Gary Hoyle, Author of Mystery Tusk | Scarborough Public Library (scarboroughlibrary.org)
Is it possible that Maine was once home to the woolly mammoth? And were remains of such an enormous animal actually found near the Nonesuch River in Scarborough? To find out the answers to these and other mammoth questions, join the Friends of Scarborough Marsh, in collaboration with the Scarborough Public Library, to learn all about this fascinating topic. Gary Hoyle, former Curator of Natural History at the Maine State Museum will present an online overview of his new book, “Mystery Tusk” on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. The discovery of an unusual tusk in Scarborough led Gary to years of research and an excavation on the property where the tusk was uncovered. Join this entertaining lecture and increase your own “paleontological expertise” by registering online at the library link:
Gary Hoyle, Author of Mystery Tusk | Scarborough Public Library (scarboroughlibrary.org) Big Trees of Northern New England on December 5th @ 6 - 7:30 pm
Scarborough Municipal Building Council Chambers A&B 259 Route 1, Scarborough, ME Scarborough Land Trust in partnership with Friends of Scarborough Marsh, will be hosting a presentation on big trees! This program will highlight important trees in Maine and specifically the Portland area. It will also explore history and connections to wildlife. Kevin Martin is an author and boatbuilder. He has over 40 years of experience working with wood. He served on the Epping Conservation Commission, was chair of the Lamprey River Advisory Committee and State Coordinator for the NH Big Tree Program. Kevin is trained for the National Big Tree Measurers Cadre. Kevin will be selling his new book about hikes to Big Trees. It includes trees in Waldoboro, Alfred, Portland and many other Maine hikes, along with the nearby states. Check out Kevin Martin’s website: http://kevinmartin.wcha.org/bigtrees.php No registration required. Maine's Shorebirds Lecture with co-Sponsor Scarborough Public Library via Zoom - October 26 6:30pm10/5/2022
virtual talk by Brad Zitske, Wildlife Biologist, Bird Group at Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, that is co-sponsored by Friends of Scarborough Marsh. Shorebirds are a diverse group of birds that include sandpipers, plovers, turnstones, knots, curlews, dowitchers, and phalaropes. North America has the greatest diversity of shorebird species and largest numbers of shorebirds in the world.
Over thirty shorebird species spend some portion of their annual life cycle in Maine, with eight species breeding here. Shorebirds are an important group for management consideration, because large numbers of these birds concentrate in discrete areas of coastal habitat where they are highly susceptible to disturbance, development, and environmental contaminants. Scarborough Marsh supports many thousands of individuals by providing abundant feeding and roosting habitat. On the sandy beaches of Maine, the endangered Piping Plover can be seen during the summer months. Brad Zitske will discuss some of the species found in Maine in this virtual talk. He will also present some interesting research happening in the state and along the Atlantic coast, why it is important given widespread population declines for many species, and how you can help conserve them. Brad has served on the Friends of Scarborough Marsh Board. If you missed this great talk you can still view on the Scarborough Public Library site: Maine's Shorebirds - YouTube A virtual talk by Brad Zitske, Wildlife Biologist, Bird Group at Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, that was co-sponsored by Friends of Scarborough Marsh www.youtube.com The GapTracks Project: Wildlife on the Eastern Trail
Wednesday, April 27 7:15 – 8:15 PM via Zoom Friends of Scarborough Marsh and the Scarborough Public Library invite you to join us for a virtual lecture with Noah Perlut, Ph.D., Professor in the School of Marine and Environmental Programs, University of New England, Biddeford, ME. He and his students will present an overview of the GapTracks Project, a program that assesses the wildlife community in the Gap of the Eastern Trail and Nonesuch River before, during and after trail construction. [Bobcat, pictured left.] This project was initiated in February, 2017, using remote cameras to evaluate the rich wildlife population along the Gap section of the Eastern Trail. Professor Perlut and his Terrestrial Wildlife class spent the spring semester reviewing thousands of pictures and analyzing the data from the last four years. Join us to learn about our local bobcats, turkeys, fisher, deer and others who use the Gap section of the trail. Preview some of their work on facebook.com/GapTracks. This lecture is now recorded and available for viewing free at our lectures webpage The Friends of Scarborough Marsh joined the Library to present Dr. Phillip deMaynadier, virtually to introduce the butterflies of Maine, including those we can expect to see in Scarborough. Butterflies and moths (Order: Lepidoptera) are a diverse and ecologically important group of animals and, as with many other pollinating insects, are threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Phillip’s state-wide research and conservation helps inform the advice he shares about best management practices for butterflies and other pollinators. Learn more about this important and intriguing insect from a wildlife biologist who has been studying at-risk wildlife and their habitats with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for 22 years! Click here to view his presentation.
