Did you know that your septic system, by design, releases nutrients onto your property? Under the right (or wrong) conditions, these nutrients can be responsible for algae blooms and other water quality issues in lakes and ponds. It’s up to homeowners to make sure systems are working as well as possible and not contributing to water pollution.

Join David Rocque, retired Maine state soil scientist and septic system guru, to get the “dirty” on how septic systems work, different types available to homeowners, and required maintenance. David also discusses what effects septic systems can have on lakes, estuaries, streams and ponds.

David’s workshop is geared toward homeowners, but is also relevant to anyone wanting more information about the latest system technology or to learn more about soils, disposal fields, and siting concerns.

Director of Education and Community Science Sarah Gladu and cellist Wilhelmina Smith, Artistic and Executive Director of Salt Bay Chamberfest, explore the intersection and interplay of music and nature.

Ms. Smith shares music videos from a project entitled “Harmony on Land and Sea” that she embarked on during the COVID lockdown with cinematographer Joseph Zizzo. In the videos, Ms. Smith performs solo cello music in beautiful settings you might recognize: Seal Cove Shore Preserve, Round Pond Harbor, and Pemaquid Point.

Join author and terrestrial ecologist Tom Wessels for an online program on interpreting the history of the woodlands — whether they were once open agricultural land, impacted by wind events, fires, or logging — as well as unique plant adaptations and interesting coevolved interrelationships among the woodland species we might encounter.

What role can we play in the restoration of the American Chestnut? Dr. Don Davis joins us online to explore the fascinating ecological and cultural history of this stately tree as well as potential for its future.

Join Ag Allies program staff Laura Lecker and Maeve McGowan for a presentation about Maine’s grassland birds, the threats they face, and how farmers, landowners, and land trusts can help protect them. Laura and Maeve touch on the life history of Bobolinks and Savannah sparrows, population trends, and the dynamic relationship between grassland bird conservation and agriculture.