Otherwise, they will have to wait until 9 a.m. for the gate to open in order to access the day use portion of the park in Casco, according to park officials.

This is the second year that the park has offered the Early Launch Permit, said Park Manager Matt McGuire.

“We have had a really good response to the Early Launch Permit, and we encourage anyone interested in finding out more to stop by the park office,” McGuire said.

Sebago Lake State Park will resume its normal schedule of closing the Day Use entrance gates at sunset on Friday, May 11. The park gates normally are closed and locked at sunset each evening and opened at 9 a.m. daily.

The Early Launch Permit is $10 and includes the gate combination. The pass is available at the park office at 11 Park Access Road in Casco (Phone: 207-693-6231).

In a related matter, McGuire said that fishing is “very good right now – now is the time to be fishing” at the park. Reports are that salmon fishing is excellent, with fishermen quickly reaching their limits. Those who don’t have boats also are finding success at Songo Locks, McGuire said.

“The fishermen are getting more successful every day,” he said.

For more information about Sebago Lake State Park, go to: http://www.maine.gov/sebagolake

For more information about Maine state parks, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

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Wolfe's Neck State Park

Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport is offering nature programs at 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays through May 28, weather permitting.

Starting at the benches at the end of the second parking lot at the park, these one-hour-long guided programs may include walks, talks, and activities in a beautiful natural setting.

No reservations are needed except for group use, and the programs are free with park admission.

Admission is $1 for ages 5-11, $3.00 for Maine residents ages 12-64; $4.50 for non residents ages 12 – 64; $1.50 for non residents 65 and older; people under age five and Maine residents 65 and older are free.

For more information or to arrange for group visits, please call 865-4465.

For more information about Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, go to: http://www.maine.gov/wolfesneckwoods

For more information about Maine state parks and historic sites, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

Calendar Entries for May 12-28

5/12 — Wild Flower Walk – Come for a walk in the woods to enjoy the spring wild flowers of Wolfe’s Neck Woods with a knowledgeable guide. 2 p.m. at benches by second parking lot, one hour, weather permitting.  Free with park admission. Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport. 865-4465.

5/13 — Osprey Watch – Stop by the osprey sign opposite Googins Island to get a close look at the nesting ospreys any time from 2 to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Wheelchair accessible. Free with park admission.Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport.  865-4465.

5/19 — Hike with the Ranger – Enjoy the best that the park has to offer in this season with a knowledgeable guide.  2 p.m. at benches by second parking lot, one hour, weather permitting.  Free with park admission.Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport.  865-4465.

5/20 — Osprey Watch – Stop by the osprey sign opposite Googins Island to get a close look at the nesting ospreys any time from 2 to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Wheelchair accessible. Free with park admission. Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport.  865-4465.

5/26 — Osprey Watch – Stop by the osprey sign opposite Googins Island to get a close look at the nesting ospreys any time from 2 to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Wheelchair accessible. Free with park admission.Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport.  865-4465.

5/27 — Stroll with the Ranger – Enjoy a leisurely stroll on the accessible White Pines Trail with a knowledgeable guide. 2 p.m., weather permitting. Wheelchair accessible. Free with park admission. Wolfe’s NeckWoods State Park, Freeport. 865-4465.

5/28 — Wild Flower Walk – Come for a walk in the woods to enjoy the spring wild flowers of Wolfe’s Neck Woods with a knowledgeable guide. 2 p.m. at benches by second parking lot, one hour, weather permitting.  Free with park admission. Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport.  865-4465.

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Otherwise, they will have to wait until 9 a.m. for the gate to open in order to access the day use portion of the park in Casco, according to park officials.

This is the second year that the park has offered the Early Launch Permit, said Park Manager Matt McGuire.

“We have had a really good response to the Early Launch Permit, and we encourage anyone interested in finding out more to stop by the park office,” McGuire said.

SebagoLake State Park will resume its normal schedule of closing the Day Use entrance gates at sunset on Friday, May 11.  The park gates normally are closed and locked at sunset each evening and opened at 9 a.m. daily.

The Early Launch Permit is $10 and includes the gate combination. The pass is available at the park office at11 Park Access Roadin Casco (Phone: 207-693-6231).

In a related matter, McGuire said that fishing is “very good right now – now is the time to be fishing” at the park. Reports are that salmon fishing is excellent, with fishermen quickly reaching their limits. Those who don’t have boats also are finding success at Songo Locks, McGuire said.

“The fishermen are getting more successful every day,” he said.

For more information about Sebago Lake State Park, go to: http://www.maine.gov/sebagolake

For more information about Maine state parks, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

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(photo courtesy of Mark LaRoche) Matt LaRoche, Allagash Wilderness Waterway superintendent, shows off a mess of brookies caught at his secret fishing location on the waterway.

The Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW) is the largest watershed inMainewhere the Eastern brook trout is still the top predator fish in the ecosystem. From Telos Dam toAllagashFalls, big brookies rule the lakes and river that makeup the 92-mile-long wilderness waterway.

Springtime — May and June — is when brook trout are most active and feed ravenously. They are fairly easy to catch when they are on a feeding frenzy and will hit almost anything. As fishermen, we just need to find that special place where the fish congregate at the right time.

These special places abound in the waterway and are too numerous to list. It seems that the spring fishing groups that return to the waterway year after year at the same time have found their special places.

I’m not going to tell you exactly where to go, but a good bet is anywhere that water runs into a lake or dead water. Go find that spot that you will never forget and come back to every year.

