News

2021

• Getting Started with Outdoor Learning: A Different Approach and Knowing What to Expect January 28 - Part Three of a three-part series for teachers on how to get started with outdoor learning.
• Where Have All the Birdies Gone? January 27 - Learn about the decline in bird populations since 1970 and what you can do to rebuild them.
• Green Tip: Drink Coffee That’s Good for the Birds January 8 - Shade-grown coffee helps migratory birds survive the winter by preserving the forest canopy, one sip at a time.

2020

• Fire on the Maine Landscape December 24 - Watch CREA and BTLT's December presentation on the role of fire in the Maine landscape.
• Getting Started with Outdoor Learning: Part 2 – Simple Activities December 16 - Part Two of a three part series for teachers on how to get started with outdoor learning.
• Getting Started with Outdoor Learning: Part 1 – Stepping out the Door December 15 - Part One of a three part series for teachers on how to get started with outdoor learning.
• Tips for Sustainable Giving during the Holidays December 9 - Check out our ideas for sustainable gifts during the holidays.
• CREA E-news: December 9, 2020 December 8 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our Dec. 9, 2020 E-news.
• The Charismatic Loon November 25 - Learn about this elegant inhabitant of lakes and ponds with stunning photos and audio of its haunting calls.
• Getting  Your Family Outside This Winter – Tips and Tricks November 16 - Get terrific tips on how to make outdoor time with children successful in winter!
• CREA E-News: November 15, 2020 November 15 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our Nov. 15, 2020 e-news!
• Supporting Our Community during the Pandemic November 12 - An overview of how CREA is supporting the community during the pandemic, including links to activities.
• Volunteer Spotlight: Jay Collier November 12 - CREA volunteerism comes in many forms.
• CREA Fall 2020 Newsletter November 12 - Read how CREA is connecting people with nature in the time of COVID.
• CREA Welcomes New Board Members November 12 - CREA welcomes two new Board members.
• CREA Supporting Students November 12 - Learn how CREA Educators are supporting schools and teachers during the pandemic by sharing tips and strategies on how to make outdoor learning effective and engaging.
• Letter to the CREA Community November 12 - CREA explains how we are reflecting and working to ensure our programs are accessible and welcoming to all.
• Polar Adventure in Pursuit of Climate Science October 28 - Polar exploration meets climate science and we get a glimpse of Maine's changing climate in this presentation.
• CREA E-News: October 12, 2020 October 12 - Check out the latest news from CREA!
• Introducing Wild Wonders – Outdoor Activities to Do at Home October 5 - Learn about our Wild Wonders activities that get children outdoors on days away from school.
• Plant Physiologist, Barry Logan: The Wildlands of Monhegan Island September 24 - Explore the fascinating interplay between humans and the natural world on Monhegan Island.
• CREA E-News: September 18, 2020 September 18 - Check out the latest news from CREA!
• CREA E-News September 7, 2020 September 7 - What’s happening at CREA? See our latest news here.
• CNI #15: Map Making! August 21 - Learn how to make a map of your favorite place to visit!
• CNI #14: Bird Nest Making August 17 - Try your hand at making a bird nest as strong as the birds do!
• CNI #13: Paper Butterflies August 14 - Make beautiful butterflies out of paper with Alex and Lily!
• CNI #12: Fairy Houses! August 10 - Join Alex and Lily as they explore the woods and make fairy houses.
• CNI #11: Humans on the Preserve August 7 - Become a detective and hunt for traces of humans on the landscape - past and present.
• CREA E-News: Aug. 4, 2020 August 4 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our Aug. 4, 2020 E-News.
• CNI #10: Boat Making! August 3 - Alex and Lily design boats from found materials.
• CNI #9: Using a Naturalist’s Eye! July 31 - Lily and Alex teach you how to use the skill of observation to become a better naturalist!
• CREA on Maine Calling: Nature During the Pandemic July 27 - CREA Educator Sarah Rodgers joins Nat Wheelwright on Maine Calling to talk about how nature can enrich our lives during the pandemic.
• CNI #8: Leaf Identification! July 27 - Check out Lily and Alexs adventure to identify some leaves they find around the preserve!
• CNI #7: Finding a Tree Friend July 24 - Make a Tree Friend and unlock its mysteries over the coming year.
• CREA E-News: July 23, 2020 July 23 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our July 23rd E-News.
• CNI #6: Make a Nature Mask! July 20 - In today's activity, Alex shows Lily how to make a nature mask to practice their camouflage skills!
• CNI #5: What’s in Dirt? July 17 - Explore the wonders of dirt - the soil beneath our feet - with Alex and Lily.
• CNI #4: Does it Float? July 13 - In this activity, Lily and Alex test whether objects they find will float or sink!
• CNI #3: Start a Weather Journal! July 10 - Today, Lily and Alex make a rain gauge to track the amount of rainfall in their weather journal!
• CNI #2: Make a Sundial! July 6 - Join Lily and Alex as they use the immense power of the sun to tell the time!
• CREA E-News: June 30, 2020 June 30 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our June 30th E-News.
• CNI #1: Start a Rock Collection! June 30 - CREA interns Alex and Lily launch our CREA Nature Investigators series, showing how to start a rock collection.
• Introducing CREA Nature Investigators (CNI)! June 29 - Meet our CREA Nature Investigators, Alex and Lily, and sign up to get our fun summer camp activities to do at home, 3x/wk. Free!
• Discover Native Bees as Pollinators June 29 - Native pollinators are particularly beneficial - learn about these often solitary insects and how to build a mason bee condo that will help their progeny overwinter.
• Get Active In Midcoast Maine This Summer! June 27 - Get the 2020 Summer Activity Guide (and Summer Bingo card) – products of Get Active Southern Midcoast Partners - and learn how you can get active outdoors in Midcoast Maine everyday!
• Watch CREA’s Annual Meeting June 23 - Watch CREA's 2020 Annual Meeting, including reports by program staff.
• CREA E-News: June 6, 2020 June 6 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our June 6th E-news.
• 2019 Annual Report – The Year in Review June 6 - See an overview of CREA's programs in 2019 and who made it possible.
• Photographing Dragonflies with David Reed June 4 - David Reed, a photographer who has explored much of the Cathance River Preserve, shares his tips on how to photograph one of nature's most majestic insects: dragonflies!
• What’s Hiding in Vernal Pools? May 27 - Vernal pools host a wonderful world of slimy salamander and frog eggs and 'wee beasties' - the strange world of vernal pool invertebrates, some of which could be cast in a horror movie!
