BELFAST — In September 2023, the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition will host several nature outings and an evening program concerning climate change.

Paddle the South Branch of the Marsh River with the Tide on Saturday, September 2. Cloe Chunn of BBWC will lead a paddling excursion up the South Branch of the Marsh River in Frankfort. The group will meet at the Frankfort Boat Launch on Rt. 1A, at 10 a.m., to paddle the rising tide 4 miles up to its head. After a picnic lunch, when the tide turns, the group will paddle back down, arriving back at the boat launch around 3 p.m. 

“The outing is a wonderful opportunity to observe wildlife, which may include ducks, marsh birds, warblers, saltmarsh sharptail sparrows, eagles, ospreys, as well as saltmarsh grasses in late bloom,” said BBWC, in a news release.

Participants will need to bring their own canoe or kayak, paddle, PFD, water, lunch, binoculars, and protection from sun, wind, rain, and insects. 

The group is limited to 12. To register, call Cloe at 207-338-1147.

The outing is free and open to the public.

Explore the Little River Community Trail on Saturday, September 23. BBWC invites the public to discover the “other end” of the Little River Community Trail where less foot traffic maintains a wilderness feel. The group will meet at the Hutchinson Center parking lot on Rt. 3, in Belfast, 80 Belmont Avenue, at 10 a.m.

This nature outing offers an opportunity to observe various trees, mosses, and lichens along the trail. Bring water, a snack, and protection from rain and insects.

For more info, call Cloe Chunn, who will lead the outing, at 207-338-1147.

The outing is free and open to the public 

On Thursday, September 21, BBWC will host a program at the Belfast Free Library, “Climate is changing Maine’s ecosystems:  Implications for land and water conservation,” presented by  George Jacobson, Professor Emeritus of Biology, Ecology and Climate Change, University of Maine. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and takes place in the Abbott Room.

Global changes in climate and the biosphere during the Quaternary Ice Ages of the past 2.6 million years provide important clues about our modern world and its future. George will discuss how long-term climate dynamics offer a framework for decisions related to conservation planning from local to global scales.

Since his arrival in Maine in 1979, Dr. Jacobson has been a member of the Climate Change Institute and the director of the Institute for nearly a decade. His scientific research has focused on long-term climate variability and specifically on forest responses to climate changes during the past 60,000 years. He has served as a board member and chair of both the Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and the Forest Society of Maine. He was an external advisor on climate to the European Science Foundation and the Finnish Academy of Sciences. From 2008 to 2014 he held the honorary designation of Maine State Climatologist.

This presentation is free and open to the public.