My brother Mark and I were fishing one spring at one of our favorite spots just outside of the AWW. We decided to go check out this spot that we just knew lunker trout would be lurking. It was a long walk through pristine woods to that place where we just knew big, hungry trout would be holed up waiting to take the first fly that was drifted over them. When we got there, we were disappointed to find the water too high to even give the spot a good try.

We made the long hike back to where we left our canoe a little disappointed with ourselves for not anticipating that the water would be so high. On the way back, we came upon a mother partridge and her brood of chicks. She tried the wing-dragging routine and acting like she was injured to draw us away from her chicks. It was quite a show!

When we finally got back to our canoe, we were famished. So I built a fire at the campsite and sliced some Spam for lunch. We grilled the famous canned meat on sticks — like you would a hotdog. Hot, grilled Spam on bread with mustard –something you might turn your nose up to at home never tasted so good! There is just something about lunch cooked over an open fire when you’re really hungry.

Spring fishing can be excellent when you hit it right. There are many variables to contend with; water levels, weather, insect hatches, and water temperature, just to name a few. When it all comes together, you will be rewarded with the fishing of a lifetime! One thing is sure — if you don’t go, you won’t hit the good fishing.

I suggest that you come up to the waterway, set up on a campsite for as many days as you can get off and make forays to different spots in the Allagash. You just might find that special spot that you will return to year after year.

For information on the AWW, go to: www.maine.gov/doc/parks/ or call 207-941-4014, email heidi.j.johnson@maine.gov or write to the Bureau of Parks & Lands,106 Hogan Road,Bangor,ME04401

Waterway notes: The new management plan for the AWW should be coming out for public review and comment very soon. Check the website above to view the plan. We would like to hear feedback from you regarding the plan that will guide management of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway over the next 15 years.

The ice should be out by the time this article goes to press. Call Heidi at the number above for current conditions on the waterway.

Check out Matt’s new blog spot: http://theallagash.wordpress.com/

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Maine

AUGUSTA,Maine–Mainefamilies who never before have camped will have the opportunity to experience the fun of family camping in a supportive way with the First Time Campers raffle, sponsored by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Now in its fifth year, the First Time Campers program will offer 44 lucky families a free weekend of camping this summer at one of 11Mainestate park campgrounds, according to Park Manager Fritz Appleby ofBradburyMountainState Parkin Pownal. Appleby is organizing the popular program for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL), under the Maine Department of Conservation.

“It’s a great program, a great opportunity for families or anyone who wants to get out and camp for the first time,” said Appleby. “There’s nothing to be afraid of — it’s a lot of fun, and we show our First Time Campers how to be prepared to have fun.”

“Camping is one of the best ways for families to have fun outside,” Will Harris, BPL director, added. “We are pleased to be able to provideMainefamilies the opportunity to get outside and enjoy some of the best of whatMainehas to offer in our state parks.”

The First Time Campers program will randomly select 44Mainefamilies to win a free weekend of camping. The raffle is open only toMainefamilies who have never before gone camping. Each selected family will get the free use of camping equipment, receive gifts from sponsors and be supported throughout the weekend by park staff.

One of those fortunate families also will be the grand-prize recipient of a $1,000 gift certificate from the program’s major sponsor, L.L.Bean.

“Our sponsors, particularly L.L. Bean, which is celebrating its 100^th anniversary, go out of their way to help us make this a successful program,” Appleby said. “Maine is all about the outdoors and the camping experience, and why shouldn’tMaine families enjoy all that?”

The unique program, part of BPL’s “Take It Outside” initiative, is designed to encourageMainefamilies to experience the rewards of summer camping atMainestate park campgrounds. This year, the program is sponsored by L.L.Bean, Kittery Trading Post, Hannaford, and Wicked Joe Coffee.

The selected families will get the use of camping equipment for the weekend, plus receive up to four sleeping bags to keep, Hannaford gift certificates and complete support from park staff in setting up, using and taking down camping equipment. Participants must provide their own provisions for the weekend.

In the past, selected families have commented in a follow-up survey on how much they have enjoyed their camping weekend.

“It’s really helpful, and the rangers/staff are all friendly,” wrote one participant. “That’s why we’re going to camp again.”

“My family had the time of their lives on their camping trip,” stated another First Time Camper. “It was a memory for sure.”

Raffle applications are available on line. They will be accepted until May 31. The recipient families will be chosen in a random drawing held on Friday, June 1, with the families notified the week of June 4. There will be four weekends of camping from which the lucky winners can choose, from July 13-14 to Aug. 3-4.

The state park campgrounds include: Bradbury Mountain, Pownal; Rangeley Lake, Rangeley; Aroostook, Presque Isle; Camden Hills, Camden; Sebago Lake, Naples; Mt. Blue, Weld; Cobscook Bay, Edmunds Township; Lamoine, Ellsworth; Peaks-Kenny, Dover-Foxcroft; Lily Bay, Beaver Cove; and Lake St. George, Liberty.

For more information about the First Time Campers program or to get an application, call Fritz Appleby, park manager,BradburyMountainState Park, at (207) 688-4712.

Or go to: http://www.take-it-outside.com

For more information about Mainestate parks and historic sites, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

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Seboeis Lake

AUGUSTA, Maine – The acquisition today by the State of Maine of more than 5,700 acres south of Millinocket in Piscataquis County, including 2 miles of Seboeis Lake shoreland, is expected to enhance outdoor recreation, tourism, public access and economic development throughout the region, according to state and conservation officials.

The $2.7-million Lakeville Plantation land acquisition finalized Monday expands the Seboeis Lands Unit managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL), under the Maine Department of Conservation (MDOC), to more than 21,000 acres, according to MDOC and The Trust forPublicLand. The total parcel amounts to 5,741 acres.