• CREA E-News: May 25, 2020 May 25 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our May 25th E-News.
• #18 Colors of Nature Scavenger Hunt! May 17 - A scavenger hunt for color, using your favorite crayons!
• #17 Make a Backyard Bird Photography Studio May 16 - Make a backyard bird photography studio with a few simple additions.
• CREA E-News – May 14, 2020 May 14 - What's happening? Check out our May 14th E-news.
• Supporting the CREA Community May 9 - CREA Board President Ellen Bennett's letter to the CREA community at the beginning of the pandemic.
• CREA Summer Camp CIT Program: Transforming Teens May 9 - CREA's CIT Program teaches confidence, leadership, and much more.
• CREA Thanks Our Storywalk Volunteers May 9 - What does it take to keep a Storywalk going?
• New Members Enrich CREA Board May 9 - Two new Board members bring new talents to the CREA Board.
• Building a Better Future, One CREA Alum at a Time May 8 - Stories of CREA alums, just a few of the thousands of young people whose lives were touched by their CREA experience.
• CREA Spring 2020 Newsletter May 8 - Read about CREA alums, our summer camp Counselor-in-training program, and more in spring 2020 news from CREA!
• CREA E-News – May 5, 2020 May 5 - What's happening at CREA? Check out our early May E-news.
• Tick Tock: May is Tick Awareness Month May 4 - Getting outdoors in spring is wonderful after winter snow and cold, but remember to prepare for ticks.
• Nat Wheelwright’s Therapy in the Time of Coronavirus April 30 - Check out local naturalist Nat Wheelwright's wonderful video describing his therapy in times of the coronavirus.
• Watch: Seabirds to Pollinators: Research and Art at Bowdoin College’s Kent Island Research Station April 29 - Hear and see the unusual history of Bowdoin College's remote research station, the quirky journey by which it came into Bowdoin’s hands, and an overview of the research it hosts every summer.
• #16 Hunt for Holes in Nature! Sequester at Home with CREA April 23 - Sometimes its nice to head outdoors with a purpose. Go on a hole hunt!
• CREA E-news: April 20, 2020 April 20 - What's happening at CREA? Check out our late April E-news.
• #15 Owl Pellet Dissection! Sequester at Home with CREA April 14 - A lucky find on a hike can turn into a lab dissection - suitable for any age!
• #14 Post-Rainy Day Activity – Water, Water, Everywhere! Sequester at Home with CREA April 13 - The day after a heavy rain is a fantastic time for kids to see how water moves on the land. Here are a few ways to explore water after a rain.
• #13 Make a Mandala! Sequester at Home with CREA April 13 - Making a mandala is a great way to get outside for a creative, centering activity that gets you looking closely at and listening carefully to the natural world. 
• Nature Trivia – Large Yellow Underwing Moth April 9 - Enjoy this bit of trivia about a caterpillar that has evolved to tolerate winter temperatures.
• What’s Happening Outside in Early April? April 7 - The Maine landscape undergoes more transformation in April than in any other month. Read highlights of what's happening outside, then get outside and take a look.
• #12 Vernal Pools Come Alive! Sequester at Home with CREA April 1 - Before you visit vernal pools in your neighborhood, check out these resources to help you learn about them and understand their importance to local wildlife populations.
• #11 Sequester with The Nature Conservancy and CREA! March 30 - Follow the links in this post to some wonderful learning activities for students built around (and by!) The Nature Conservancy's conservation work.
• #10 The Amazing World of Webcams! Sequester at Home with CREA March 29 - Even as we hunker down at home on rainy days, there is an incredible world accessible to those who have internet service - the Amazing World of Webcams.
• #9 Spring Scavenger Hunt! Sequester at Home with CREA March 28 - Celebrate nature with a seasonal scavenger hunt as you look for SIGNS OF SPRING!
• #8 Develop your ‘Stick Sense’! Sequester at Home with CREA March 27 - Sticks are an endless source of fun and the perfect toy for free play - critical in child development. 
• #7 Learn Nature Journaling — All Ages! Sequester at home with CREA March 26 - Use nature journaling to enhance your learning about the natural world with guidance from the best!
• #6 Citizen Science for ALL Ages! Sequester at home with CREA March 25 - Monitor spring's arrival up close and do citizen science - all ages welcome!
• #5 Mystery Science for K – 5! Sequester at Home with CREA March 24 - Engage your child with a daily dose of Mystery Science - an online science resource for teachers currently offered free to EVERYONE as students stay home from school.
• #4 Activities and Resources for Adults! Sequester at Home with CREA March 22 - For those adults sequestering at home who have a little extra time on their hands, we have activities and resources for you!
•  #3 Growing Seeds! Sequester at Home with CREA  March 20 - Spring is the perfect time to grow seeds - follow these simple steps to grow seeds and observe the life cycle of plants up close!
• #2 Rainy Day Activity – Playing with Water! Sequester at Home with CREA March 18 - When the rains come, which they will, don’t despair! Dress your children appropriately for the temperature, and head outside. Playing around water involves all sorts of STEM concepts. Here are some suggestions on how to get your kids started.
• #1 Find Your Special Spot! Sequester at home with CREA March 17 - Find a special place to re-visit often, explore in depth, and share adventures. Spring is a great time for this, because every day brings subtle changes to the landscape.
• CREA E-News: March 11, 2020 March 11 - What’s happening at CREA? Check out our March 11th E-News.
• Get Active in Southern Midcoast Maine – 2020 Winter Activity Guide February 27 - Access the Winter and Summer activity guides - and learn how you can get active outdoors in Midcoast Maine everyday. 
• Connecting to the Natural World with Nordic Skis and a Passport February 26 - Tyler DeAngelis views nordic skiing as a bridge that connects him – and many others –  to the natural world. Read about his adventures skiing and distance racing in Europe and beyond.
• Keeping Maine’s Sky Dark at Night February 17 - Light pollution has diminished our ability to see the Milky Way and many stars, and also affects wildlife. Learn some easy steps you can take to reduce light pollution.
• CREA Storywalk® Gets Families Moving Outdoors January 30 - Learn the history of the Storywalk concept and how a group of local preschoolers reveled in CREA's first hosted Storywalk.
• 2020 Mt. Ararat Student Research Enriches Understanding of the Preserve January 2 - CREA supports a class of Mt. Ararat high school students as it dives into field research at Cathance River Nature Preserve for eight weeks, studying everything from heath ecology to cattail dieback in a fishless pond.

