MAINE AUDUBON • April 7, 2026
There is always something special happening at Fields Pond Audubon Center. Nestled on 230 acres of varied habitat, our center hosts day camp programs that are rooted in connecting local youth to the natural world through curiosity, exploration, and hands-on discovery. Recently that mission has come to life in some truly inspiring ways. One highlight from our recent vacation camps has been a new activity developed in partnership with the Maine Forest Service. Campers were introduced to the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA), a tiny insect with a big impact on Maine hemlock trees. Equipped with dichotomous keys (tools used to identify species using paired choices), magnifiers, and data sheets, the campers took to the woods where they identified hemlock trees and searched for signs of HWA. The kids then contributed their findings to a real community scientific effort through the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s ongoing HWA monitoring project. Another exciting collaboration has been with Bangor’s Husson University, where pre-service educators are joining us at camp! This gives campers an opportunity to work with and learn from university students, and provides Husson students invaluable hands-on environmental education experience.