The parcel acquisition is funded through federal and state monies and purchased from the Bigelow Timber Corp. ofMadison. As a result, the purchase brings into state ownership a key linkage in a regional system of snowmobile and ATV trails betweenMiloand Millinocket and includes important shoreland and associated wetlands. Designated as “Public Reserved Lands” by the BPL, it will continue to be managed for timber production, recreation and wildlife, officials said.

“Acquiring the south end of Seboeis Lake not only completes shoreline conservation and water access around the lake at the geographic center of Maine, but it also provides the critical inter-connection point of major snowmobile and ATV trail networks between the central Maine and Millinocket regions of the state,” said Conservation Commissioner Bill Beardsley. “This is what public access forMainepeople toMaine’s natural environment is all about. This also is working forest that will produce revenue that supports management of the public reserved lands system.”

“Bigelow Timber Corp. is pleased that the property will continue to be a working forestland and an outdoor-recreation opportunity,” according to a statement issued by company officials.

“We are really pleased to be adding this piece of property to our Seboeis Unit that will provide increased public access through snowmobile and ATV trails, as well as public access to virtually all of the shoreline on this beautiful lake,” said Will Harris, BPL director. “These public benefits will be assured while still maintaining this as working forestland.”

“We are grateful to the State ofMainefor its steadfast commitment to protecting access toSeboeisLake, preserving recreational trails, and supporting the local timber economy,” said Wolfe Tone, The Trust forPublicLand’sMainestate director. “This is a big victory forMaineand for recreation and jobs tied to our best natural assets. We are thankful for the support from the federal congressional delegation and many Millinocket andMainepartners.”

SeboeisLakeis popular for boating, water access, and its views of Mount Katahdin and theBarren-ChairbackRange. Maintaining large intact sections of productive forestland will complement and enhance the region’s forest-based economy. Key regional ATV and snowmobile trail linkages on the property will facilitate future trail investments and support outdoor recreation and tourism development.

The State ofMaineand The Trust forPublicLand, a national conservation organization, has worked for several years to purchase this strategic property. Most of the $2.7 million purchase price was secured with $2,187,941 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Legacy Program (FLP). Additional funding included $483,136 from the state’s Land forMaine’s Future program and $14,461.50 each from both the federal Department of Transportation’s Recreational Trails Program and the state Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks and Lands. In addition, The Trust for Public Lands contributed $37,000 for appraisal and survey costs.

Maine’s congressional delegation was instrumental in getting the funding for the acquisition.

“As a long-time supporter of the Forest Legacy Program and a member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I am pleased to see the addition of the Seboeis Lake shoreland, part of the Katahdin Forest Expansion project, finalized,” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.  “This acquisition will allow for all Mainers to enjoy our state’s priceless assets. Public recreation is vital toMaine’s tourism and is a great service to local residents. In the heart of Maine’s North woods, this acquisition will connect existing recreation and conservation lands and will preserve the working forest while maintaining public access and protecting the natural beauty of our state.”

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe noted: “The Katahdin region is the jewel ofMaine’s preeminent outdoor economy, and this conservation project will help to not only preserve, but in fact, bolster the fishing and hiking opportunities the area affords, while also maintaining key ATV access.  I am proud to have supported this vital project in 2009 and am grateful to the Town ofMillinocket, the State ofMaine, and The Trust forPublicLand, as well as the many other organizations and countless individuals who have played an integral role in the completion of this project.

“It’s great to see the State ofMainecontinue its strong commitment to land conservation through collaboration with local interests,” U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud commented. “State, local, and private partnership is theMaineway of maintaining working landscapes and recreational activities. ThisSeboeisLakeacquisition will continue to enhance outdoor recreation, promote economic development, and improve public access throughout the Katahdin region.

Conservation of the property creates one of the only remaining linkages for ATV travel along the 50-mile-long, multi-use trail running between Millinocket and the southern and western parts of the state. Nearly 12 miles of the proposed trail travels through the Seboeis Land Unit and now links north and south legs of the trail, which both terminated at the property’s borders. The public now can access approximately 5 miles of ITS 111, which links southwest to the Brownville area and north to the Jo-Mary region and directly north through Millinocket.

The addition of the southern Seboeis Lake property also will serve as an anchor to Maine’s largest contiguous block of conservation land — more than 500,000 acres. From this property, visitors can travel across entirely protected land in all directions, north along either side of the lake, through the Katahdin Forest to the Nahmakanta Reserve and on to the Canadian border, or through the 100 Mile Wilderness toBaxter State Parkand the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Paul Sannicandro, secretary of the Northern Timber Cruisers ATV and Snowmobile Club, a Millinocket recreation group instrumental in supporting the funding of the Seboeis acquisition, pointed out the five-year collaborative effort made by the club, the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce, the communities of Millinocket, East Millinocket and Medway, Katahdin Forest Management LLC, The Trust for Public Land and MDOC in acquiring the unique property. He also stressed the possible impact of the acquisition on the area as it relates to the newly developed Katahdin Region Multi-Use Trail.

“This purchase is what this region has been relying on to encourage trail connectivity to the ATV system to the south,” Sannicandro said. “It is going to expand our recreational and economic opportunities.

“The Katahdin region already is known as the gateway to the Northern Maine Woods, but now we have the opportunity to enhance the potential of what ATVs can do for our outdoor recreation and tourism development,” he said. “It’s been proven to help economic development in other parts of the state, and now it can happen here.”

