SEARSMONT — Children and families are invited to participate in SEED, a project by artist Lihua Lei Farley inspired by the St. George River.

With Georges River Land Trust, Lihua Lei Farley has been hosting events throughout the Midcoast as part of SEED. Through this project, letters from local students have been incorporated into sculptures made from seaweed and other natural materials. These sculptures are then delivered to the river at various community events.

On Sunday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., children and families are invited to Gibson Preserve, in Searsmont, to write their own messages to the river – this could also include drawing pictures or writing poems, according to GRLT, in a news release.

This event will also include a storybook circle, a scavenger hunt, and an arts and crafts project.

A bathroom is available at the preserve, as well as a cabin offering a screened-in porch.

This event is free. Families with children of all ages are welcome to join. Lemonade and snacks will be served. Please register at georgesriver.org/events. Contact maeve@grlt.org with any questions.

SEED is a multi-site art project by Cushing-based artist and Maine Visual Arts Fellow Lihua Lei Farley, which invites the community to draw closer to the St. George River and respark childlike wonder. Comprising a sculpture installation in Bernard Langlais’s workshop at the Langlais Art Preserve in Cushing; two events along northern and central sections of the St. George River in Thomaston and Searsmont; and a closing performance at a special site where the river meets the sea at Olson Field Preserve in Cushing, the project will span nearly 50 miles and include participatory opportunities for community members.

"Farley and Georges River Land Trust hope SEED will inspire participants to see themselves as part of the river’s living system—and to care more deeply for its future," said GRLT.

Georges River Land Trust has been conserving and caring for the St. George River watershed since 1987. The land trust has conserved more than 5,600 acres of forest, farm, and shoreline, and maintains over 80 miles of public trails in 19 towns from Montville to Cushing. This conservation work is supported by over 1,000 community members. Visit georgesriver.org to join the community and learn more.