We haven't had a critical mass of people sign-up for the "Heartwood" book discussion, so unfortunately we will be cancelling this event. Stay tuned for a chance to provide input on future book group meet-ups!

This spring we’re taking the written word into the great outdoors in a three-part literary event series led by our very own Marketing and Development Manager, Emily Southard. Our third event is a group discussion of Amity Gaige’s literary thriller Heartwood.

In the heart of the Maine Woods, forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis has vanished two hundred miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hope alive.

In charge of the investigation is Beverly Miller, the determined Maine State Game Warden leading the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena— a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community—becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie’s disappearance may not be accidental.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Additional events in this series included a group discussion of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry in April and a nature poetry read-aloud in May.

Come celebrate National Trails Day with PRLT! Join Clara, our Regional Land Trust Fellow, for a guided walk to wrap up the annual alewife traverse through Mill Brook Preserve.  

During the event, Clara will discuss the significance of alewives to our ecosystem and the challenges they face during their spawning run. Attendees will learn about the significance of the Presumpscot River and Mill Brook for migrating fish and the importance of river stewardship. Clara will also share methods used by local scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to collect ecological data on these fish during their migration.

Registration is required. To help us continue providing outreach events at our preserves, this event has a suggested donation of $10 per attendee. If this is a financial burden for you and/or your family, we strongly encourage you to register and join us anyway; no one will be turned away from this event for lack of funds.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The loop to the Southern Viewing Pool is over two miles long with uneven, hilly terrain. We will meet for the event at the Perry Court trailhead.

Learn more about Mill Brook Preserve and the alewife migration here by clicking these links to additional resources on our website. 

Join our Regional Land Trust Fellow, Clara, for a series of guided walks during the annual alewife migration season at Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook!  

During the event, Clara will discuss the significance of alewives to our ecosystem and the challenges they face during their spawning run. Attendees will learn about the significance of the Presumpscot River and Mill Brook for migrating fish and the importance of river stewardship. Clara will also share methods used by local scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to collect ecological data on these fish during their migration.

Registration is required. To help us continue providing outreach events at our preserves, this event has a suggested donation of $10 per attendee. If this is a financial burden for you and/or your family, we strongly encourage you to register and join us anyway; no one will be turned away from this event for lack of funds.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The loop to the Southern Viewing Pool is over two miles long with uneven, hilly terrain. We will meet for the event at the Perry Court trailhead.

Learn more about Mill Brook Preserve and the alewife migration here by clicking these links to additional resources on our website. 

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS

Join our Regional Land Trust Fellow, Clara, for a series of guided walks during the annual alewife migration season at Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook!  

During the event, Clara will discuss the significance of alewives to our ecosystem and the challenges they face during their spawning run. Attendees will learn about the significance of the Presumpscot River and Mill Brook for migrating fish and the importance of river stewardship. Clara will also share methods used by local scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to collect ecological data on these fish during their migration.

Registration is required. To help us continue providing outreach events at our preserves, this event has a suggested donation of $10 per attendee. If this is a financial burden for you and/or your family, we strongly encourage you to register and join us anyway; no one will be turned away from this event for lack of funds.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The loop to the Southern Viewing Pool is over two miles long with uneven, hilly terrain. We will meet for the event at the Perry Court trailhead.

Learn more about Mill Brook Preserve and the alewife migration here by clicking these links to additional resources on our website. 

Join our Regional Land Trust Fellow, Clara, for a series of guided walks during the annual alewife migration season at Mill Brook Preserve in Westbrook!  

During the event, Clara will discuss the significance of alewives to our ecosystem and the challenges they face during their spawning run. Attendees will learn about the significance of the Presumpscot River and Mill Brook for migrating fish and the importance of river stewardship. Clara will also share methods used by local scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to collect ecological data on these fish during their migration.

Registration is required. To help us continue providing outreach events at our preserves, this event has a suggested donation of $10 per attendee. If this is a financial burden for you and/or your family, we strongly encourage you to register and join us anyway; no one will be turned away from this event for lack of funds.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The loop to the Southern Viewing Pool is over two miles long with uneven, hilly terrain. We will meet for the event at the Perry Court trailhead.

Learn more about Mill Brook Preserve and the alewife migration here by clicking these links to additional resources on our website. 

Celebrate World Fish Migration Day with PRLT, Friends of the Presumpscot River, Portland Trails, Discover Downtown Westbrook, and Trout Unlimited!

Join us at Riverbank Park in Westbrook for fish-themed arts and crafts and learn about our local partners dedicated to connecting us to our lands and waters. We will offer a one-mile walk from Riverbank Park to Saccarappa Park along the Presumpscot River to view the waterfall and discuss the importance of fish migrations.