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, within the Maine Department of Conservation, manages 48 state parks and historic sites, 600,000 acres of public reserved land and 3 million acres of submerged land and provides conservation oversight monitoring of 3 million acres of conservation easements on private lands. Its multiple-use guidelines provide an extraordinary array of working forests, wildland preserves, outdoor recreation, and more than 20,000 miles of ATV, snowmobile, waterway and coastal trails.

The Trust forPublicLand, established in 1972, specializes in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiations, public finance, and law to protect land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas. TPL depends on the support of individuals, foundations, and corporations. InMaine, TPL has protected more than 130,000 acres, includingKatahdinLake, the western shoreline ofSeboeisLake, andMillinocketForest.

For more information about the Maine Department of Conservation, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc

For more information about the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

For more information about The Trust for Public Lands, go to: tpl.org/Maine

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Prior to the meeting, there will be a bird walk at 7:30 am. At 8:30 am coffee and muffins will be available and art pertaining to Baxter State Park (BSP) and Katahdin will be on display.

The meeting, which runs from 9 am to 12:30 pm, includes a report on the “State of the Park” by BSP Park Resource Director Rick Morrill.

There will also be reports on the Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program, projects to catalog the plants of Baxter State Park and to map vegetation in the park, and the status of Roxanne Quimby’s proposal to donate lands abutting Baxter State Park for permanent conservation.

A highlight will be a sneak preview of a new book on “Baxter State Park and Katahdin” by historians John Neff and Howard Whitcomb. The book will be released next month by Arcadia Publishing.

After lunch, participants may choose to go on a guided hike to Sanders Hill near Belgrade.

Friends of Baxter State Park is a nonprofit citizen organization working to preserve, support, and enhance the wilderness character of Baxter State Park, in the spirit of its founder, Governor Percival Baxter.

FRIENDS OF BAXTER STATE PARK ANNUAL MEETING

• 7:30 – Bird Walk
• 8:30 – Gather for coffee and muffins
• 9:00 – Welcome and Call to Order
• 9:05-9:40 – Business Meeting
• 9:40-9:45 – Preview of 2013 BSP Calendar Photos
• 9:45-10:05 – Recognitions and Awards
• 10:05-10:35 – State of the Park Address – Rick Morrill, BSP Resource Director
• 10:35-10:45 – Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program Report
• 10:45-11:00 – Break
• 11:00-11:10 – The Plants of Baxter State Park Project – Glen Mittelhauser
• 11:10-11:20 – Vegetative Mapping Project in BSP – Don Cameron
• 11:20-11:50 – Baxter State Park and Katahdin by John Neff and Howard Whitcomb
• 11:50-12:10 – Quimby’s National Park Proposal
• 12:10-12:20 – Governor Baxter Day Preview
• 12:20-12:30 – Members Forum
• 12:30 – 1:30 PM Complimentary Lunch
• 2:00 PM – Guided Hike to Sanders Hill

For more information:
See http://www.friendsofbaxter.org/programs/annualmeeting.php 

Friends of Baxter State Park
207-763-3014 or 207-542-5207
info@friendsofbaxter.org 

Friends of Baxter State Park
PO Box 609
Union, ME 04862

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To this end, the Maine Legislature established the Boating Facilities Fund in 1963, administered by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL), and funded with the state tax on gasoline used by recreational motor boats. BPL uses these funds to acquire, develop and renovate recreational boat access sites and to place and maintain navigational buoys on nearly 50 inland lakes and ponds.

The Bureau’s philosophy is that boating access sites are more efficiently managed on the local level, so it accomplishes most of its mission of providing boat access through a grant process, according to George Powell, Boating Facilities Division director.

The Bureau is please to announce that it is seeking grant proposals that will result in improved recreational boating access to the waters of the State ofMainefor fiscal year 2013, which begins July 1, 2012 and ends June 30, 2013.  The Bureau expects to have as much as $500,000 for the grant program, Powell said.

Projects are expected to be in the $30,000 to $250,000 range and must be completed by June 30, 2014.  A 50-percent cash or in-kind match is required. Project proposals are due June 26, 2012.  A pre-application inspection by BPL staff must be completed before an application is submitted. Pre-application inspections must be scheduled no later than May 18. 2012.

For more information call 287-4952 or see the Bureau’s Boating Grant website: http://www.state.me.us/doc/parks/programs/boating/grants.html

For more information about the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

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The shores of Sebago Lake

AUGUSTA,Maine– Sebago Lake State Park Campground –Maine’s most popular and largest state campground – will open Friday for the season and Patriot’s Day Weekend, April 14-16.

The campground opening is about four weeks earlier than usual, according to officials with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, under the Maine Department of Conservation.

“Conditions are such that we have been able to turn on the campground water and get the bathrooms ready earlier than normal,” Ron Hunt, BPL regional manager, said Thursday. “We are looking forward to a full and busy season.”

With 125 sites, including RV hook-ups, the Witch Cove section of the campground will be opened, Hunt said. Off-season camping fees will be in effect and posted at the entrance station, he said.

Campground sites will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, Hunt said. No site reservations will be valid until May 21.

Campers are likely not to find reception staff at the campground booth, the regional manager said, adding that campers will have to confirm their own site use. Campers will calculate their own fees and then put the fee amount in the metal receptacle known as the “Iron Ranger,” Hunt said.

Park staff will be monitoring the campsites, Hunt said. A ranger and assistant ranger will confirm site use on a daily basis, he said.

The popular park has a new manager, Matt McGuire, who now is on duty along with other staff, Hunt said. McGuire is an experienced park manager who managed previously atCobscookBayandRangeley Lakestate parks.

For more information about SebagoLakeState Park, call the park at: (207) 693-6231. Callers can leave a voice message which will be answered.

