Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District

Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District The Southern Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District (SASWCD) has been assisting landowners in Maine since 1942.

Kudos to Perry Lilley for spotting this invasive Giant Hogweed lone plant along the Meduxnekeag Riverfront Trail this pa...
06/10/2026

Kudos to Perry Lilley for spotting this invasive Giant Hogweed lone plant along the Meduxnekeag Riverfront Trail this past weekend. Not only can Giant Hogweed grow up to 8' and produce anywhere from 5,000 to 100,000 seeds, it's sap contains a chemical that causes severe dermatitis when skin is exposed to sun. Short version is that SASWCD and Daniel from NRCS, with directions from Perry, found the plant, dug it up, and bagged it. The best guide for invasive plants like this is the Maine Invasive Plants field guide from the Maine Natural Areas Program. We highly recommend it! https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/publications/mipfg.html

Sunday morning post-storm woods walk (with a few hundred mosquitoes) and witnessing the beauty of nature's renewal. Is t...
06/09/2026

Sunday morning post-storm woods walk (with a few hundred mosquitoes) and witnessing the beauty of nature's renewal. Is there anything more beautiful than new growth on a tamarack, or spying the first lady slipper, or the surprise pungency of wood sorrel?

As our office hears from more and more people about invasive plants in northern Maine, this class is a great opportunity...
06/04/2026

As our office hears from more and more people about invasive plants in northern Maine, this class is a great opportunity to learn how to identify and control those plants, such as Japanese knotweed and Common buckthorn, that you may find on your property. Join the experts from Maine Natural Areas Program for a fun and educational day of learning on this important topic.

SASWCD is excited about a series of in-field classes we'll be holding in July at local farms. All are free and open to t...
06/02/2026

SASWCD is excited about a series of in-field classes we'll be holding in July at local farms. All are free and open to the public. If you are looking to dig a little deeper into your soil, or learn how to provide great forage for your animals, or converting your garden to no-till, then there is a class for you!

Every other year, SASWCD hosts the northern regional Envirothon competition for high school students, where they work as...
05/28/2026

Every other year, SASWCD hosts the northern regional Envirothon competition for high school students, where they work as a team to solve problems at five natural resource stations. This year's Envirothon had 4 schools and 7 teams participate, with Presque Isle Team 2 taking first place. Held at Riverfront Park in Houlton, the weather was perfection and the students had a good time (no one was hurt by the shovel btw). A big thank you to those teachers who teach earth sciences and environmental studies to this generation. (pc Daniel George, NRCS)

Last week in the County's weekly newspaper, SASWCD wrote about Katie Duff of Duff Farms as part of Aroostook's celebrati...
05/26/2026

Last week in the County's weekly newspaper, SASWCD wrote about Katie Duff of Duff Farms as part of Aroostook's celebration of the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Like many woman farmers, Katie acts as the cornerstone on the family farm, juggling whatever needs to be done on a daily basis. Duff Farms operates a small on-farm store, selling their organic grains, beef and maple syrup. Check it out!

Japanese barberry growing along the side of the road - no problem! Invasive honeysuckle taking hold - no problem! SASWCD...
05/19/2026

Japanese barberry growing along the side of the road - no problem! Invasive honeysuckle taking hold - no problem! SASWCD just became aware of, and promptly purchased, the Uprooter, a simple yet genius tool that grabs a woody stem up to 2" and pulls it out. It's satisfying and it will be available on loan here at the SASWCD office for others to use in helping to control invasive plants. If you are interested in borrowing the Uprooter, just let us know. (By the way Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District you need this for your District's woodlot!)

The Maine Forest Service has a new online Invasive Species Dashboard Map that helps people see what invasive forest pest...
05/18/2026

The Maine Forest Service has a new online Invasive Species Dashboard Map that helps people see what invasive forest pests have been detected in their communities. The dashboard will be updated regularly as new detections are confirmed, thus keeping information current. Explore the dashboard and learn more about Maine's invasive forest pests: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/c3e50cb4fe0544adbfdd5d4ad0261ee3

It's that time of year to go out and gather a "mess" of fiddleheads to cook up and to marvel at nature's spring unfurlin...
05/14/2026

It's that time of year to go out and gather a "mess" of fiddleheads to cook up and to marvel at nature's spring unfurling. It won't be long before the bl--- fli-- are out so walk in the woods now and enjoy those spring ephemerals (and maybe pick your dinner for the night as well!)

Address

304 North Street
Houlton, ME
04730

Telephone

+1 207-254-4126

Website

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