Phillip deMaynadier, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, Ph.D. has worked as a wildlife biologist for Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for 22 years with a focus on nongame and endangered species biology and policy. He has co-authored over 40 scientific publications, is active on several State and national wildlife technical committees and serves on the Graduate Faculty at University of Maine’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology. Phillip received his doctorate in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine in 1996 where he studied the effects of forestry practices on amphibians. Some of his recent projects include: a) co-authoring and implementing Maine’s 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan, b) leading IFW’s efforts to identify and protect high value vernal pools, c) coordinating statewide atlasing and research efforts for butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians, and reptiles, and d) advising landowners and land trusts on best management practices for rare and at risk species and habitats. If you missed Zach's talk on 5/11/21 presented by Friends of Scarborough Marsh and Scarborough Public Library, you can still view it at this link. You'll be hooked!
Come hear about UNE Associate Professor Dr. Noah Perlut's study of the wildlife affected by what will be the new gap section of the Eastern trail. Join Professor Perlut as he shares fascinating remote video of nightlife and wildlife activity taken along a 1.6 mile portion of Scarborough‘s Eastern Trail. This is part of UNE’s multi-year “Gap Tracks Study” focusing on a part of the trail scheduled to be connected. Learn how environmental factors influence animal behavior.
This UNE study has been supported by FOSM. Follow the Gap Tracks project on Facebook and Instagram. Sustainability Series: The Birds of Scarborough Marsh with Linda Woodard
Wednesday, October 28 - 5:30pm - 7:00pm Location: Zoom Audience: Adults Join Linda Woodard, Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center Director and Board Member of the Friends of Scarborough Marsh, for this in-depth look at the birds of Maine’s largest saltmarsh. The discussion will be held on Wednesday, October 28th at 5:30 pm in a Zoom meeting room. All are welcome to join Zoom at https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/85963180695pwd=MTc1U01oQTJpSUViYjc3VkRHR0laZz09 See below for more details about Zoom*. Participants will not only learn about these birds but will also receive some tips on identification and where to find them. Hundreds of bird species use this unique ecosystem as a migratory stopover, summer nesting ground, and feeding area, and a few live there year round. We will take a look at the herons and egrets that eat fish swimming in these nutrient-rich rivers and the many species of sandpipers that nest or migrate through the marsh. A variety of raptors make the marsh their home along with small songbirds. Special attention will be given to several threatened and endangered species that depend on the marsh for survival and the factors that threaten their survival. This event is co-hosted by the Friends of Scarborough Marsh. FOSM Free Lecture – “Bringing Nature Home” - September 30, 2020 (via Zoom)
Friends of Scarborough Marsh is pleased to host a free lecture, “Bringing Nature Home”, on Wednesday, September 30th, at 6:00 PM. Like many places, the landscape of coastal Maine has changed dramatically. Today, gardens, yards, neighborhoods and towns are playing increasingly critical roles in supporting native food webs for birds, pollinators and other wildlife. Our individual efforts to support wildlife can be both intimately rewarding and broadly beneficial. With an overall focus on Maine birds and their habitats, Eric Topper, Director of Education for Maine Audubon will introduce what individuals and groups can do, including what plants to choose and how to manage and maintain our gardens for their full ecological function and benefit. Eric will also discuss the large selection of beautiful native flowers, shrubs and trees we can incorporate into our yards to attract and support a multitude of birds, butterflies and other interesting native wildlife. Our hope is to raise awareness in and around Scarborough Marsh. Please register here, and you will receive a secure Zoom link via email on the day of the lecture. https://maineaudubon.coursestorm.com/course/bringing-nature-home-in-scarborough-marsh FRIENDS OF SCARBOROUGH MARSH (FOSM)
