Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2023-08-16 10:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Master carver Steve Valleau will be a special guest at Schoodic Institute on August 16, 2023 from 10:30am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 3:30pm, doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Rockefeller Welcome Center. Visit with Steve, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Steve has been the carver-in-residence at the Museum for 37 years.

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Photos used with permission from Wendell Gilley Museum.

Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2023-09-06 10:30 - 15:30 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Master carver Steve Valleau will be a special guest at Schoodic Institute on September 6, 2023 from 10:30am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 3:30pm, doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Rockefeller Welcome Center. Visit with Steve, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Steve has been the carver-in-residence at the Museum for 37 years.

…….
Photos used with permission from Wendell Gilley Museum.

Schoodic Spring Birding Adventure (CANCELED due to rain)
2024-04-20 08:00 - 12:00 | Schoodic Institute, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Unfortunately, this event has been canceled due to forecasted rain. Thank you for your interest, and we hope to see you for another event at Schoodic Institute this season.
Come one, come all! Join Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park on Saturday, April 20, 2024 for a free, self-guided birding adventure along the Schoodic Peninsula. Our meeting spot will be the gatehouse at the entrance to Schoodic Institute (in Winter Harbor, ME). Drop by the gatehouse anytime between 8am and 12pm to enjoy refreshments, check out bird identification guides, binoculars and other equipment, and play some fun games to help introduce new birders to the activity. Then, branch out on your own to explore the peninsula and find some cool spring birds. Games will be played, conversations will be had, and birds will (hopefully) be plentiful!
This event will engage birders of all ages and experience-levels to learn more about the birds of Acadia, and it is free of charge.

Please note: heated and accessible bathrooms will be located at the gatehouse. Parking on the Schoodic Institute campus can be found near Rockefeller Hall and at the North Lot (there will be directional signs to help point you in the right direction. View and download a campus map here). If you have mobility issues, there will be parking spots available near the gatehouse.
Questions? Please reach out to Zoë Kennedy at zkennedy@schoodicinstitute.org.

Dispatches from the Intertidal Ribbon of Rockweed
2024-06-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Lamoine Consolidated School
Join the Lamoine Conservation Commission at 7:00pm on Wednesday, June 5th at the Lamoine Consolidated School (view on Google Maps below) for Dispatches from the Intertidal Ribbon of Rockweed, featuring Schoodic Institute’s Marine Ecology Director Dr. Hannah Webber.
Hannah will discuss her research on rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”), which is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Hannah will also discuss Project ASCO, a participatory science initiative through which participants help answer the question, ”how much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants is analyzed and shared by scientists to inform resource management. Along with rockweed, this project allows for learning more about other seaweeds, periwinkles, mussels, crabs, birds, and the occasional seal or whale. During her presentation, Hannah will also discuss her experience working with partners and other scientists to use remote sensing tools to measure rockweed using drone technology.

All are welcome to this event, and there is no fee to attend the presentation.

Path to Pen: Nature Journaling
2024-06-23 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-06-30 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Eliot Hall, 14 Musetti Drive, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
Practice putting pen to path in this introduction to nature journaling. Take a leisurely walk on the paved paths through the woods of the Schoodic Institute’s campus and on a level segment of the Sundew Trail. Fine tune your senses to the quiet natural beauty around you and see what you can discover! We will practive simple writing exercises to record and deepen your connection to Acadia’s story.
Our meeting location will be next to the wayside sign by Elliot Hall near the South Parking lot on Schoodic Intitute’s campus (view campus map here). We will end at the Picnic Pavilion on Jacobson Drive.
We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and dressing in layers to accommodate changes in temperate. Please feel free to bring a favorite pen or pencil (optional), sunblock, insect spray, and a water bottle.
This event is free (supplies included!) and family friendly for ages 10 and above.