This event will take place after our guided alewife migration walk at Mill Brook Preserve from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (space is limited for the guided walk - register here). Come join the morning hike and then meet us in downtown Westbrook for a full day of fun celebrating fish migrations!

Come celebrate World Fish Migration Day with PRLT! Join Clara, our Regional Land Trust Fellow, for a guided walk to kick off the annual alewife traverse through Mill Brook Preserve.  

During the event, Clara will discuss the significance of alewives to our ecosystem and the challenges they face during their spawning run. Attendees will learn about the significance of the Presumpscot River and Mill Brook for migrating fish and the importance of river stewardship. Clara will also share methods used by local scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to collect ecological data on these fish during their migration.

Registration is required. To help us continue providing outreach events at our preserves, this event has a suggested donation of $10 per attendee. If this is a financial burden for you and/or your family, we strongly encourage you to register and join us anyway; no one will be turned away from this event for lack of funds.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The loop to the Southern Viewing Pool is over two miles long with uneven, hilly terrain. We will meet for the event at the Perry Court trailhead.

Learn more about Mill Brook Preserve and the alewife migration here by clicking these links to additional resources on our website. 

Join PRLT and Nick Lund, the Advocacy & Outreach Manager at Maine Audubon, for an early morning guided birding walk at the East Windham Conservation Area. Just in time for spring migration, Nick will share his expertise in identifying a variety of bird species and their unique behaviors. Bird enthusiasts of all skill levels are invited to join us and learn about our local and migratory bird species!

Read articles by Nick from the National Audubon Society here and his blog The Birdist here. 

More information on East Windham Conservation Area is available here. 

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The walk will be a little over two miles and contains some hilly and steep terrain. The trails include a combination of wooded paths and dirt roads.

Join us and Loon Echo Land Trust for a spring hike at Raymond Community Forest! We'll head up the Pismire Bluff Trail to beautiful views of Crescent Lake, Pleasant Mountain, and the White Mountains.

The hike is 1.5 miles long with some steep and uneven trail sections. Directions to Raymond Community Forest

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

This event is the second of two spring hikes with our neighbors at Loon Echo Land Trust! In April, together we’ll explore PRLT’s East Windham Conservation Area, and in May, we’ll venture to LELT’s Raymond Community Forest. We hope you’ll join us for these special partnership events.

Chalk the Trail returns this May! Join PRLT with Friends of the Mountain Division Trail and Windham Parks and Recreation to celebrate the Mountain Division Trail with a free and family-friendly day of chalk art.

Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts we unfortunately need to postpone this event. We will post an update as soon as we are able to reschedule.

Join PRLT and Khmer Maine for a workshop on the basics of planned giving to nonprofits. Led by Tom Letourneau, an associate at Verrill and a member of the Maine Estate Planning Council, we'll look at the different methods of supporting nonprofits as part of your estate plan. Planned gifts come in all sizes and each is an expression of a person’s desire to make a difference – come learn how you can leave your lasting legacy.

This is an informational presentation only; be sure to consult with your attorney or a trusted personal adviser to determine if (and what kind) of planned gift(s) are right for you and your family.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

This spring we’re taking the written word into the great outdoors in a three-part literary event series led by our very own Marketing and Development Manager, Emily Southard. Our second event is a nature poetry read-aloud: bring your favorite poems inspired by nature and the outdoors and we’ll share them aloud on the banks of the Presumpscot River as the sun sets. Will you bring some Mary Oliver? Wendell Berry? Ada Limón? Robert Frost?

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Additional events in this series included a group discussion of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry in April and an upcoming group discussion of Amity Gaige’s novel Heartwood in June.

PRLT is proud to be a nonprofit sponsor of this year’s SEAFEST celebration! We’ll be hosting a booth from 3:00-7:00 p.m. (but will definitely be sticking around for karaoke and dancing!).

SEAFEST 2026 is a vibrant celebration of Southeast Asian heritage, evolved from the success of the Khmer New Year Festival and built through collaboration among Maine’s Khmer, Thai, Filipino, and Vietnamese communities. This dynamic event highlights the region’s traditions, arts, music, dance, and culinary culture, offering an immersive experience for people of all backgrounds. More than a festival, SEAFEST 2026 reflects the resilience and vitality of Maine’s diverse communities and the power of cultural exchange to foster understanding and unity. By centering Southeast Asian heritage, SEAFEST honors the contributions these communities make to Maine’s social, cultural, and economic life, and promotes inclusivity and shared pride in the state’s multicultural identity.

Join us to celebrate the colors, flavors, and traditions of Southeast Asia and their essential role in shaping Maine’s vibrant community.

Rain date: May 9th.

Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Come join Maine Audubon, Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and Presumpscot Regional Land Trust for a fun morning of catching and identifying macroinvertebrates at Mill Brook Preserve! Get hands-on training and learn how you can contribute to an important community science project, the Marsh and Stream Explorers, that acts as a screening tool for DEP’s water quality assessments. Be prepared to wade into shallow water as you net and handle macroinvertebrates!

We will meet at the parking area for the Northern Trailhead and go on a short walk from there. Wear clothes and shoes you’re comfortable walking in and potentially getting wet. Waders or muckboots are encouraged and some may be provided.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Join Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and Walker Memorial Library for nature story time at Mill Brook Preserve South in Westbrook. The program will begin with a welcome story or song led by Librarian Kate Radke followed by a guided walk along the trail. We’ll pause for another story, and then families will have the option of continuing their walk on their own or returning to the trailhead.

This free event is designed for families with children ages 2–5 (siblings welcome). Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18. The walking portion will cover about one mile total on a trail along Mill Brook.

More information about Mill Brook Preserve South is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Join us and Loon Echo Land Trust for a scenic spring hike at East Windham Conservation Area! This hike will take us along the beautiful purple trail, offering stunning views of the White Mountains and picturesque vistas of Little Duck Pond.

This is a longer, moderately challenging hike, covering approximately 3 miles of hilly terrain. Expect steep and uneven sections, so be prepared for an invigorating walk.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

This event is the first of two spring hikes with our neighbors at Loon Echo Land Trust! In April, together we’ll explore PRLT’s East Windham Conservation Area, and in May, we’ll venture to LELT’s Raymond Community Forest. We hope you’ll join us for these special partnership events.

The tools to become an expert in species identification are right at your fingertips! If you’ve ever wanted to learn tips and tricks for identifying plants and animals while hiking or in your backyard, join Clara, PRLT’s Regional Land Trust Fellow, for a guided walk. Clara will demonstrate how to use field guides and phone apps to identify plants, trees, birds, and other wildlife.

If you'd like, you can download the recommended phone apps ahead of time and start practicing!

• iNaturalist

• Seek by iNaturalist

• Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

• eBird by Cornell Lab

More information on Black Brook Preserve is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The family-friendly loop is approximately one mile long.

Remember our Giving CHEWSday campaign last December? You helped us raise over $1,000 to buy native plants for our preserves, and now it’s time to plant them!

In honor of Earth Day, join us to plant native plants and remove invasive species at Little River Preserve in Gorham.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Join us and the Saint Joseph’s College EcoReps for an Earth Week clean-up at Pride Preserve. Bring along your work gloves and help us give one of our favorite preserves a spring tidy.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

The EcoReps volunteer to raise awareness on sustainability and environmental issues. They develop and implement projects and events to address these issues and focus on making SJC as green a community as we can be!

Join PRLT with Maine Master Naturalist Lucy Sinclair and Abby Long, Community Science Project Manager at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, as we explore vernal pools in the Rivermeadow Nature Preserve! Learn about the rich, hidden life of these temporary woodland waterbodies and the animals that occupy these unique bodies of water. Wear waterproof shoes and be prepared to get a little wet and muddy!

More information on Rivermeadow Nature Preserve is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

This event is open to all ages, but anyone under 18 must attend with a parent or guardian. The trail loop is a total of 1.5 miles and is mostly flat and level with boardwalks and paths covered in woodchips.

This spring we’re taking the written word into the great outdoors in a three-part literary event series led by our very own Marketing and Development Manager, Emily Southard. Our first pick, The Serviceberry, is a short, accessible read from Indigenous scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer about abundance, reciprocity, and flourishing in the natural world.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

We’re excited to be partnering with The Bookworm in Gorham to offer 20% off our first book selection! Just tell them you’re part of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust book group at checkout.

Additional events in this series will include a nature poetry read-aloud in May and a book group discussion of Amity Gaige’s novel Heartwood in June. Check back soon for dates and registration for these future events!

PRLT is teaming up with nine other Portland-area land trusts and trail organizations to host a screening of the World Trails Film Festival. This family-friendly event will present outdoor and trail-related short films from around the world. Be transported around the world with films sharing trail stories from over 34 countries. Meet trail builders, explore new trails, and see why trails matter.

Schedule:

• 6:30 p.m. – doors open

• 7:00 p.m. – panel discussion on regional trail efforts

• 7:30 p.m. – films

Sponsored by Evergreen Credit Union, Flaherty’s Financial Services, GoGo Refill, Maine Beer Company, and Maine Trail Builders.

Brought to you by Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Falmouth Land Trust, Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, Scarborough Land Trust, South Portland Land Trust, Freeport Conservation Trust, Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust, Royal River Conservation Trust, Portland Trails, and Maine Land Trust Network.

