Somerset Woods Trustees

Somerset Woods Trustees Building Community through Land Conservation Since 1927.

The ball is rolling at Benner Woods on East Madison Road in East Madison! It may not seem like a ton was accomplished o...
06/14/2026

The ball is rolling at Benner Woods on East Madison Road in East Madison! It may not seem like a ton was accomplished on our first workday, but big projects start with good planning, boots on the ground, and brains working together.

We assessed the existing shed, made a plan for several piles of old lumber, and hauled our first load of lead-painted windows to the Norridgewock dump.

Want to help turn this property into a welcoming public green space? Join us on Friday, June 19. The more hands, the merrier! Register at the link below:

https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/iR300KMmVo5YMFOLIv4vhA

Larone Woods on Covell Road in Fairfield provided a perfect day of exploring local ecology and wildlife with the Communi...
06/14/2026

Larone Woods on Covell Road in Fairfield provided a perfect day of exploring local ecology and wildlife with the Community Regional Charter School's Outing Club.

Somerset Woods Trustees teamed up with MATC | Maine Appalachian Trail Club and Somerset Public Health for a walk with Mrs. Guillow and her students along the Blue and Pink Trails.

Students learned about local ecology, practiced Leave No Trace principles such as walking on durable surfaces, leaving what they find, and respecting wildlife, while having plenty of fun along the way. We even spotted three amphibian species: wood frog, spring peeper, and American toad. 🐸🌿

We love getting to do programs like these for our community and partnerships like this make it possible!
06/12/2026

We love getting to do programs like these for our community and partnerships like this make it possible!

Our second and third Woods Share volunteer events of 2026 didn’t come with the best weather, but we still accomplished a...
06/12/2026

Our second and third Woods Share volunteer events of 2026 didn’t come with the best weather, but we still accomplished a lot! We now have roughly 4 cords of firewood processed for distribution this coming heating season. A big thank you to our volunteers for braving the chilly weather, black flies, and rain! Another big thank you to Kathryn and Jay Libby who brought their pulp loader to help us bring down our tall log piles, and a big thank to Mike Poland in helping Jay saw up the logs that were taken down!

Our next event is scheduled for June 20. The event previously scheduled for this Saturday, June 13, is canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

The Woods Share is looking for more pallets to stack our firewood on. If you or someone you know have pallets you no longer need or want, please reach out to Emma at [email protected] or call 207-612-1606 and leave a message with your name and phone number.

Interested in volunteering with the Somerset Woods Share? Learn more and sign up here: https://www.somersetwoodstrustees.org/somerset-woods-share. Can’t volunteer, but want to support us? There are many ways to help, check out our wishlist!

We’re grateful to partner with Skowhegan Area High School each year to provide opportunities for student community servi...
06/05/2026

We’re grateful to partner with Skowhegan Area High School each year to provide opportunities for student community service and engagement in our local community.

Recently, two student groups joined us. One spent the morning at Eaton River Preserve clearing the trail corridor, widening sections, and resetting the backslope. The other group worked at Parsons Family Preserve to plant seedlings, uproot pine trees and seed the area with native plants, and support with invasive grass removal.

Thank you to these hardworking students!

Earlier last month, a group of community members visited the vernal pool at Coburn Woods in Skowhegan! A variety of wild...
06/04/2026

Earlier last month, a group of community members visited the vernal pool at Coburn Woods in Skowhegan! A variety of wildlife was identified in the pool: spotted salamander eggs, wood frog tadpoles, a red-backed salamander, fingernail clams, and fairy shrimp! Wildlife biologist Greg LeClair shared fun facts about how vernal pools are valuable habitats that are home to these species and more, and explained how these species interact with other forest creatures!

Earlier in the week, students from Tri County Tech Center and Reptile and Amphibian Biologist Kevin Ryan determined that this vernal pool classifies as a state-significant vernal pool. This means that it is an important breeding habitat for the species listed above, providing a safe place for their young to survive to adulthood. If you would like to learn more about significant vernal pools, check out the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s fact sheet:
https://www.maine.gov/dep/land/nrpa/vernalpools/fs-vernal_pools_intro.html

Remember those bird houses from April? They have been hung across Somerset Woods Trustees properties, providing nesting ...
06/04/2026

Remember those bird houses from April? They have been hung across Somerset Woods Trustees properties, providing nesting habitat for blue birds! Two have gone to Parsons Family Preserve in Skowhegan, three are at Parkman Hill Farm in Solon, and three are at Jackson Woods in Madison!

After birds move out of the boxes in the fall, old nesting material needs to be removed before the birds move back in in the spring. This helps prevent the spread of pests like mites and ants. If you would like to help maintain these bird boxes, please reach out to Halle Beeltje at [email protected] or leave a message at 207-612-1606.

Tri County Technical Center students visited the vernal pool at Coburn Woods last month. While there, they sampled the p...
06/03/2026

Tri County Technical Center students visited the vernal pool at Coburn Woods last month. While there, they sampled the pool for wildlife, and learned about the role this habitat plays in forest ecology!

The vernal pool was also assessed by the students, and qualifies as a significant vernal pool under state regulations. This means that it is an important breeding habitat for wood frogs, spotted salamanders, and fairy shrimp (a type of crustacean primarily found in vernal pools). At this time of year, the wood frogs have hatched and are in their tadpole phase, while the salamanders may still be in their eggs. Fairy shrimp have hatched and are swimming around the pool as well.

These species are important food sources for other animals such as owls, racoons, and other small carnivores. Many of these species also only breed in vernal pools. Their young do not survive in streams and ponds that contain fish and bull frogs, which will eat tadpoles and eggs.

If you would like to learn more about significant vernal pools, check out the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s fact sheet:
https://www.maine.gov/dep/land/nrpa/vernalpools/fs-vernal_pools_intro.html

Address

PO Box 833
Skowhegan, ME
04976

Telephone

+12076797306

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