Land Trust Completes 8th Annual Nature Day Camp

HARPSWELL: The Harpswell Heritage Land Trust held its annual weeklong summer camp for area children recently and—once again—kids, parents, why, even the teacher, had a grand time!

The camp was expanded in 2005 to five days. Starting off at the HHLT property at Mackerel Cove, the campers got acquainted with each other and then headed to the beach to explore for things that live in, under and around the waters edge. Using nets, collection buckets, hand lenses and other tools of the trade, the children came up with a variety of creatures and items to look at. Joel Higgins, 6th grade science teacher at Brunswick Jr. High, guided the children, challenging them to think about what they found and illuminating the subtleties that lay beneath the surface of the environment they were in.

Day two was spent at Wilson’s Pond on Orr’s Island courtesy of Byron and Judy Shea who once again graciously allowed the Land Trust to use their property. Wilson’s Pond offers a true freshwater wetland environment and the kids found the going wet, reedy and muddy but found lots to look at. The wetland and pond are home to a great variety of life, both large and small, and is infinitely interesting.

The camp moved to the HHLT Skofield Shores Preserve on day three. This is the day that mothers fear most, for it is spent on the mudflats digging, overturning and generally getting as mud-caked as possible. Thanks to the finely tuned and polished clam rakes of Bob Anderson, the flats were turned over in record time revealing the great variety of shellfish and wiggling animals that need a healthy mudflat to survive and prosper.

The tide pools at Pott’s Point were invaded on day four. This was a chance to get into the water and see a whole marine world in miniature right at the campers’ fingertips. Periwinkles, hermit crabs, green and rock crabs, minnows, limpets, shrimp and rockweed, all were investigated and then returned to their homes. Nowhere in history has it been recorded that a child refused to look under rockweed for monster crabs, and Pott’s Point did not disappoint.

The final day was billed as “Surf and Turf” day. All gathered at Stover’s Point beach to play, have a picnic and explore freely. A number of parents attended and enjoyed the fine views and soothing waters, while the kids spent much of their time in the tidal marsh behind the beach. The pools of water were warm and full of things to look at. At quitting time it was hard to pull them out, but alas, it was over.

Harpswell Heritage Land Trust thanks all of those who attended this year’s camp. Also, thanks to the parent volunteers who braved the heat to help Joel Higgins and Mary Ann Nahf, HHLT Trustee and organizer of the camp. The Land Trust looks forward to its 9th annual camp in 2006, and seeing old and new faces as we explore more of Harpswell.