed – What seeds can you find in the forest and the field? Do you notice any traits that can help you categorize them?
    • Friday, October 17th, 11-12:30pm | Rocky Hills Preserve | Autumn Leaves – What variations of color and shape can you find at this time of year? What do you notice and wonder about the leaves?
    • Monday, October 27th, 1-2:30pm | Goodwin Forest | Winter Homes – Birds migrate, bears hibernate, but where do the other animals in the forest find their winter homes?

Where:

    • Payeur Preserve: Spring Hill Road, Ogunquit *Trailhead is adjacent to dog park*
    • Savage Wildlife Preserve: 15 Dover-Eliot Rd, South Berwick
    • Rocky Hills Preserve: Punkintown Rd, South Berwick *Located across 236 from Marshwood High School and just beyond the Punkintown Place business complex. Parking at the trailhead is limited, but additional parking is available at the business park below the trail.*

Other Important Information

  1. Please check your email the day of in case the weather causes a cancellation.
  2. There are no restroom facilities at the trails! Plan accordingly.
  3. Recommendations for participation:
    • Bring water
    • Wear long sleeves and pants to protect from insect bites
    • Wear light-colored clothing for ease of spotting ticks
    • Closed-toed shoes are required
    • Insect and tick repellent is highly recommended

Registration for Nature Journaling

If you are enrolled in 4-H and have an account on ZSuite, register here for Nature Journaling

If you are NOT enrolled in 4-H (or if you are not sure), register here for Nature JournalingGreen Four Leaf Clover with 4 White H's

Citizen Science Tick Data Collection

It’s tick season! Become citizen scientists and help us monitor the tick population at Savage Wildlife Preserve and Desrochers Memorial Forest,  Great Works Regional Land Trust properties. As participants of the 4-H Tick Project, we will drag a canvas along the trail’s edge, collect and identify ticks, record data, and prepare specimens to be sent for identification and disease analysis.  Southern Maine has only a few participating locations, and we need your help to close the gap in data collection. This project is in association with the Maine Forest Health Survey, the UMaine Tick Lab, and Learning Ecosystems Northeast.

This is an ongoing project with monthly meetings and the potential to add additional locations. You only need to sign up for the sessions that you are interested in. Indicate on the registration page which sessions you plan to attend. More sessions may be added for upcoming months. Registration for Citizen Science Tick Data Collection links below.

Who: Youth ages 8-18 and their caregivers. Participants aged 8-10 will need a caregiver to assist with the tick drag. Due to the nature of the project, younger siblings are encouraged to stay home. This is not a drop-off event – caregivers must remain with their kids. Enrollment in 4-H is not required.

When:

Where:

    • Desrochers Memorial Forest: Town Forest Rd, South Berwick *This trail is not well-marked from the road. Turn at 96 Knights Pond Rd beside the cemetery. Go toward the large farmhouse and turn right on Town Forest Rd. The parking lot is at the end of the road.*

Other Important Information

  1. Please check your email the day of in case the weather causes a cancellation.
  2. There are no restroom facilities at the trails! Plan accordingly.
  3. Recommendations for participation:
    • Bring Water
    • Light colored clothing is suggested.
    • Wear pants and tuck them into socks.
    • Bug and tick repellents are encouraged but cannot be used near tick drag areas. Hands must be cleaned after application.
    • Check frequently for ticks on clothing and skin during the session and again at home.

Registration for Citizen Science Tick Data Collection

If you are enrolled in 4-H and have an account on ZSuite, register here for Citizen Science

If you are NOT enrolled in 4-H (or if you are not sure), register here for Citizen Science

  1. Green Four Leaf Clover with 4 White H's

Have questions? please contact Rebecca Tay at rebecca.tay@maine.edu or 207-324-2814

Reasonable Accommodation

To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Rebecca Tay two weeks prior to the session at 207-324-2814. We may not be able to make appropriate arrangements for accommodation requests made less than two weeks before the event.

The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).