Or go to: http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/search_name.pl?state_park=26&historic_site=&public_reserved_land=&shared_use_trails=&option=search

For more information about Mainestate parks, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

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No reservations are needed except for group use; programs are free with park admission. Admission is $1 for ages 5-11, $3 forMaineresidents ages 12-64; $4.50 for non residents ages 12 – 64; $1.50 for non residents 65 and older; persons under 5 andMaineresidents 65 and older are free.  For more information or to arrange for group visits, please call 865-4465.

For more information about Wolfe’s NeckWoodsState Parkand Mainestate parks, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

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Allagash Falls

By Matthew LaRoche, Superintendent
Allagash Wilderness Waterway

Would you like to canoe the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW)? If your answer to this question is yes, but you don’t have the time to spend an entire week canoeing from Chamberlain Lake to Allagash Village, I want you to know that you have other options.

There are several opportunities for shorter Allagash adventures without canoeing the entire 92-mile-long waterway.

One of my personal favorites is the Allagash Lake to Chamberlain Bridge trip. This route takes you through the wildest section of the waterway. One of the nice things about this trip is that if you are accessing the AWW from the south or east, you will be driving right past your takeout location on your way to Allagash Lake. The closest vehicle access point to Allagash Lake is actually at Johnson Pond, page 55 of Delorme’s “Maine Atlas and Gazetteer.”

If you do decide to make the Allagash Lake to Chamberlain Bridget trip, there are a few “must- see” places you should checkout along the way. The ice caves at the northwest corner of Allagash Lake by the inlet are an extraordinary geological feature. A climb up the fire tower on Allagash Mountain will afford you fantastic views of the Maine Woods from the Canadian border to Mt.Katahdin. Little Allagash Falls is one of the most beautiful and remote locations on the waterway. If you can arrange your itinerary to stay here overnight, you won’t be disappointed.

At normal water levels, it is a lively 6-mile trip down Allagash Stream to Chamberlain Lake. You should call for current water conditions in Allagash Stream. The stream can be a raging torrent at high water or a drag at low water.

Once you enter Chamberlain Lake, you should take a short detour to the northeast corner of the lake and visit the Tramway Historic District, which includes the tramway and trains.

On your way down Chamberlain Lake, you have the option of staying overnight at Nugent’s Camps, about 10 miles down the lake on the east shore. For information on Nugent’s Camps, visit:www.nugentscamps.com

Another 5 miles down the lake will bring you to Chamberlain Bridge, where you left a vehicle on the way to AllagashLake.

You should plan on spending four nights on the waterway to make this trip and visit the sites that I have mentioned. Don’t forget to give yourself plenty of travel time to reach Johnson Pond. Wrong turns are common for first-time visitors, and the logging roads are notorious for flat tires!

Another three- or four-night trip that is slightly easier and no less spectacular is the Umsaskis to Allagash Village trip. This route starts where the American Realty Road crosses the waterway between Umsaskis and Long lakes. There is a nice vehicle access canoe launch and parking lot at this location. You can just launch your canoe and start paddling north. The campsites and scenery are beautiful along this section of the waterway.

At the outlet of  Harvey Pond, you will come to the remnants of Long Lake Dam. This was once 700 feet long and held back a 15-foot head of water. It is now a very nice campsite. The fishing can be excellent below the old dam in the spring and fall when the water is cool.

It is 10 miles of moderately flowing river to Round Pond — a pretty spot on the trip where the river takes a break before heading toward the St. John River.

Below Round Pond is a 2-mile-long stretch of Class 1 rapids know as Round Pond Rips. These rapids are easy for an intermediate canoeist, but they will provide some fun for those who like fast-moving water.

About 13 miles below Round Pond, you will see a campsite on river right called Cunliffe Depot. If you stop here and follow the trail upriver from the campsite, you will discover the remains of two Lombard log haulers.

Another couple miles down river will bring you to the Michaud Farm ranger station. You can end your trip here, but you will miss seeing Allagash Falls, or you can take another night and continue the 17 miles to the town of Allagash. Either way, please stop at the ranger station and sign your group out on the clip board hanging in on the porch.

The Umsaskis to Michaud Farm trip should take three nights. If you want to continue all the way to Allagash Village, you should plan on a four-night trip.

These are just two of the many shorter trips you can take on the AWW. I often suggest that first-time visitors or novice canoeists just drive to Churchill Dam and paddle up on Churchill Lake for a few nights of camping. This gives these first-time visitors a feel for the waterway and the logging roads used to access the area.

If you do decide to canoe the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with the opportunity to reconnect with the natural world.

For information on the AWW, go to: www.maine.gov/doc/parks/ or call 207-941-4014, email heidi.j.johnson@maine.gov or write to the Bureau of Parks & Lands,106 Hogan Road,Bangor,ME04401

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WHAT: A Spring Full Moon Watch Invitation from Park Manager Samantha Wilkinson
WHEN: 7 p.m., Friday, April 6; Park closes promptly at 9 p.m.
WHERE: Reid State Park, Georgetown

It goes by many names.

April’s full moon is sometimes referred to as the “pink moon,” because of the herb, moss pink, a ground phlox relative that blooms in spectacular fashion at this time of year in some regions. It’s also called the “sprouting grass moon,” and the “fish moon” among native coastal tribes, as April is the time when shad swim upstream to spawn.

If I were tasked with naming the moons, I would call this one the “Hey, Everybody, Winter is Over, So Let’s All Celebrate Spring at Reid State Park” moon!

That may be why no one has put me in charge of naming the moons. They did, however, put me in charge of managing Reid State Park, and since last year’s spring full moon watch was such a huge success and so well attended, I say an encore presentation this year is in order.

