Foxcroft Academy students named PCSWCD 2025 Volunteers of the Year
Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District works to protect, promote and conserve this county’s natural resources. One of the most successful ways the District has been able to demonstrate conservation practices and provide the public with learning and recreation opportunities, is through efforts at our two community forests — Williamsburg Forest in Williamsburg Township and the Law Farm Nature Trails in Dover-Foxcroft.
The Law Farm Nature Trails has been owned and maintained by PCSWCD since 2009 when the property was deeded to us by Stephen and Elaine Law. The Laws trusted the District to maintain and develop the space and provide conservation education and outreach to residents and visitors. Since that time, PCSWCD has worked tirelessly to develop the property and get it to the place it is today. The property now has a 1.5-mile loop trail, two spur trails, orchards, research trails, an outdoor classroom and a pollinator garden, all thanks to grants and efforts from volunteers and staff. PCSWCD has seen a sharp increase in visitors to the Law Farm and has successfully hosted District programs there, including school field trips and year-round events.
PCSWCD relies heavily on volunteer efforts to help develop and maintain the spaces at the Law Farm Nature Trails. In recent years, the District has collaborated with SeDoMoCha Middle School and hosted students at the Law Farm for the school’s advisory day. Last year, we coordinated with SeDoMoCha grade 8 science teacher Jonathan Dumont to have then eighth grade, now grade 9 Foxcroft Academy students, come out to the Law Farm to tackle some really big trail projects.
VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR — Foxcroft Academy students received the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District’s 2025 Volunteers of the Year award during an assembly on Nov. 12. As eighth-graders last spring, the students completed a number of projects at the PCSWCD’s Law Farm.
The students showed up prepared and with some of the best attitudes we have witnessed in almost 14 years of working with student groups. In just two hours, the students had completed the following: moved 48 12-foot hemlock bog bridges to the .75-mile mark on our loop trail; bagged and moved over 60 bags of wood chips to several sections of trail; bagged and moved thousands of pounds of wood mulch to even out sections of the trail; mulched the entire pollinator garden; rolled out landscape fabric and mulched and chipped hundreds of feet of trail; loaded and transported woodchips to the field edge section of trail, dumped and spread the chips; and seeded the lawn area once all the wood chips had been bagged and moved.
The student’s effort resulted in significantly dryer, more welcoming trails at the Law Farm. PCSWCD staff and board are so grateful for the stellar work these students completed on that day. Additionally, their work has been appreciated by the growing number of folks who hike the trails at the Law Farm.
Each year the District recognizes an individual or individuals through our Volunteer(s) of the Year award who volunteer their time to help us accomplish our mission. The PCSWCD board voted unanimously to recognize every single then eighth grade, now ninth th grade Foxcroft Academy student who participated in the Law Farm workday on May 30 as our 2025 Volunteers of the Year.
The following students were recognized for this honor at an assembly at Foxcroft Academy on Nov. 12: Alexis Ames, Alexis Arcaro, Luci Bisson, Storm Bjornson-Burgess, Damion Bullard, Sullivan Carey, Lauren Caruso, Xaviar Cookson, Kaylee Corbin, Emma Crossman, Zachary Day, Eric Deitz, Westin Donahue, Zoe Griffith-Klimetz, Konner Hall, Alexzander Hanson, Michael Kinney, Nicholas Lewis, Benjamin Mailloux, Hunter McKusick-Slama, Carter Merrill, Grayden Nuite, Skyler Patrick, Adalynn Rayfield, Alexis Richardson, Salvatore Rizzitello, Kennedy Sands, Kortlyn Teachout, Jeshuaw Thomas, Josiah Thomas and Owen White.
PCSWCD thanks all of these students for the work they completed at the Law Farm and for their incredible work ethic and attitudes. At the awards presentation at the Foxcroft Academy assembly, PCSWCD Executive Director Kacey Weber shared with the students that the qualities they demonstrated at that volunteer work day will take them far in life. She also added a message to all Foxcroft Academy students to never underestimate the power of their community service hours and what students are able to contribute to their local communities through community service makes lasting, impactful impressions.
Congratulations to these Foxcroft Academy students for being named the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District’s 2025 Volunteers of the Year!