www.wellsreserve.org/news/2006-04-03_earthday.htm

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT THE WELLS RESERVE

WELLS, MAINE - The Wells Reserve will celebrate Earth Day on April 22 with the dedication of its new Forest Learning Shelter and Interpretive Trail. The event is free and open to the public at 342 Laudholm Farm Road, just off Routes 1 and 9 near the Wells-Kennebunk line. FMI (207) 646-1555.

Earth Day at the Wells Reserve will also feature local conservation groups, businesses, schools, and other organizations involved with environmental issues. They will discuss their work, offer hands-on activities, and demonstrate what they do to make our planet a healthier place.

Family activities will include a scavenger hunt, paper making, tree cookie necklace making, art projects, and planting seeds to take home.

The Cover Crops, a fun folk-bluegrass band, will perform periodically throughout the day.

Schedule for Earth Day at the Wells Reserve
Saturday, April 22, 10 am to 3 pm
11 am: Dedication of Forest Learning Shelter (Sherry Huber, Paul Dest, and Don Somers to speak) followed by forest-themed refreshments
12 noon: Forest Discovery Walk
1:30 pm: Live animal program by the Center for Wildlife

The Wells Reserve's new Forest Learning Shelter is a 20 by 30 foot outdoor classroom within a mixed forest along the existing Saw-whet Owl Trail. New interpretive signs near the shelter illustrate forest succession, wildlife uses of forests, and the importance of forests along waterways. The shelter and signs were designed and constructed with support from the Maine TREE Foundation and Project Learning Tree, the Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, and the Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.

Two Wells Reserve educators recently completed intensive training to become Project Learning Tree facilitators. This will allow them to offer training workshops to teachers, local group leaders, and others to use PLT program materials. Project Learning Tree workshops bring an award winning preK-12 environmental education curriculum to participants along with full alignment to Maine State learning results.

The Wells Reserve Earth Day celebration is sponsored by Bay State Gas/Northern Utilities with additional support from Grandy Oats. Borealis Breads will have lunches for sale. Free organic coffee and tea will be available, so bring along your mug.

The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, with facilities at historic Laudholm Farm, is committed to investigating coastal environments and increasing understanding of their ecology. The reserve receives core funding from the nonprofit Laudholm Trust and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Confirmed participating organizations on date of release: Maine Natural Areas Program, Master Gardeners, Center for Wildlife, Animal Welfare Society, Grandy Oats, Ogunquit Conservation Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Herne Schools, Maine TREE Foundation, Project Learning Tree, Laudholm Trust, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve

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