Did you hear we moved into a new office? PRLT is now located in the Dana Warp Mill, overlooking the Presumpscot River we love so much, and we want to share this space with you! Join us to check out the new space, chat with staff about upcoming projects, and meet other people who support our work to sustain vibrant ecosystems, resilient communities, and equitable access to the outdoors for all.

This event is currently full. We will open up additional spots if there are any cancellations.

Celebrate the return of longer days with an afternoon hike at East Windham Conservation Area in Windham. Join PRLT and Maine Master Naturalist Jeanne Christie to explore how plants and animals respond to more sunlight and milder temperatures. We’ll learn how plants and trees change from dormant to vibrant, why some birds show up early, how hibernators wake up, and much, much more.

This is a slow walk with many stops to observe signs of spring and talk, so dress warmly with footwear appropriate for early March. There may be snow and/or icy patches from Maine’s normal freeze/thaw winters, so plan for the possibility that hiking poles and/or ice cleats (a.k.a. microspikes, crampons, or stabilicers) may be advisable for added stability.

More information about East Windham Conservation Area is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Join Presumpscot Regional Land Trust with Maine Master Naturalist Joan Lundin for a winter wildlife walk at Pride Preserve in Westbrook. Joan will lead participants on an exploration of Pride Preserve, searching for signs of animals during the winter months. Look for tracks of animals hopping, walking or bounding, tell-tale signs of meals taken, and communications dribbled into the snow, or scratched on a tree trunk. She will have pocket guides to Maine animal tracks, courtesy of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, to give out to participants.

Pride Preserve features a 3.5-mile trail network through forests and wetlands. These trails offer a very remote, quiet, wilderness-like experience. More information about Pride Preserve is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Join Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and Walker Memorial Library for nature story time at Rivermeadow Nature Preserve in downtown Westbrook. The program will begin with a welcome story or song led by Librarian Kate Radke followed by a guided walk along the trail. We’ll pause for another story, and then families will have the option of continuing their walk on their own or returning to the trailhead.

This free event is designed for families with children ages 2–5 (siblings welcome). Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18. The walking portion will cover about one mile total on boardwalks and wood-chipped paths along the Presumpscot River. There will likely be snow and/or icy patches to navigate.

More information about Rivermeadow Nature Preserve is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Help us envision the Presumpscot River in 2040!

Join us and our partner organizations to establish a shared vision for a more free-flowing natural Presumpscot River, from Sebago Lake to Casco Bay, its watershed and tributaries, with more sea-run fish, cleaner water, and an abundance of nature-based recreation.

Monday, February 2 (snow date February 9)
Session 1: 2:30 - 5:00 pm
Session 2: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Westbrook Community Center, Spruce Room – 426 Bridge Street, Westbrook, ME 04092

If you can't attend a session but still want to give input, Friends of the Presumpscot River have made a survey! Fill this out to share how you use the river and what you'd like to see in the vision for its future.

These sessions are a joint effort between Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Friends of the Presumpscot River, Friends of Casco Bay, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Sebago Clean Waters, the Town of Windham, and Trout Unlimited.

We expect the shared vision to be grounded in current realities, yet be bold with future possibilities. We want broad understanding and support for the vision so it becomes the guide for both public and private investment decisions for years to come, and to inspire and gather us as a community around the river.

Join PRLT board member Sandy Truslow and Maine Master Naturalist Ruth Leavitt for a peaceful winter walk through Black Brook Preserve in Windham. We'll meet at the main trailhead on Windham Center Road and walk the 1.7 mile loop that parallels the brook, stopping to observe and identify animal tracks, winter trees, birds, and more. Depending on snow conditions, you may want to bring hiking poles and/or ice cleats (a.k.a. microspikes, crampons, or stabilicers) for added stability.

More information about Black Brook Preserve is available here.

This event is free to attend, but registration is required.

Snow date: Friday, January 23 at 10:00 a.m.

** Moved from October 8th to October 15th, due to forecasted rain. **

Join Presumpscot Regional Land Trust and the Walker Memorial Library for a special nature story time at the new Rivermeadow Nature Preserve in downtown Westbrook. This brand-new trail system features boardwalks and wood-chipped paths along the Presumpscot River, including a story walk for families to enjoy together.

The program will begin with a welcome activity led by Walker Memorial Library, followed by a guided walk along the story walk.

This free event is designed for families with children ages 2–5 (siblings welcome). Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The walking portion will cover about one mile total.

More information about Rivermeadow Nature Preserve here.

Space is limited, and registration is required. Register by emailing Walker Memorial Librarian, Kate Radke: KRadke@westbrook.me.us