FREE LECTURE SERIES “Marsh-Friendly Lawn Care” Wednesday, October 23, 2019 6:30 – 7:30 PM Study Center, Scarborough High School Friends of Scarborough Marsh (FOSM) is pleased to host a Fall Lecture about marsh-friendly lawn care practices with Jami Fitch, Scarborough’s Sustainability Coordinator, on Wednesday, October 23rd from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. Jami will draw on her extensive experience with healthy lawn care for this free lecture. The Town of Scarborough is partnering with FOSM on this lecture as part of the Phillips Brook Restoration Project. The Town recently received a grant to begin restoration work in Phillips Brook, which flows from the Dunstan area into the Scarborough Marsh. Keeping the marsh healthy is of great importance and this lecture will provide details on how the community can affect the quality of marsh water. Join us in the Study Center at Scarborough High School for this free event. Use the front entrance off Durant Drive and follows signs to the lecture. Funding for the Phillips Brook Restoration Project was provided, in part, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with EPA. FREE LECTURE SERIES
“From Volcanoes to Glaciers: The Geologic History of the Scarborough Marsh Region” The surface of the Earth is a dynamic and constantly changing landscape that contains many clues about its history if we know where to look. From this we can understand the physical, climatic and biological changes that shape it over eons. Steve Pinette will discuss the geologic history of the Scarborough Marsh using geologic information that many of us drive or walk by on a regular basis. You will also learn about the role of the Saco River in Marsh’s past. FREE, Tuesday, May 28, 2019 7:00 to 8:00 PM Bessey Commons Theater Room, One Bessey School Drive, Scarborough FRIENDS OF SCARBOROUGH MARSH (FOSM)
“Herring Gulls in Portland and Beyond” Gulls historically nest on islands—but they are also nesting on roof-tops in Portland. Come learn about the costs and benefits of roof-top nesting by Herring Gulls—a species that is in population decline in the Gulf of Maine from Noah Perlut, PhD., Department of Environmental Studies, UNE. Dr. Perlut will also talk about how he and colleagues are tracking their migration patterns using traditional and modern tools. FREE, Tuesday, April 23, 2019 7:00 to 8:00 PM Bessey Commons Theater Room, One Bessey School Drive, Scarborough Jon Lewis, Maine Department of Marine Resources
Aquaculture in Maine and the Scarborough Marsh Marine Scientist, Jon Lewis, will provide an overview of the rapidly expanding marine resource industry in Maine and on shellfish husbandry in Scarborough Marsh. FREE, Tuesday, March 19th, 7:00 to 8:00 PM Bessey Commons Theater Room, One Bessey School Drive, Scarborough FRIENDS OF SCARBOROUGH MARSH (FOSM) LECTURE SERIES
“Plants of the Salt Marsh” Learn more about how plants knit the salt marsh together, and what we can do when invasive plants threaten to take over. Nancy Olmstead, Invasive Plant Biologist with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, will explain why plants are critical parts of what makes a salt marsh special. FREE, Tuesday, February 26, 2019 7:00 to 8:00 PM Bessey Commons Theater Room, One Bessey School Drive, Scarborough |
OUR MISSIONConserve, protect, restore, and enhance the Scarborough Marsh. BROWSE NEWS
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