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July 2001
I spent a week
in the woods at Beaver Park in Lisbon. It
was high adventure, equally for being in a lovely natural area as for being in
the company of twelve children, ages nine and eleven.
Bob Elliott and I led this Earth Connections program.
Bob is our counties' Extension Educator who does environmental education
programs for youth in schools, 4-H clubs and other venues such as this day camp.
He grew up exploring the Maine woods.
His love and knowledge of nature sparked the children's own enthusiasm.
Focusing on
the Earth Connections ecological concepts, we took every opportunity to consider
how nature, which of course includes humans, operates. Using teachable moments
of discovery and questioning, as well as Earth Connections activities, we moved
from woods habitat to edge habitat to pond to meandering brook, on a learning
quest.
As we thought
about how everything is connected, we looked at food chains, food webs, and
competition. When we found that
everything has to go somewhere, we reflected on life support cycles, energy
flow, and the relationship between living and nonliving members of ecosystems.
When we saw evidence again and again that everything is always changing,
we talked about ecological succession and adaptation.
In our
explorations, a broad-winged hawk circled above the trees along the edge of a
pond. A great blue heron flew from a tall white pine during a
morning walk and in the afternoon we saw a heron fishing in the grassy shallows
of a pond. We found moose scat from
this last winter or early spring, along with tracks and signs of their browsing
on plants. Deer signs were
frequent. We even came across signs
of coyote.
We heard the
singing of a hermit thrush, a white-throated sparrow and a winter wren.
Dragonflies and damselflies swarmed at pond edges.
A turtle sunned on a log floating in the pond near the beaver lodge.
Kingbirds hawked for insects from low perches.
A myrtle warbler gleaned insects from tree branches just overhead. Frogs,
toads, salamanders and snakes made brief appearances. Eastern tiger swallowtail
butterflies glided among the trees at meadow edges.
By the end of
the week, everyone could identify white pine, red pine, red spruce, maple and
oak trees. We found Indian cucumber
root in moist shady locations. We
discovered flowering wood sorrel. In
many places, Canadian mayflower, bunchberry, starflower, and goldthread grew in
community on the forest floor. Wild sarsaparilla became a favorite, for reasons
the children best know.
I admired the
children for their knowledge and wisdom, which could incorporate new experience
so quickly. I thought, what a good
job their parents and teachers have been doing.
I respected their ability to listen, make their own observations and come
to thoughtful conclusions. I was
touched as their native compassion for all living things grew with their
awareness. Over the five intensive days, their sense of connection with nature
and with each other, and respect for both, increased and matured.
Beaver Park is three hundred and thirty-seven acres owned by the Town of Lisbon and managed by Verla Brooks, the Park's ranger, and the town's respected conservationist Jack Arndt. It has been the vision and leadership of these two people that has made Beaver Park the marvelous asset it is today. The children and adults who enjoy the park's fishing, swimming, recreational and nature exploration opportunities can thank Verla, Jack, the town government and staff, and Lisbon citizens for conserving Beaver Park. I most certainly do!
By Nancy Coverstone (ncstone@umext.maine.edu), University of Maine Extension Educator in Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties
Return to Wild About Nature Table of Contents
Putting Knowledge to Work with the People of Maine
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Last Modified:
08/13/06
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