BIPOC Naturalist Series
2024: Rooted relations
Inspired by The Art of Tracking Evaluation Workshops, Camp Beech Cliff’s Kareem Dieng and White Pine Programs’ Amy Martinez Beal wanted to expand opportunities for Maine’s BIPOC communities to get collaborative in the great outdoors. With generous sponsorship through the Onion Foundation and Camp Beech Cliff, these no-cost events are aimed at intentional community building through studying the natural world.
upcoming events:
June 26: Birding – Virtual Age: Adult, No limit to participation [virtual],No Registration Cost Summer is here! And our avian friends are in the thick of courting, nesting, breeding, and rearing young. Let’s spend some virtual time together exploring the world above as our friend Will Valentine – host of the popular Will’s Birdbrain Podcast - shares the story of the skies and offers tools to elevate your own birding endeavors.
July 28 – Peatland Ecology/Bog Walk– Orono Age: Adult, Limit: 14 Participants, No Registration Cost, Transportation available Peatlands; natures best kept secret. Or at least the places nature keeps secrets best! Devoid of light, oxygen, and nutrients, organic matter decays at near zero pace in peatlands like bogs – with nearly pristine thousand-year-old plus human remains recovered in Europe. Yet somehow, despite extreme conditions, peatlands worldwide hold incredible biodiversity. Walk with us in the Bangor City Park's Orono Bogwalk to experience this ecosystem first hand.
August 31 -- Family Camping Skills & Fun -- Bangor City Park Age: Any, Limit: 18 Participants, No Registration Cost, Transportation Available Want to jumpstart your camping skills or eager to share some space with others who enjoy camping? Join us for this in-person family-friendly camp skill-share where we'll practice setting up tarps, knot-tying, shelter building and campfire skills complete with fun forest games for children.
Sept 28 – Mock Tracking Evaluation – location TBD Age: Adult, Limit: 14 Participants, No Registration Cost, Transportation Available If your learning style is experiential and you want to know more about our wild neighbors through reading their tracks and signs, join us for this in-person wildlife tracking program where we'll practice the CyberTracker certification system of discovery through questions and collaboratively debriefed answers: Who made this track? What caused that depression in the soil? How many animals crossed this trail? Who does this feather belong to? Bring your curiosity and learn with us!
Oct 3 – Virtual–prep for certification experience–7-8pm Age: Adult, Unlimited- Virtual, No Registration Cost Signed up for one of our wildlife tracking certification programs or curious to learn more about the CyberTracker International system of tracker certification? This virtual event will provide guidance, Q&A, test prep and connection with others interested in learning how to hone their tracking skills.
Nov 1-3–Certification Weekend – Desert of Maine Age: Adult, Limit: 11 Participants, No Registration Cost, Transportation Available This Fri-Sun event is an in-person, overnight gathering centered on creating community among Maine BIPOC through shared experience. Hosted by Desert of Maine Campground in Freeport, we will spend the days in collaborative learning about wildlife tracking through the CyberTracker Certification program and then share meals near a campfire, sharing stories and envisioning future Maine BIPOC nature gatherings.
Dec 14 – Night Sky – Camp Beech Cliff Age: Adult, Limit: 14 Participants, No Registration Cost, Transportation Available Celebrate the rich stories etched across the night sky at Camp Beech Cliff situated near Acadia National Park, home to the largest expanse of dark sky east of the Mississippi River. With telescopes, laser pointers and hearts full of celestial awe, we'll observe constellations, deep space objects, unique stars, and share stories from across lands and time.
