Find creativity in community, join me in creating your own personal Anthotype from natural materials. Together we'll collaborate on making this project applicable to your program, finding connections in the process of Anthotypes for preschool and school age children alike.
The Listen Project empowers Maine youth to lead research on our own climate movement, uncover unmet needs, and channel findings into more inclusive advocacy and resource strategies. We surveyed 123 youth, interviewed 22 youth and adult allies, and surveyed seven youth climate organizations. Interact with the data through a tactile and engaging data museum, and then join in on the discussion on how you can get involved in creating a resilient, collaborative youth climate ecosystem in Maine.
Get interactive with available Wabanaki studies resources and build connections with other educators looking to implement Wabanaki studies in their classrooms and communities.
This workshop is for both formal and informal educators who are interested in teaching, either in the classroom or community, about how to utilize community science for flood and drought monitoring and build more resilient communities. The first half of this workshop will consist of a short presentation of the project and resource materials, and the second part will be a field-based activity offering the chance to contribute to the flood monitoring project directly.
No prior experience is required, just an interest in teaching about flooding and its impacts, along with a willingness to use a hands-on approach in doing so. Participants will need to come prepared to spend half the workshop outdoors and should wear environmentally appropriate footwear and clothing.
What is the vision of the future for yourself, your loved ones, and your communities? How will you get there? What does the future ask of you right now? Share space and time with Mycorrising as we explore what organizing for the current moment might look like and how to find your role in movement and world building.
Interested in an easy, accessible way for you or your students to develop a deep connection with place and become more familiar with local species and ecosystems? Come explore phenology with us! We will be outdoors practicing and debriefing several techniques for observing and tracking seasonal changes. Bring your curiosity and a good pencil!
Share! Collaborate! Learn! Join educators from the Ecology Learning Center (Unity, Maine) as we discuss the successes, challenges and opportunities for creating dynamic, skills-focused outdoor learning experiences for youth in rural public-school settings.
Rooted in Relationship is a workshop designed to deepen participants’ understanding of youth voice, choice, and shared power in youth‑serving spaces. Together, we explore what authentic youth–adult partnership looks like, how power flows in different settings, and what it takes to build relationships where young people can lead with confidence. Through interactive learning, real‑world scenarios, and reflective dialogue, participants examine the conditions that allow youth agency to thrive and identify practical strategies for shifting adult practice. This session invites adults to rethink their role, share decision‑making in meaningful ways, and co‑create environments where youth leadership is not only possible, but expected.
Vernal pools are temporary spring pools that contribute to the biodiversity of healthy forest ecosystems as habitats and food sources for many species. As climate is changing and humans continue to develop on forested land, vernal pools and the unique species that rely on them may be changing as well. Join the effort to understand where and when we can find vernal pools and how they may be changing through Project Vernal Pools, a community science project focused on monitoring and protecting these seasonal habitats.
The Nature Based Education Consortium Advocacy working group wants to hear from YOU about the systems-level changes and legislative priorities that need to happen to support you in your work. Our group has been working hard for the past seven years hard to shape policies that will further strengthen the environmental education ecosystem state-wide, and in this workshop we will share stories of our successes, the learnings of our challenges, and all the skills we've learned and resources we've built along the way. Most importantly, though; we want to continue to expand engagement with the legislative process and hear about community needs as we hone in on our future work. Come get your voice heard and learn some advocacy skills!
Drawing from the work of climate activist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, (What if We Get it Right: Visions of Climate Futures) and comic artist Lynda Barry, this workshop will center joy and creativity while metabolizing grief through collage-style zine making. Educational aspects of this workshop will include essays, articles, and images that capture the reality of our current climate crises. Participants will be taught basic strategies of zine making and will walk away with a finished zine.
Join three organizations leading the way in climate education in Maine — Maine Department of Education, Subject to Climate, and Maine Climate Action Now — to dive into the resources they have to offer. This workshop will begin as a large group and then will break off into smaller groups based on which resource you're most excited to learn more about. Learn more about each organization's offerings below.
Subject to Climate Step outside for inspiration, then come inside to explore the resources on the Maine Climate Education Hub and discover practical ways to bring climate change into your existing curriculum. This interactive workshop provides a pedagogical overview, hands-on rotation activities to share ideas, and time to explore and select Hub resources for your own classroom.
Maine Department of Education Come learn about the new Maine Seal of Climate Literacy and how you can implement it with your community. The Seal is a high school diploma endorsement that prepares and empowers students with environmental literacy, traditional ecological knowledge, and green workforce skills to rise to the challenge of climate change for the future of Maine’s communities, workforce, and natural environment. If you are curious or ready to jump right in, join us to learn more!
Maine Climate Action Now MCAN staff members Ezra Sassaman and Isabelle Rogers will present educational climate justice resources their organization has been developing. These resources will be paired with participant brainstorming about how climate and other social justice issues are directly connected. We will also engage in open discussions about different ways of understanding the climate crisis and climate solutions by pairing modern science with traditional ecological knowledge.
Connection driven spaces have been in rapid decline as far back as the 1950s. National trends for social connection show loneliness is increasing and social engagement is decreasing. Our mental health, physical health, and society are directly and significantly impacted. Learn about the decline of community spaces, the public health epidemic of loneliness and isolation, and how we can collectively revitalize opportunities for affirming, inclusive social connection to improve societal well-being. Due to the scope of Queerly ME's work, this training will focus on the LGBTQIA+ community, outdoor equity, and community organizing models.
Kyle Warnock is the Executive Director and Founder of Queerly ME, a nonprofit fostering strong support networks and community belonging for LGBTQIA+ adults in Maine. As the only LGBTQIA+ led nonprofit presence in all 16 counties of Maine annually, Queerly ME is helming the creation... Read More →
With climate change affecting the rapid spread of invasive species that harm our ecosystems, a group of six dog owners and their trainer were given a task: Can you teach your pet dogs to find Spotted Lantern Fly? The answer was a resounding yes - and you can teach your pet to find an invasive, too.
This experiential workshop explores how connection to land can cultivate belonging and curiosity for youth navigating new environments. Through storytelling, guided reflection, and a hands-on nature activity, participants will experience how outdoor learning can foster healing, connection, and stewardship. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for creating inclusive outdoor learning spaces.
Ashley Medina creates inclusive and supportive spaces for Maine’s immigrant and minority communities. Moving from Texas to Maine as a young Mexican American and Spanish speaker, Ashley and her family experienced some of the same challenges immigrant families face, especially when... Read More →
Friday May 8, 2026 2:35pm - 3:35pm EDT Dining Hall103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345
Step outside the classroom and into the frame! Participants will need to bring their own camera or cell phone to participate in the photography exercise. In this experiential workshop, educators will discover how outdoor photography can build student connection to the natural environment at your school or community program, build teamwork amongst students, and grow self-confidence and creative expression. We'll start off with a hands-on exercise with student photography and example lessons from Emory Buco Harger's middle school photography class at La Escuelita Middle School in Oakland, California. Then we'll participate in a creative outdoor photography activity for the second half of the workshop that helps students observe their natural environment, express themselves, work as a team, and also introduce some colors in the Panawahpskek language.
You'll leave this workshop inspired to bring outdoor photography into your classroom or community program, ideas for funding strategies and weaving photography across subject areas, and maybe even a few great photos of your own!