I am happy to extend Reid State Park’s normal operating hours on Friday, April 6, as a special treat for those who would like to view one of nature’s most beloved shows from one of its most unparalleled viewing arenas.

People interested in joining me on the shores of Reid State Park for this unique after-hours celebration of spring (weather permitting), should plan on arriving by 7 p.m., as the moon is scheduled to rise at 7:30 p.m. Night time activity will be limited to Griffith Head and Mile Beach only, and regular admission fees will apply. The park will close promptly at 9 p.m.

Pet owners — please remember that the nesting season for the endangered piping plover is now under way, so dogs are no longer allowed on park beaches. They are welcome to view the moonrise from other areas of the park, provided they are leashed at all times.

Don’t forget to bring your cameras!

For more information and up-to-date weather conditions, please call Reid State Park directly, (207) 371-2303.

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A male osprey, or fish hawk, landed at Googins Island on Tuesday night, unpacked his bags and made himself at home on his nest, Park Manager Andy Hutchinson announced Wednesday.

“He looked like a new arrival,” Hutchinson said, “and the neighbors came by to check him out.”

As Hutchinson watched the osprey, who appears to be the same male of two pairs that annually return to the state park, three immature bald eagles flew by in formation and checked out the newcomer.

“I’ve never seen that before,” said Hutchinson, a well-known naturalist. “Perhaps they were siblings from a nearby nest. When they got too close, he took off and went right after them.”

The popular seacoast park has had two nesting pairs of osprey for some years. The birds, which can be easily viewed by park visitors, have been a regular favorite attraction at the Freeport park, which is owned and managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, under the Maine Department of Conservation.

The return of the two resident pair of osprey is a sure sign of spring. The birds mate for life and spend the winter separately in more southern climes, such as Brazil. The male’s arrival is right on schedule, showing up as expected during the last week of March to the first week of April, Hutchinson said. The female should arrive in the next week, he said, to be followed in succession by the other male and female.

One pair always returns to the nest high in a pine on Googins Island, just off the park’s shore, while the other pair nests in a tree on the mainland. The island nest is “pretty intact,” with no winter damage, Hutchinson said. Pretty soon the male will begin to add twigs to the nest; then the pair will mate, with the female laying two to three eggs. Both birds rotate the eggs and sit on them and take turns bringing back food to the nest. Both parents later hunt for food to feed the newly hatched chicks.

The ospreys’ arrival is just in time for the park’s first “Osprey Watch” interpretive program, said Hutchinson. A spotting scope will be set up. The event will be held 2-3 p.m., Sunday, April 8. For more information, call the park at: (207) 865-4465.

The second annual “Feathers Over Freeport,” an all-ages birding event featuring numerous activities, will be held the weekend of April 28-29 at both Wolfe’s Neck Woods and Bradbury Mountain state parks. An osprey watch will be part of the activities.

For more information about Maine state parks, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, and park events, go to:http://www.parksandlands.com

For more information about “Feathers Over Freeport,” go to: http://www.maine.gov/feathersoverfreeport

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Sebago Lake and the Songo River are completely free of ice, and fishermen and boaters already are using the facility, according to Ron Hunt, BPL regional manager.

“The ice is clear, and we are ready for use,” Hunt said. “We try to open the ramp whenever ice-out occurs. Typically we try to open by April 1, but this year, we are able to start much earlier.”

Hunt reminded all boaters that they must pay the $5 use fee at the fee receptacle, known as the “Iron Ranger,” or use a Maine state park season pass.

The launch site already has proven its popularity, the regional manager said. Last weekend, some 30 fishing parties used the boating facility, he said, and more are expected this weekend.

In a side note, Hunt commented that so far this year, togue fishing on the lake has been “excellent.”

“If you’re an experienced fisherman, you’ll do well,” he predicted.

The annual smelt run has not yet occurred, Hunt said. When it does, “it will likely increase the success ratio for salmon at the mouth of the Songo River,” he said.

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By Matthew LaRoche,

Nestled on the northeast shore of Chamberlain Lake is a historic dam that changed the course of water that originally flowed down the Allagash and into the St. John River; this water now flows south down the East Branch of the Penobscot.

In the early years ofMaine’s statehood, the Maine Legislature was strapped for money. The state had millions of acres of public land in northernMainethat was considered “forested wasteland” at that time. The state sold the land to speculators for pennies an acre to balance the budget. One speculator named David Pingree purchased several townships encompassing the headwater lakes of what is now the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW).

Pingree hired an engineer named Eben Coe to survey the property and report back on his findings. What Coe found was a vast wilderness area with great pine resources. The problem was how to get the pine logs to the profitableBangorlumber market. Eben Coe and David Pingree became partners in the business venture and proceeded to explore the possibility of changing the direction of the water flow fromChamberlainLake.

(courtesy of the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands) (Drawing of dam and canoeists)This drawing shows how Lock Dam looked from 1920 through the 1940s.

HenceChamberlainLakeDam was built in 1841, now called Lock Dam, at the natural outlet of the lake, and a second dam was built on the south end ofTelosLake. A short channel, called “Telos Cut,” had to be dug at the Telos Dam site, and with the raising of the waters, the task of changing the flow of water from north to south was accomplished. Allagash pine could now be driven to the lucrative lumber market inBangor!

In the 1850s, Eben Coe redesigned the dam to include a series of locks used to float groups of logs fromEagleLaketoChamberlainLake. From there, they could be driven south to theBangorsaw mills. The lock process was slow and was abandoned in the early 1900s in favor of the steam-powered tramway located at the northeast end ofChamberlainLake.