2019

• Preschoolers Revel in Over and Under the Snow December 12 - Learn the history of the Storywalk concept and how a group of local preschoolers reveled in CREA's first hosted Storywalk.
• What is a ‘Puffling,’ Anyway? November 26 - Project Puffin brought Maine's puffin population back from the brink, after overharvesting drastically reduced their numbers, and became a model for restoring seabird populations all over the world.
• CREA 2019 Fall Newsletter October 29 - Learn how CREA Educators are helping teachers get comfortable in the outdoor classroom through the Outdoor Learning Network, read summer camp highlights, and more!
• CREA Summer Camp: 2019 A Summer to Remember! October 16 - When was the last time you found a frog at your feet in the river, built a boat with your new best friend, did a solo-hike, or covered yourself in clay from head to toe? Been a while? If so, it’s time to come to CREA Camp.
• Fall 2019 Letter to Members and Friends October 15 - CREA Educators teach a 4th grade class how to measure solar, wind, and water energy outdoors, just one example of CREA's rich, nature-based education programs.
• CREA’s Outdoor Learning Network October 15 - Many teachers crave time to brainstorm ideas about outdoor teaching and share their experiences, so CREA Educators conceived of the Outdoor Learning Network (OLN) - a forum for peer collaboration around outdoor, place-based teaching.
• CREA Thanks Our Sunday Volunteers October 15 - CREA's Sunday Sunday volunteers venture down Rensenbrink Way - rain, snow, or shine - to give the public a chance to see the fascinating exhibits and systems of the Ecology Center
• Welcome our New Board Member October 15 - Susan Rae-Reeves' brings a life motivated by community building, political action, economic and racial justice, and preservation of and access to the natural world to her work as a CREA Board Member.
• CREA Spring 2019 Newsletter June 1 - CREA Spring Newsletter 2019
• What’s Special about CREA Summer Camp March 21 - CREA adds new themes to our science and art-based summer camp curriculum, engaging young minds to explore, invent, and discover the natural world that surrounds them.
• Welcome Our New Board Members March 21 - New Board members with experience in finance and community development add depth to the CREA Board.