(updated 5/2/3013)

The Damariscotta River Association’s Education Program

The School for Field Naturalists:

     Our goal is to enable students of all ages to make their own discoveries about the natural world and the cultural history of this watershed. Engaging in this process of discovery is what connects them to nature. All programs are designed to teach basic concepts of ecology and integrate hands-on opportunities to learn scientific methods. Providing youth and the public with opportunities to better understand and experience the natural world also furthers the Damariscotta River Association’s (DRA) goal of “preserving and promoting the natural, cultural and historical heritage of the Damariscotta River watershed for the benefit of all.”

Click on the following links for more information.

• Camp Mummichog
• Midcoast Stewards
• Oyster Gardening
• Public Programs - Spring 2013 List
• Wild Encounters
• Frogs and Pollywogs
• Jr. Naturalist After-School Program (Grades 1-5)
• Natural History Programs for Groups

Camp Mummichog 2013 Registration is Now Open: Camp Mummichog is a nature-adventure day camp based at the DRA Great Salt Bay Farm at 110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta. The camp sessions are a week-long each and are age specific. Many sessions include a field trip, kayak trip or special guest visit. Campers benefit from our low (1:10) instructor to child ratio. If your child has special needs please contact us to discuss any support measures necessary. Limited scholarships are available upon request. Here you will find the brochure, registration form (updated 4/24/2013) and participant waiver/health form.  Please contact the DRA office at 207-563-1393 if you have problems downloading any of these documents.

What the parents say about Camp Mummichog:

• "She liked the island and the boat! She has seemed extremely comfortable and happy this week, thanks to your great team!"
• "He loved this camp and we love that he was outdoors every day!"
• "My daughter came home full of knowledge and exhausted. This is a fantastic program, keep up the great work!"

To register, donwload and complete the registration and health forms and return to DRA with your payment. You may also stop by the office Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or call and register over the phone with a credit card.

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Midcoast Stewards
     The Midcoast Stewards session will be held this year! A brochure is available here, and an application for this session can be viewed/downloaded here. Note that the application should be received at DRA by April 16, 2013.

This year, the Midcoast Stewards program will meet April 23 through June 4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., as well as a few Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Class format includes lectures and discussions as well as many field trips and hands-on experiences. Participants will learn directly from professionals in a variety of organizations including local land trusts, scientists from the Darling Marine Center, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and the Maine Geological Survey. After completing the course, participants commit to a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service to the protection of Midcoast Maine's natural and cultural resources over the next year with a conservation organization of their choice.
     Please contact the DRA office at 207-563-1393 if you have problems downloading either the brochure or the application.

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Oyster Gardening — Spaces Available For Spring 2014 Class
     This 2-year program offers participants the opportunity to grow oysters for non-commercial use. The Damariscotta River Association and Maine Sea Grant are teaming up to offer an Oyster Gardening program which provides participants with the opportunity to grow oysters for personal use with support from professional aquaculturists and industry experts. Oyster Gardening is an educational program that uses aquaculture to teach students about water quality, estuarine ecology, resource use and management, shellfish biology and husbandry. Through classroom time and field activities, students will grow oysters for their own consumption. There are still openings for participants to the Oyster Gardening Program. (NOTE: This class will be offered next in the spring of 2014.)

Contact the Education Coordinator for more information. You can view an application, a sample of a previous years schedule and an agreement form via these links.

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Public Programs for Spring 2013
     A list of programs for preschoolers, homeschool families, school-age youth and adults is available here as a pdf file. These events include hikes, workshops, lectures, garden programs and more.

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Wild Encounters (Homeschool Familes & Groups) Join us from 10:00 a.m. – Noon the third Monday of each month (except in October). For ages 5 and up (younger may come). Fee: $5.00/child (except the October 8 program which is $3.00/child). Call DRA to register (563-1393).
Where: DRA Great Salt Bay Farm, 110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta

• May 20 – Alewives and Eels
• June 17 – Arthropods
• Check back for latest information.

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Frogs and Pollywogs (Preschoolers ages 2-5 and their parents/guardians) Join us 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. the fourth Monday of each month (except as noted below). Hike included. Fee: $3.00/child. Call DRA to register (563-1393).
Where: DRA Great Salt Bay Farm, 110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta

• May 28 (TUESDAY) - Alewives Around Us
• June 20 (THURSDAY) - Creepy Crawly Critters
• Check back for latest information.

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Jr. Naturalist After-School Program (Grades 1-5): Inquiry-based, hands-on learning in a safe outdoor environment. The DRA site is on a bus route from local elementary schools and close to Route 1. Month-long sessions. Call DRA to register. Fee: $50 non-members /$ 40 members (scholarships available); Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3:15 – 4:45 p.m. Call DRA to register (563-1393).
Where: DRA Great Salt Bay Farm, 110 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta

• May 2013 - Wildlife Migration: Tracks, signs and more
• Check back for latest information. .

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How to Book a Natural History Program for a Group
     We offer many programs for groups including schools, preschools, clubs, assisted living facilities. Programs will be tailored to meet the needs of the group. Programs and hikes can be arranged at any of the DRA properties and for the River~Link trail. Contact the Education Coordinator to plan programs (contact information below). More information about school group programs is available here as a pdf file.
Note: To print the list, first save the pdf file on your computer. This document is formatted to print on legal-size paper (8.5x14) - but you can use the scaling feature in your pdf reader to print on letter-sized paper on your printer.

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Sarah Gladu, Education Coordinator
Damariscotta River Association
Phone: (207) 563-1393
FAX (207) 563-2639
sgladu@damariscottariver.org

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