Join us at 1:00 p.m. for a winter hike through the Howard Hill and Effie L. Berry Conservation Areas to learn more about the Kennebec Land Trust’s Trail for Everyone campaign. Participants will explore woods, fields, and scenic viewpoints while hearing about plans to create an accessible trail that will welcome families, seniors, and people with mobility or vision challenges.

No registration is required. Expect 1.5 to 2 hrs. activity

Hosted by the Hallowell Conservation Commission and Kennebec Land Trust.

Trail for Everyone 100% Organic Cotton T-shirts will be available - $25 for short sleeve and $35 long sleeve. 

Meet at trailhead located at the end of Coos Lane, Hallowell, Main

Sunday, November 9, 2025 · 1:00–2:30 PM

Coos Lane, Hallowell (map)

Join us for a walk through the Effie L. Berry and Howard Hill Conservation Areas to learn more about the Trail for Everyone project. Explore woods, fields, and scenic views while hearing about our plans to create an accessible trail that welcomes families, seniors, and people with mobility or vision challenges. Dress for the weather.

No registration required.

Wednesday, Nov 5, 2025 · 5:30 PM

Join KLT staff and volunteers for a full moon hike up Mt. Pisgah. Participants must be comfortable hiking in the dark while using a headlamp or flashlight (not provided). Registration is required. Limited to 30 people.

Register here or contact John at jwhittaker@tklt.org with questions.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 · 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Wayne, Maine | Adjacent to KLT’s Besse Historic Conservation Area

Join forester Harold Burnett of Two Trees Forestry, logger Ron Dostie, Maine Forest Service District Forester Julie Davenport, Olivia Nicolarsen of Maine Woodland Owners, and sawyer Mark Gordon for a guided tour of a selective timber harvest. We will discuss goals and benefits of selective forestry, best management practices, wildlife habitat, cost-share options for landowners, and small-sawmill operations. See how careful stewardship supports Maine’s forest economy while protecting long-term ecological values.

Registration: Please register with Abby at askrabak@tklt.org or call 207-377-2848. Directions to the site will be provided upon registration.

Event starts at 7pm. Join John Meader of Northern Stars Planetarium and KLT for a tour of the stars, constellations, and planets. John will setup his equipment in the field on KLT’s Oak Hill property. No hike for this tour, just an opportunity to see outer space from close up! Registration is required due to fee.

Cost: $15 ($10 for KLT members)

Tuesday, August 12, 4:00-6:30 PM: DeAngelis Farm 96 Sturtevant Hill Road, Readfield

• 4:15-5:15: Enjoy optional hikes led by the DeAngelis Family, lawn games, and complimentary beverages.

• 5:30-6:30: Bring your own picnic dinner for the annual meeting and awards. FREE ice cream will be provided from Fresh Ella's Ice Cream & Sundries.

• Recognize KLT’s land owners; celebrate our conservation accomplishments; learn about our interns’ summer research projects; and visit with friends.

More Information

Monday, August 11, 4:00-5:15 PM: Eaton Mt. Conservation Area Property Dedication and Hike

Eaton Mt. Conservation Area 74 Kimball Pond Road, Vienna

From Mt. Vernon: Take Route 41 north 2.5 miles. Turn right onto Kimball Pond Rd. Travel for approx. one mile. Look for KLT signs on the left

More Information

Event starts at 9am. KLT and the Vassalboro Public Library will host an outdoor reading of the picture book Blueberries for Sal, followed by blueberry picking at KLT’s Davidson Nature Preserve. Please bring your own container and appropriate clothing/sunscreen.

Starts at 8am. Celebrate the summer weather with a guided paddle led by KLT staff up Hopkins Stream to the Ezra Smith Wildlife Conservation Area. The extensive undeveloped uplands and wetlands along the Hopkins stream corridor provide important wildlife habitat for ducks and wading birds. Registration is required. Limited to 20 participants.

Please reach out to John to register at jwhittaker@tklt.org or 377-2848.

Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area

Calling all volunteers! Join KLT’s stewardship staff in improving tread drainage on the Mt Pisgah Tower Trail. Be prepared for digging in the dirt, moving rocks, etc. All experience levels are welcome. Some basic tread drainage education will be given.

10am- approximately 2pm. Please bring a lunch if you would like to work past lunch. Come for as little or as much time as you'd like.

Registration is required. Limited to 25 participants.

