UMaine School of Forest Resources named PCSWCD Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year

Think back on an experience you had with an educator who took the time to connect you to opportunities outside of the classroom and to your local community. At the college level, those experiences often cement career paths, encourage new interests, or connect you with future employers. College professors that have passion for their subject area are always looking for that next opportunity for students and that passion is how the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District established a strong partnership with this year’s Outstanding Conservation Educators of the Year. Every other year, the PCSWCD Board of Supervisors recognizes an educator or educators who have worked in our county to receive the Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year Award, and this year they have chosen to honor the University of Maine School of Forest Resources.

The Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year Award is in place to recognize educators who work to connect students to conservation education, whether it be through learning in the classroom, work with conservation partners, through research efforts and beyond. When educators build conservation education into their curriculum offerings, students form a connection with their natural environment. That connection often provides the spark for future environmental stewards.

University of Maine School of Forest Resources is under the UMaine College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture. Since 2018, faculty and students from SFR have worked on numerous projects in Piscataquis County, which resulted in improved forest management, efforts to better connect local youth to natural resource careers, exciting new partnerships, opportunities for college students to experience and work in Piscataquis County, expertise and information sharing with county residents, research projects and a noticeable presence in our communities. The knowledge, expertise and effort that SFR faculty have committed to Piscataquis County is so valuable and has been well-received by PCSWCD staff, local residents, and community partners.

UMaine School of Forest Resource staff have worked extensively with the PCSWCD. In 2018, Dr. Sean Birkel and Dr. Jay Wason made their way to Piscataquis County to present on Climate Change: Forest & Ecosystem Impacts. PCSWCD worked with Dr. Wason again through the 2022 Forestry Series when he presented on Climate Change and Forest Ecology with Dr. Sean Fraver. Currently, we are embarking on a Northeastern States Research Cooperative Climate Change project at the Law Farm Nature Trails, property the District owns and maintains for the public, with Dr. Wason.

Here we will be studying and examining the impacts of climate extremes on tree regeneration in the Northern Forests. This research project will involve District staff, UMaine students, and faculty. Another research trial underway at the Law Farm is the American Chestnut Germplasm orchard, which is a project exploring the northernmost range of the American Chestnut tree. This project is a collaboration between PCSWCD, the American Chestnut Foundation, and UMaine External Graduate Faculty, Dr. Brian Roth. The American Chestnut orchard at the Law Farm has increased the draw to the farm. These research projects align with PCSWCD’s mission to have the Law Farm serve as a land for education and demonstrations and we are energized by the opportunity to work with and learn from UMaine.

In addition to research projects, PCSWCD has worked with UMaine faculty to produce several interesting and unique educational offerings. We worked with Dr. Nicole Rogers on a well-attended Silviculture 101 workshop through our 2022 PCSWCD Forestry Series. Additionally, Dr. Jessica Leahy has worked with our District on a Forestry for Maine Birds program, held on her property, Wicopy Woods in Sebec. Dr. Leahy  also worked alongside forester Terri Coolong to present Teas & Trees, an informative gathering of women landowners, offering them an open discussion on needs, challenges and resources available. 

Dr. Leahy has worked with our District to provide mutually beneficial opportunities for PCSWCD and UMaine students. PCSWCD worked with senior capstone students to update the forest management plan at the Law Farm Nature Trails. The students presented their plan to our Board and worked collaboratively with us throughout the entire process.

We also had the pleasure of working with UMaine students when updating the trail map at the Williamsburg Forest — another public land owned and maintained by PCSWCD. Students completed all the GIS work needed for the trail map, making it accessible through the Avenza app. This project added clarity and accessibility for the public and was a great first step for PCSWCD to begin work on bigger projects at the forest. PCSWCD is currently working with UMaine graduate student, Elisa Schine, on updating the forest management plan at the Williamsburg Forest. Schine is actively working on a cruise of the forest alongside UMaine alumni, forester Molly London, and together they are incorporating practices into the plan that help make the forest an active example for women landowners. We are excited about their ideas to make the space a “Forest for Everyone, Managed by Women.” 

Additionally, Schine will be serving as the wood bank outreach coordinator, a new position through UMaine, managed by Dr. Leahy. Schine will be based in Piscataquis County through the Extension office and the PCSWCD looks forward to this exciting new work happening in our county. 

Outside of working with the District, UMaine professors Dr. Mindy Crandall and Dr. Leahy spearheaded a research project in Piscataquis and Somerset County called the Rural Youth Futures Project. This project examined the shift in economic and demographic conditions in rural areas, the traditional natural resource-rich heritages of rural areas and how several factors relating to heritage economies and rural areas impact the next generation of workers and residents. A survey was distributed to Piscataquis and Somerset youth and the results from this survey have been used by local industry leaders, schools and conservation organizations to frame how we are connecting youth to their communities and the opportunities that are there. 

Additionally, UMaine is working with the Appalachian Mountain Club on a resilience and restoration project involving the planting of 30,000 red spruce on AMC land. PCSWCD is looking forward to having UMaine School of Forest Resources represented at our Green Jobs Fair in May, introducing Piscataquis County youth to all the learning opportunities UMaine provides. 

The future of UMaine School of Forest Resources in Piscataquis County looks to include continued educational opportunities for local students, UMaine students and residents of Piscataquis County. PCSWCD looks forward to continuing to work with UMaine School of Forest Resources faculty on exciting projects on our public lands, by having them be a part of our educational programming and more. SFR faculty are deserving of being recognized for their extensive efforts in Piscataquis County and we are pleased to be able to honor them with our Outstanding Conservation Educators of the Year award. PCSWCD staff, board supervisors, and local partners look forward to awarding and celebrating all the impressive accomplishments of SFR faculty and students at an award ceremony in the fall. 

For more information on the work that UMaine School of Forest Resources is doing in Piscataquis County, the PCSWCD Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year award or any PCSWCD programming, please visit our website at www.piscataquisswcd.org. You can also connect with us via email at info@piscataquisswcd.org or by giving us a call at 207-564-2321 ext. 3. 

Congratulations to the University of Maine School of Forest Resources on being honored as the 2023 Outstanding Conservation Educators of the Year!