Fire and Ice: Geology Walk
2024-06-25 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-07-03 11:00 - 12:30 | ME
Enjoy a guided hike on the Sundew Trail in the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park. Travel through a trail of time, witnessing evidence of the geologic processes that shaped Acadia’s landscape. Learn how this land has indeed been formed by fire and shaped by ice.
Our meeting location will be the Sundew Trailhead near the water tower at the South Parking (near Elliot Hall) on Schoodic Intitute’s campus (view campus map here). We will end at the Picnic Pavilion on Jacobson Drive. The total distance of the walk will be one mile with slight elevation changes on uneven terrain.
We recommend bringing sunblock, insect spray, and a water bottle. We suggest wearing comfortable, sturdy shoes and dressing in layers to accommodate changes in temperate.
This event is free and family friendly for ages 10 and above.

Project ASCO at Frazer Point
2024-07-01 11:30 - 13:30 | Frazer Point, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 1, 2024 from 11:30am – 1:30pm at Frazer Point (Winter Harbor, Maine) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

Be a #SoilHero! Recurring Save Our Summits Volunteer Program
2024-07-03 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-10 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-17 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-24 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-07-31 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-08-07 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-08-14 08:15 - 12:15, 2024-08-21 08:15 - 12:15 and 4 more dates | ME
Hike to one of Acadia’s iconic summits AND help Acadia National Park’s efforts to restore native vegetation!
Acadia National Park, in collaboration with Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute, invites tenacious hikers to bring bags of soil to the summits of Penobscot and Sargent Mountains. You’ll get to choose how much soil you’ll carry – carrying as little as five pounds (about the size of a large freezer ziplock bag) is a huge help! This soil is integral to the ongoing summit restoration efforts in Acadia National Park.

Our Recurring Save Our Summits Volunteer Program occurs every Wednesday from June through September, 2024. Hikes run from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., weather permitting. *Advanced registration is required. Register online at the link below.
Meet at the Parkman Mountain Carriage Road Trailhead off Route 3 in Acadia National Park. Participants will hike up to the summit of either Penobscot Mountain or Sargent Mountain with a Volunteer Leader.
Register Here!

If you’re SOS hiking with friends, family, or another group, we highly recommend you carpool. The trailhead has limited parking. Don’t forget your park pass! Arrive prepared to be on trail for a few hours. Dress appropriately with reliable hiking boots and sweat-wicking apparel. Bring water and snacks, as well as anything you may need for your known medical and allergy needs. Bring a backpack with extra room to stow your soil. Carrying soil up via backpack is the most convenient method. Participants must stay with the group on the hike up to the summit, but are free to continue exploring the park on their own after dropping off their soil and checking in with the Volunteer Leader. If conditions are expected to be rainy or slippery on the day of the hike, participants will be alerted via email and invited to register for the next drop-in opportunity.
The Routes
Participants will hike with soil up to the summit of Penobscot OR Sargent Mountain.
Sargent Route
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft
Distance: 4.20 mi
AllTrails Map
Penobscot Route
Elevation gain: 1,086 ft
Distance: 4.33 mi
AllTrails Map

Summit Restoration is Critical
Despite their hardened granite, Acadia’s mountain summit ecosystems are incredibly fragile. Human-caused climate change is causing longer growing seasons, more rain, less snow, and fewer species that we know and love. Extreme weather events are damaging landscapes, cultural resources, and infrastructure. Invasive plants species are trying to out-compete native summit plants. Trampling by humans has damaged the plant communities at the top of mountains. For the last several years, Acadia National Park, Friends of Acadia, and Schoodic Institute worked together to evaluate new vegetation plantings and soil replacement on Cadillac Mountain summit. This research continues to provide managers with invaluable information on how to direct change toward desired future conditions on Cadlillac and other summits in Acadia. Turns out, getting soil on the summits is a critical piece of the revegetation puzzle. The loss of vegetation has caused soil to erode, which means there’s no place for seeds to settle and grow.
That’s where you come in. By carrying soil to the summits of Sargent and Penobscot Mountains, you’ll play an important role in the restoration of these vital ecosystems and their future resiliency. That’s something to feel proud of. (Bonus: you’ll get a wonderfully scenic hike in Acadia!)
Lean more about this science-based approach: Learning How to Restore Mountain Summits