Please register by emailing John at jwhittaker@tklt.org or call us at 377-2848.

10am-12pm. Join MES and KLT to explore the world of insects. Newcomers and more experienced entomologists alike are invited to come and learn about insect identification in this ecologically diverse Conservation Area. Registration preferred so we have an idea on number of people attending. Parking is limited.

Please register by emailing John at jwhittaker@tklt.org or call us at 377-2848.

Registration Required: https://forms.office.com/g/GWYn2wffuJ

Do you have plans to build a trail, help others maintain theirs, or just have an interest in trail design and maintenance? Join KLT Stewardship Staff and District Forester Julie Davenport for an interactive workshop exploring the essential concepts behind trail design and maintenance.

The day will begin with an indoor discussion at the Hallowell Fire Station, introducing key concepts and then move outdoors to the Howard Hill Conservation Area in Augusta to bring these concepts to life on the ground. The emphasis will be on non-motorized, pedestrian and multi-use trails, but most concepts apply to motorized and specialized-use trails as well.

Lunch will be provided. Please come prepared to be outdoors. All experience levels welcome.

CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN Join local birders and the Augusta Birding Club for a spring birding walk during peak migration. All experience levels are welcome!

EVENT POSTPONED. Originally scheduled for April 12, this event has been moved to April 26th at 9am. Join us at our Ezra Smith Wildlife Conservation Area in Mount Vernon for a morning of discovery at a half-acre vernal pool. Tom Danielson, an aquatic biologist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, will guide you in identifying various forest and pool creatures.

In recent years a number of land trusts have been developing partnerships with community land trusts and municipal planning and open space committees that focus on the broad goals of land conservation, rural housing, and climate. These collaborative endeavors have at times incorporated ideas about green building, use of local and sustainably grown wood products, and the repair and renovation of existing housing and historic structures. These creative partnerships have the potential to support rural economies and housing, open space and land conservations goals, and climate action plans.

Come learn how community members and organizations are working to build these partnerships!

Speakers: Harald Bredesen, GrowSmart Maine; Bruce Borgouine, Chair, Readfield Opens Space Committee; Jennifer Dann, Project Director, Local Wood WORKS; Theresa Kerchner and Howard Lake, Kennebec Land Trust

Optional reading in advance of the program

Conservation Land Trust and Community Land Trust Partnerships: Workforce Housing with Community, Conservation, and Ecological Benefits: This research explores how conservation and community land trusts can collaborate to address workforce housing shortages while promoting ecological benefits.

Join Theresa Kerchner, Executive Director, and John Whittaker, Membership and Communications Coordinator at the Lithgow Public Library in Augusta for an overview of the Kennebec Land Trust’s conservation programs (KLT).

KLT will celebrate its 37th anniversary in 2025 and since its founding in 1988, the Trust has noted a marked increase in interest from people who have recently discovered its close-to-home lands and 60 miles of trails. Three years ago KLT published the second edition of Take a Hike! which features thirty-two permanently protected properties including the Howard Hill Historical Park in Augusta, Effie Berry Conservation Area in Hallowell, and Hutchinson Pond Conservation and Shedd Pond Conservation Areas in Manchester.

Learn about KLT’s land conservation criteria, our work to address climate change, the difference between conservation easements and fee ownership, new trails and properties, including our Howard Hill Effie Berry Universally Accessible Trail campaign, careers in the conservation field, Local Wood WORKS (LWW) and sustainable forestry, our upcoming public programs, and more. We look forward to seeing you! Bring your questions and suggestions for future partnerships in Augusta and central Maine.

KLT Stewardship staff will lead an “off-trail” excursion at the Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area in Winthrop to explore a unique area not accessible by trail. Participants should bring snowshoes, skis, and/or ice grippers depending on conditions and should be comfortable traveling off-trail in winter conditions. Registration is required. Limited to 20 participants.

Please register by emailing Baylee at bbachelder@tklt.org or call us at 377-2848.

Join KLT staff for a family-friendly hike or snowshoe up Surry Hill for a spectacular look at the “Snow Moon.” We will meet in the parking lot of Surry Hill at 5:30. Participants must be comfortable hiking in the dark while using a headlamp or flashlight. Depending on conditions, grippers or snowshoes are required. Please bring your own headlamp and plan accordingly based on conditions. Registration is required. Limited to 30 participants.

Please call or email Baylee at 377-2848 or bbachelder@tklt.org