Classes From the Field

When the pandemic caused Nature Links to end in-person classes last year, our former teacher Maddy Johnson faced a dilemma. How can you engage participants in learning about nature over Zoom? This is when the Nature Links “Class from the Field” series was born, and this spring, as the weather became more pleasant, I’ve had the privilege of reviving this wonderful practice. Each Friday this spring, I’ve packed up my computer, my internet hotspot, a water bottle and a camping chair and I’ve traveled to a location that can help us learn about the natural world. When logging on to zoom from the middle of the woods, a community garden, a bay at low tide, a blueberry field, or a waterfall, participants are able to travel with me on a journey of exploration and discovery. Our classes from the field have given participants the opportunity to make observations about the sights, sounds, organisms, ecosystems and changes that occur in specific locations, and has provided a rich background for learning about some fascinating natural wonders.

Let me tell you about some of the places we’ve visited recently and what we’ve been learning about…

Plant Hardiness Zones from the Brooklin Community Garden

During our first class from the field, we visited the community garden here in Brooklin, Maine, where we discussed plant hardiness zones. We learned about how plant hardiness zones can be used to determine what type of plants are able to grow in a particular location in any given season. Since these zones are determined by the average minimum winter temperatures, they look very different for our participants in Florida and those in here in Maine! As we toured the community garden, we talked about the difference between warm and cool season vegetables and when things like tomatoes can be grown in zone 5 vs. zone 9. We’ll be using our knowledge of plant hardiness zones to help us determine what to grow during our home gardening unit this summer.

Coniferous and Deciduous Trees from 100 Acre Woods

Our next class from the field brought us to 100 Acre Woods, a nature preserve in Brooklin, Maine with a diverse range of trees along a 1.5 mile loop. Although we visited the preserve intending to focus on trees, participants were especially curious about the information at the beginning of the trail that informs visitors about ticks. Again, this provided an opportunity to compare experiences with ticks among participants in different geographical regions, helping us learn about the prevalence of ticks in different areas. One helpful feature of this trail is a series of informative signs that give information about the trees found here. We stopped at several signs to discuss our knowledge of trees, comparing bark, leaves and tree shape as we went. 100 Acre Woods is not only an informative trail—it’s also fairly flat, making for a more favorable hiking destination for folks with more limited mobility. We hope to meet up on the trail someday soon!

All About Tides from Herrick Bay

On our next class from the field, I logged on from Herrick Bay in Brooklin Maine at low tide. This tidal bay completely clears of water at low tide, leaving an expansive flat rife with clams and exposed rocks and seaweed. I taught the class from a lawn chair, positioned in a location in which I’d be completely submerged later that evening (I didn’t stay, of course!). We used our unique setting to talk about how tides work and why they’re important. We discussed the gravitational pull responsible for tide shifts and why the Bay of Fundy experiences some of the most drastic tidal changes in the world. Each participant practiced reading a tide chart, identifying when high and low tides would hit a particular area. Finally, we used our regional diversity to compare the tide changes in Blue Hill Maine (a 12 foot difference between high and low tide) vs. Miami Florida (a 2 foot difference between high and low tide). French astronomer Francois Arago once said studying the tides was “the tomb of human curiosity”, but at Nature Links we were able to fully appreciate the idea of tides without feeling too defeated.

How are Blueberries Grown? from a working blueberry farm

While blueberries won’t be ready to harvest here in Maine until July, we spent our next class from the field visiting a local blueberry farm. The visit allowed us to talk about what makes wild blueberries so nutritious and gave us a chance to learn about rhizomes, the horizontal underground stem that allows wild blueberries to spread across a field. We visited the bee hives installed at this particular blueberry farm as a way to connect our recent learning about pollinators and their impact on our food supply. This particular class from the field had us dreaming of blueberry pancakes, pies, cobblers and jam, but we’ll have to wait just a little longer to enjoy them all! This field will be hand-harvested using blueberry rakes in a few month’s time.

Learning about Filter Feeders from the Blue Hill Reversing Falls

The reversing falls in Blue Hill is one of 8 reversing falls in the state of Maine and only a handful across the country. This unique tidal "waterfall" experiences an exchange of fresh and salt water that changes directions twice a day. During a slack tide the falls can be almost completely still, while just a few hours later water bursts out from under the bridge creating a 3-foot wave. On this virtual visit to the falls, we talked about the animals and organisms that thrive here and the unique geology and geography that make this rare wonder possible. We focused our attention on filter feeders that inhabit the falls, especially mussels. We also learned about a local effort to protect the Common Eider duck that depends on the falls for its winter food source.

Nature Links serves a range of diverse learners from across the state of Maine, and even some folks from North Carolina and Florida! Many participants experience issues with mobility or rely on others to help them get from point A to point B. Because of this, meeting up together in a blueberry field or a tidal bay always possible for our group. However, our classes from the field allow us to “visit” these locations together to make observations, ask questions, explore and learn. Although our class from the field series is coming to an end this spring, these visits have helped inspire participants’ own explorations around their homes and have sparked some fabulous curiosity and conversation about the natural world.