Bangor Hydroelectric Co. eventually gained control of the dams at Telos and Chamberlain and managed the water resources of the lakes for down-stream power generation. In 1962, they buried the wooden structure, faced the now-earthen dam with wooden timbers for protection from ice movement in the winter and waves in the summer. They also installed a 3-foot diameter, gated culvert to provide water for canoeists traveling toEagleLakeand eventually down theAllagashRiver. In the year 2000, Bangor Hydro donated Lock and Telos dams to the State ofMaine.

In the spring of 2009, it was clear that time had taken its toll, and due to deterioration, some of the wooden facing detached and floated away; ice damage occurred, and the dam was in danger of breeching. A group of concerned citizens formed a nonprofit volunteer organization. The group raised cash and secured donations, including two dump trucks and fuel, for the repair of Lock Dam.

The Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands (BPL) contributed funds from the AWW capital improvement account. BPL personnel and volunteers worked together to implement a plan for repair of the dam using an amended design already on file with BPL. Permits were obtained from LURC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The winter road to the dam was brushed back and repaired, and as soon as the winter road was frozen enough to support construction equipment, work began on the 248-foot-long earthen dam. The wood facing and sheet metal were removed, large rip-rap topped with smaller ledge was placed on the lake side, and the top was built up to the original height.

Lock Dam is one of several culturally important historical sites in the AWW. It is important to canoeists and sportsmen who use the AWW. It maintains water levels that provide for a deep-water channel between Telos and Chamberlain lakes; water frontage for campsites and Nugent’s sporting camps on Chamberlain Lake; a barrier to non-native fish species should they become established above Allagash Falls; and it enhances the fisheries in the East Branch of the Penobscot drainage.

Lock Dam is a popular camping location for canoeists paddling the famous Allagash Wilderness Waterway. The dam keeper’s house where Milford Kidney and his wife, Maine author Dorothy Boone Kidney, lived for many summers is still used by waterway personnel for overnight accommodations when needed.

Telos and Lock Dams are managed by the AWW for recreational and fisheries management purposes. For information on the AWW please call 207-941-4014, email heidi.j.johnson@maine.gov. or write Bureau of Parks & Lands,106 Hogan Road,Bangor,ME04401.

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**Crystal

GRAY, Maine – Following the recommendations of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Chandler Woodcock, the Crystal Lake Ice Fishing Derby Board of Directors has decided to postpone the Crystal Lake Ice Fishing Derby and Kid’s Derby on Saturday January 28, 2012 to the date of Saturday, February 25, 2012. The event is postponed due to concerns for the public’s safety regarding ice conditions.

The annual Crystal Lake Ice Fishing Derby was expected to attract over 6,000 anglers. Benefits from the derby support Maine military families, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Hooked On Fishing program, and local community schools.

WHAT

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands reservation system will be open for Sebago Lake State Park campground reservations only on Feb. 1, and for all state park campgrounds at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6, according to BPL officials.

Online-reservation start days once again are being split, with reservations being taken for the very popular Sebago Lake camp sites only starting on Wednesday, Feb. 1, to reduce wait times.

As of opening reservation day, there will be no fee increase for sites at the state park campgrounds. Fees, however, do vary from campground to campground, with the highest fees for non-residents who want sites with water and electricity hookups.

Campers can make reservations at Maine state campgrounds in four ways:

• Online at www.campwithme.com
• By calling 9 a.m.-4 p.m. business days, in state at 800-332-1501; or out-of-state at 207-624-9950
• By mailing reservations to: Bureau of Parks and Lands, ATTN.: Reservations, 22 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333. Mailed reservation requests must not be postmarked before Feb. 1, 2012.
• By dropping off completed reservation forms, which will be processed during business hours at the Augusta office.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Sebago Lake reservations will be accepted for a four-night minimum stay only. This is being done because Sebago tends to average longer stays than other campgrounds.

For more information and complete registration details, as well as a “New for 2012″ tutorial to make an online reservation, go to: http://www.campwithme.com

Welcome to Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. Hirundo is a 2,400 acre nature preserve, spanning Pushaw and Dead Streams, Lac D’Or (lake), vast wetlands, including domed bog and maple and juniper swamps, and mixed hardwood and evergreen forests. Only 10 miles from the University of Maine, Orono Campus, visitors paddle canoes free of charge and watch playful river otters, breeding Wood Ducks, Bald Eagles, and Osprey in the tranquil beauty. While hiking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing, one might encounter moose, deer, red and gray fox, muskrat, beaver, otter, black bear, bobcat,  fisher, and ermine.

Birdwatchers enjoy such breeding and migrating birds as Virginia Rail, Sora, Yellow Rail, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Blackburnian and Nashville Warblers, Common Snipe, Woodcock, Barred Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Waterthrush, Barn, Cliff, and Tree Swallows, and Olive-Sided, Great Crested, Yellow-Bellied, Alder, and Least Flycatchers.

Great Blue Heron. Photo by Gary Kramer, USFWS

Hirundo is the Latin word for swallow. Scores of tree swallow nest boxes attract flocks, breeding in the Spring. Hirundo Wildlife Refuge was founded by Oliver Larouche from his parents’ 3 acre camp in 1965, expanding to its present 2,400-acre size. In 1983 Oliver and his wife  June Larouche deeded the Hirundo land to the University of Maine cementing a long-term collaboration. Hirundo is a living laboratory, where much past research and scientific studies continue.

The public is welcomed to visit Hirundo Wildlife Refuge 7 days a week 9 AM to dusk. Please sign the log book available  at Gate 1,  Gate 2 ,  Gate 3 or Gate 6.

