Maine Environmental Education Association 2026 Conference: Full Schedule

1:00pm EDT

Wabanaki Studies: Furthering Your Teaching and Learning

Thursday May 7, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

This 3-hour collaborative work session is intended for educators who are actively working on implementing Wabanaki studies into their teaching practices and have completed the online microcourse, “Wabanaki Studies - Essential Topics for Teaching & Learning”. Please bring any lessons, activities, or resources that you have been building to workshop in the company of Wabanaki advisors and other...
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Speakers

Kaya Lolar

Director of Policy and Wabanaki Studies, Maine Environmental Education Association

Brianne Lolar

Wabanaki Studies Specialist, Maine Department of Education

Thursday May 7, 2026 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Dining Hall 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Wabanaki Studies, Indoor

9:35am EDT

Print making in all Seasons

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am EDT

North Hall @ The Lodge

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.

Speakers

Heather Bailey

Director of Childcare, Penobscot Bay YMCA Child Care Center

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am EDT
North Hall @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Outdoor Learning, Indoor

9:35am EDT

The Listen Project: Understanding the Landscape of the Maine Youth Climate Movement

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am EDT

Middle Room @ The Lodge

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...
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Speakers

negina lawler-naluai

Director of Youth Engagement, Maine Environmental Education Association

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am EDT
Middle Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Skills for Action, Outdoor

9:35am EDT

Wabanaki Studies in Action

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am EDT

Dining Hall

Get interactive with available Wabanaki studies resources and build connections with other educators looking to implement Wabanaki studies in their classrooms and communities.

Speakers

Kaya Lolar

Director of Policy and Wabanaki Studies, Maine Environmental Education Association

Brianne Lolar

Wabanaki Studies Specialist, Maine Department of Education

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am EDT
Dining Hall 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Wabanaki Studies, Indoor

9:35am EDT

Teaching Resilience: Using Flood & Drought Monitoring Tools in Classrooms and Communities

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 11:45am EDT

Multipurpose Room @ The Lodge

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...
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Speakers

Roberta Hill

Bioregional Coordinator, The Center for an Ecology-Based Economy

Ray Mills

Changemakers Resident, Maine Environmental Education Association & The Nature Conservancy in Maine

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 11:45am EDT
Multipurpose Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Climate Education, Indoor

9:35am EDT

Relational Organizing as World Building

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 11:45am EDT

Big Room @ The Lodge

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.

Speakers

estephanie guaregua maroáll

organizer, educator, coach, and student of land ancestral lifeways, Mycorrising

Débora Paredes

Contributing Hyphae Practitioner, Mycorrising

Friday May 8, 2026 9:35am - 11:45am EDT
Big Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Skills for Action, Outdoor

10:45am EDT

Exploring Phenology: Observing Seasonal Change

Friday May 8, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

North Hall @ The Lodge

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!

Speakers

Isabelle Stewart

Maine Coast Semester, Chewonki

Robbin Dilley

Maine Coast Semester, Chewonki

Friday May 8, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
North Hall @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Outdoor Learning, Outdoor

10:45am EDT

Integrating outdoor learning into rural public education

Friday May 8, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Middle Room @ The Lodge

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.

Speakers

Leza Packard

Head of School, Ecology Learning Center

Adam Williams

Director of Outdoor Programs and Humanities Faculty, Ecology Learning Center

Friday May 8, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Middle Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Outdoor Learning, Outdoor

10:45am EDT

Rooted in Relationship Youth Voice, Choice and Power in Practice

Friday May 8, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Dining Hall

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...
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Speakers

Tucker Daniels

Maine Youth Action Network

Saige Purser

Community Impact Officer, Maine Youth Action Network

Friday May 8, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Dining Hall 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Skills for Action, Indoor

1:25pm EDT

Exploring and Monitoring Vernal Pools

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 2:25pm EDT

Dining Hall

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...
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Speakers

Abigail Long

Community Science Project Manager, The Gulf of Maine Research Institute

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 2:25pm EDT
Dining Hall 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Climate Education, Indoor

1:25pm EDT

Top Down and Bottom Up Action for Environmental Education Systems Change

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 2:25pm EDT

Middle Room @ The Lodge

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...
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Speakers

Lena Ives

Advocacy Working Group Lead, Nature Based Education Consortium

Nell Houde

Advocacy Working Group Lead, Nature Based Education Consortium

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 2:25pm EDT
Middle Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Outdoor Learning, Outdoor

1:25pm EDT

Growing in Grief: planting seeds of resilience through zine making

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 2:25pm EDT

North Hall @ The Lodge

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....
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Speakers

Emily Fetter

Farmer & Artist

Taylor Sherritt

English Teacher, Messalonskee High School

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 2:25pm EDT
North Hall @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Skills for Action, Indoor

1:25pm EDT

Climate Education & Justice Resources for Educators

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 3:35pm EDT

Big Room @ The Lodge

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...
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Speakers

Glenn Cummings

Director of Green Schools, Maine Dept. of Education

Teddy Lyman

Climate Education Specialist, Maine Department of Education

Carey Hotaling

Maine State Lead, Subject to Climate, Maine Climate Education Hub

Ezra Sassaman

Advocacy Coordinator, Maine Climate Action Now

Isabelle Rogers

Communications Coordinator, Maine Climate Action Now

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 3:35pm EDT
Big Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Climate Education, Indoor

1:25pm EDT

Cultivating Connection: The Power of Community Spaces & The Impact of Belonging

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 3:35pm EDT

Multipurpose Room @ The Lodge

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...
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Speakers

Kyle Warnock

Executive Director & Founder, Queerly ME

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 →

Friday May 8, 2026 1:25pm - 3:35pm EDT
Multipurpose Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Skills for Action, Indoor

2:35pm EDT

The Maine Six: Front Line Dogs Facing Invasive Spotted Lantern Fly

Friday May 8, 2026 2:35pm - 3:35pm EDT

North Hall @ The Lodge

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.

Speakers

Melissa McCue-McGrath

Dog Trainer, Behavior Consultant, Animal Welfare Society

Friday May 8, 2026 2:35pm - 3:35pm EDT
North Hall @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Climate Education, Indoor

2:35pm EDT

From Stranger to Steward: Cultivating Belonging Through Place-Based Outdoor Learning

Friday May 8, 2026 2:35pm - 3:35pm EDT

Dining Hall

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.

Speakers

Ashley Medina

Program Coordinator, Maine Community Integration

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 Hall 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Outdoor Learning, Outdoor

2:35pm EDT

Outdoor Photography for Nature Connection & Self-Expression

Friday May 8, 2026 2:35pm - 3:35pm EDT

Middle Room @ The Lodge

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...
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Speakers

Emory Buco Harger

Director of Communications & Independent Photographer & Teaching Artist, Maine Environmental Education Association

Friday May 8, 2026 2:35pm - 3:35pm EDT
Middle Room @ The Lodge 103 Pilgrim Lodge Lane, West Gardiner, ME 04345

Outdoor Learning, Outdoor

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