2024 Project ASCO at Harriman Point
2024-07-08 06:30 - 07:30 | ME
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 8, 2024 from 6:30am – 7:30am at Harriman Point (Brooklin, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at South Blue Hill Landing
2024-07-09 06:30 - 08:00 | ME
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 9, 2024 from 6:30am – 8:00am at South Blue Hill Landing (Blue Hill, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at Hadley Point
2024-07-10 07:00 - 08:50 | ME
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 10, 2024 from 7:00am – 8:50am at Hadley Point (Bar Harbor, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2024-07-10 09:00 - 16:00 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Watch birds emerge from a block of basswood when Juliana Ramirez – staff artist at the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor – is a special guest at Schoodic Institute on July 10, August 7, and September 11. She’ll be there from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm each of those days doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall on Schoodic Institute’s campus.
Visit with Juliana, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Juliana is a seabird field biologist, working for the last several years with the Seabird Institute/Project Puffin. She is also a working artist who specializes in green (non-toxic) printmaking and bird carving. She teaches both of these topics at the Gilley, along with beehouse making and wood burning.

2024 Project ASCO at Fort Point State Park
2024-07-25 07:00 - 08:35 | ME
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 25, 2024 from 7:00am – 8:35am at Fort Point State Park (Stockton Springs, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

2024 Project ASCO at Sears Island
2024-07-26 07:30 - 09:25 | ME
Please join Schoodic Institute’s Project ASCO research team on July 26, 2024 from 7:30am – 9:25am at Sears Island (Searsport, ME) as we head into Maine’s rocky intertidal to collect data on rockweed, a foundational seaweed. Please register for this volunteer event below.
We will begin the field day with a refresher training and then work together to collect along the shore at each site. To find our training videos, please visit our Project ASCO page.
Participation in this event includes working with Schoodic Institute researchers in the rocky intertidal, a place where slips, trips, and falls can be a concern due to wet or unsteady rocks and seaweed. Please come prepared with weather appropriate field gear, long pants, close toed shoes, and enthusiasm for learning about Maine’s rocky intertidal ecosystem!
Project ASCO is a participatory science research initiative designed to get interested participants out into the intertidal zone to collect data about rockweed while exploring the beauty of the rocky coast between the tides. Rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum, or “Asco”) is the dominant species in most of the rocky intertidal zone of Maine and provides habitat for other species living in and visiting the intertidal zone. Rockweed is currently harvested in Maine and sustainable management requires knowledge of the total amount of rockweed throughout the state. Participants in Project ASCO can help answer the question, “How much rockweed is there?” The data collected by Project ASCO participants will be analyzed and shared by scientists at Schoodic Institute to inform resource management.
If you have any questions about Project ASCO or this in-person volunteer event, please email projectasco@schoodicinstitute.org.

Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2024-08-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Watch birds emerge from a block of basswood when Juliana Ramirez – staff artist at the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor – is a special guest at Schoodic Institute on August 7 and September 11. She’ll be there from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm each of those days doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall on Schoodic Institute’s campus.
Visit with Juliana, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Juliana is a seabird field biologist, working for the last several years with the Seabird Institute/Project Puffin. She is also a working artist who specializes in green (non-toxic) printmaking and bird carving. She teaches both of these topics at the Gilley, along with beehouse making and wood burning.

Demonstration Day: Bird Carving with Wendell Gilley Museum
2024-09-11 09:00 - 16:00 | Rockefeller Hall, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National park, 9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor, ME, 04693, United States
See how it’s done! Watch birds emerge from a block of basswood when Juliana Ramirez – staff artist at the Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor – is a special guest at Schoodic Institute on September 11. She’ll be there from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm each of those days doing hands-on bird carving demonstrations outside of the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall on Schoodic Institute’s campus.
Visit with Juliana, and pick up a carving knife yourself – there is no charge to give it a try! Then visit the display of bird carvings from the Wendell Gilley Museum inside the Welcome Center.
Juliana is a seabird field biologist, working for the last several years with the Seabird Institute/Project Puffin. She is also a working artist who specializes in green (non-toxic) printmaking and bird carving. She teaches both of these topics at the Gilley, along with beehouse making and wood burning.
