Claire Enterline, chair of the Bristol Mills Dam Advisory Committee, spoke to the Bristol Area Lions Club at their Feb. 5 meeting. Enterline holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Boston University and a master’s degree in zoology focusing on fish behavior from the University of New Hampshire.

Damariscotta River Association and Pemaquid Watershed Association are pleased to announce that they have embarked on a formal exploration of a more integrated future for the benefit of both the Damariscotta River and Pemaquid River watersheds. 

State Sen. Dana Dow, R-Waldoboro, representing the members of the Senate and House of Representatives for the state of Maine, recently joined in recognizing Michael Hall, owner of Hall Funeral Homes, with locations in Waldoboro, Boothbay, and Thomaston, for receiving the Business Person of the Year Award from the Damariscotta Region Chamber of Commerce.

Despite the February chill, the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center in Walpole is gearing up for a busy summer field season. Applications are now being accepted from undergraduate students for positions posted online at dmc.umaine.edu.

In Midcoast Maine, several local conservation organizations work alongside one another to improve the quality of life in local communities in many ways, including establishing a legacy of permanently conserved lands. With the help of a statewide network called the Maine Land Trust Network, the land trust community collected survey information to better understand the value of conserved lands for area residents. The full report is available through the Maine Land Trust Network and the information collected has been revealing.

On Tuesday, Feb. 6, travel media authority Lonely Planet revealed the top 10 destinations in the United States this year in its Best in the U.S. 2018 list. Midcoast Maine weighs in at the No. 6 spot, ahead of Richmond, Va.; Kentucky Bourbon Country; Minneapolis, Minn.; and Southeastern Utah.

Even though it is still snowing, it’s not too early to plan for spring. This year, Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District has its largest offering ever: 167 varieties, 36 of them brand new – 59 bareroot fruit trees and berries; 65 bareroot trees and shrubs (including some hard-to-find natives); 43 organically grown, potted perennials and herbs, with a few more still to be added.

Hiking and camping with kids can be a wonderful way to bond as a family and introduce kids to the natural world. It can also be an occasion for disagreeable behavior and complaints.