There are no charges, admission fees, or membership, but donations are strongly encouraged. The public should call ahead for canoes. There is a clearly marked,seven mile trail system on 300 acres. Trail maps are available at Gates 1, 2, 3 or 6, and may be downloaded on the maps pages.

Buds, Twigs and Trees – February 19, 2012

Spend Sunday afternoon with Steve Sader, Professor of  Forest Resources at University of Maine,  learning how to identify deciduous trees and shrubs in winter. Hand lenses and magnifying glasses helpful.

Deciduous leaves are scarce in winter, except on beech and sometimes oaks, and bark of young trees can be misleading. Not so buds and leaf scars.  Bud shapes, the number of bud scales, bud arrangement, leaf scares and twigs are features used to key out native and no-native trees and shrubs. Hirundo’s varied forests (wetland, mixed, upland) offers ample opportunity for practice.

Buds are the adaptation strategy of tree and shrubs to maximize food production and flower & seed development during the short active growing period in our northern climate. Buds, pre-formed the previous summer, hold miniature leaves or flowers, or both, depending on species. The trees and shrubs share the same quandary as Maine’s tourist industry. Spring is late, summer short and just like the tourist industry the woody plant has to replenish its depleted resources from the past winter, flower (prosper), produce seed (increase in size) AND make new buds for the next season (put up money) in just a few month!

Lucky for us, buds come in different shapes and sizes, with or without coverings (the bud scale) and are arranged opposite or alternate along the twigs. Some buds are shamelessly naked, as in the Wayfaring Tree (a non-native) and set on gray hairy twigs, with triangular leaf scar beneath.

Flower Bud Wayfaring Tree

Triangular leaf scar with 3 bundle scars

The willow wards off temperature fluctuation with one bud scale, the Red Osier dogwood with two, and the familiar silver maple, among other trees, uses several.

Willow bud

If two species occupy similar habitat, are alike in twig colour and have the same bud arrangement, as it is true for the Red maple and Red osier dogwood, the number of bud scales might just be the right aid for
further identification.

How do buds know when to burst open, to expose leaves to sunlight and flowers to pollination?

Ask Steve on February 19th, 2012 at 1pm.

See you then!

Winter Ecology Series 2012

Hirundo Wildlife Refuge is pleased to announce its Winter Ecology Series of free, family-oriented walks, lasting 1.5 hours.
Beginning on Sunday, January 8 you will learn how to ‘Identify Animal Signs’, hone your skills in ‘Winter Tree Identification’ (February 19) and listen to the calls of Barred or Screech Owl during the ‘Owl Walk’ (March 7). Our heated shelter, at Lac D’Or will be open 1/2 hour prior to the beginning of the walk.

Currently we suggest you bring snowshoes, if available, or reserve them with us by calling 207 944 9259.

Intersecting

Meet at the Parker Reed shelter in the Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. Take Gate 1 and follow the dirt road for ~1/2 mile to the Pine Tree parking lot. The shelter is further on the left. Reservations and cancellations requested, call 207-944-9259. Event is free and open to all ages. Suggested donations are $4 for adults, school-aged children are free.

Willow bud

Come and join wildlife ecologist Bucky Owen, on January 8, as he snowshoes along a section  of  Hirundo’s seven-mile trail system, speaks about the seasonal animal and plant adaptation, and looks for animal tracks.

On February 19,  practice Tree Identification in winter, using twigs and other clues, when you examine Hirundo’s varied forest communities with Steven Sader, from the School of Forest Resource at University of Maine.

Mark your calendar for the Winter Ecology series third outing on March 7. Paul Markson introduces you to animal’s nighttime activities at Hirundo during his Owl Walk.

Directions

FROM THE SOUTH

Take the I-95 N. Take the ME-43 exit 197 to Old Town/Hudson. Go 0.3 mi to the end of the off ramp. At the stop sign, turn left onto Rt. 43 (Hudson Rd). Go west 5.2 mi and look for the large red signs on your right (north side of Rt. 43). Gate 1 leads to the Wabanaki Interpretive Nature Trail and the Shelter at Lac D’Or. Gate 2 leads to parking and multiple walking trails. Gate 3 has parking for the canoe trails.

FROM THE NORTH

Take I-95 S.Take the ME-43 exit 197 to Old Town/Hudson. Go 0.3 mi. Turn right at Hudson Rd. Go 0.3 mi to the end of the off ramp. At the stop sign, turn right onto Rt. 43 (Hudson Rd). Go west 5.2 mi and look for the large red signs on your right (north side of Rt. 43). Gate 1 leads to the Wabanaki Interpretive Nature Trail and the Shelter at Lac D’Or. Gate 2 leads to parking and multiple walking trails. Gate 3 has parking for the canoe trails.

View larger map

WHAT: Winter Family Fun Day

The date of the Winter Family Fun Day atCobscookBayState Parkhas been changed in anticipation of more snow for all the planned activities. Please make appropriate changes in your event calendar.

Winter Family Fun Day activities include: Cross-country skiing, sliding, snowshoeing, ice skating, snowmobile tote rides, birdhouse building, and nature walks. The event fee is $1.50 for adults, ages 12-64; kids and seniors, free. A hot lunch is included.

Event sponsors include: Hannaford, L.L.Bean, Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, Poland Spring Water, Wicked Joe Coffee,MaineWinterSportsCenter, and Kittery Trading Post as major sponsors. Local sponsors include Moosehorn Wildlife Refuge andWashingtonCountyCommunity College. Numerous community volunteers also are participating to make sure the winter events take place.

For more information, call the park at (207) 726-4412 or go to: www.parksandlands.com