Grassland Management Walk July 7 in South Thomaston

Managing Grasslands for Success – providing habitat for grassland birds

SOUTH THOMASTON - Grab your binoculars and come take a walk through a beautiful bobolink habitat. 

Join the Georges River Land Trust and Ag Allies program for a free Grassland Management Walk from 9 to 11 AM Wednesday, July 7. (Rain Date: Thursday July 8, same time) at the Riverview Hayfields Preserve in South Thomaston. 

The workshop will cover practices for improving and managing grasslands for bird habitat, forage production and even pollinators!   If you are interested in revitalizing an old field to improve grassland habitat, this workshop is the place to get advice on starting that process. We will also discuss the life history of our steeply declining grassland bird species and conservation practices that can be implemented to help them. The most exciting part is that the timing of this workshop will allow participants to view grassland bird nesting behaviors and the first flights of fledgling bobolinks and Savannah sparrows.

The Georges River Land Trust is excited to join with Ag Allies to highlight the importance of our beautiful grasslands for their bird habitat values, agricultural importance as well as their bucolic qualities.

To register, call Georges River Land Trust at 207-594-5166 or email annette@grlt.org with this in the subject line:  Grasslands Workshop.

Since 2016, Ag Allies, hosted by Somerset County SWCD, has worked with land trusts and landowners statewide to increase the nesting success of grassland birds using incentive payments, technical assistance and education. The program empowers landowners to make sustainable, bird-friendly management changes on their land and improve the chance for nesting success of grassland birds in Maine.

The Georges River Land Trust’s mission is to conserve the ecosystems and traditional heritage of the Georges River watershed region through permanent land protection, stewardship, education, and outdoor experiences. GRLT is a network of conservation easements, trails, and preserves protecting more than 4,000 acres with 60+ miles of public trails. It is an equal opportunity provider. For more information about the work of the Georges River Land Trust, please visit www.georgesriver.org.

photo credit: Laura Suomi-Lecker, male bobolink at GRLT’s Riverview Bobolink Fields.