Events Calendar
From workshops and field days to plant sales and forums, there’s something for everyone!
View our Calendar of Events Below
-
Orland River Day
Sept 12, 2026 | 9am-3pm
Orland River Day is the town's annual community celebration, held each year in September along the Orland River, Naramissic Drive, and the Orland Community Center. The event brings together residents, visitors, vendors, and local organizations for a day of activities including a parade.
-
Fall Native Plant Sale - Native Gardens of Blue Hill
Sept 12, 2026 | 9am-12pm | 49 South St in Blue Hill
Native Plant shoppers have a record number of species to choose from this fall, including more than 25 species available this year for the first time! Click link to preorder to set aside your favorite plants.
-
Wild Blueberry Resilience Summit - Field Day
Fri. Sept 18, 2026 | 9am-3pm
Hosted by Hancock and Washington County SWCDs and Blue Ridge Farms, this field day draws farmers, conservationists, scientists and the general community for a fun & educational day with expert panels, presentations, demonstrations, vendors, good food, and more.
-
Invasive Plant Workshop - Trenton
Sept 19, 2026 | 1pm
Held at the Trenton Town Hall on 59 Oak Point Road, this invasive plant workshop will explore invasive plant biology, their ecological impacts, and identification methods. Presented by Dr. Mark Whiting, Hancock County SWCD Board Chair, Hosted by Trenton Butterfly Gardens.
-
Local Working Group
Sept 21, 2026 | 5-6:30pm | Free
Hancock County SWCD’s Local Working Group is our annual public meeting where farmers, landowners, and community members help identify local natural resource priorities that guide USDA conservation funding and programs. All are welcome. Pizza and drinks included. Venue: Ellsworth Cooperative Extension, 63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth.
-
Basics of of Greenhouse Technology - UMaine Cooperative Extension
Oct 6, 2026 | Online
Part of the Commercial Horticulture Webinar Series, this beginner-friendly workshop introduces the fundamentals of greenhouse technology for growers and gardeners. Eligible for 1 pesticide recertification.
-
Foundations of River Thermalscapes - Session 1
Oct 23, 2026 | 8:30am to 12:30pm
Session one introduces the riverscape as a thermal mosaic. If humans could see in infrared, we would see the river not as one consistent temperature but rather a mosaic of thermal habitat – a patchwork of warm and cold that determines where fish can hold, feed, and survive as rivers warm.
2026 HCSWCD Event Calendar - Spring and Beyond
Below is a comprehensive list of events we are hosting or co-hosting in for 2026.
● May 1: No Mow May (All Month) — County-wide
● May 1: Plant Sale (8–4) — USDA Office
● May 2: Plant Sale (8–2) — USDA Office
● May 9: Card Brook Clean up (9–12) — 55 Foster St, Ellsworth
● May 13: Trout Sale Pickup — USDA Office (Time TBD)
● May 15–16: Union River Forum — Moore Center, Ellsworth
● May 20: Envirothon — Leonard Mills (School kids)
● May 23: Migratory Fish Day (10–2) — Orland
● May 26: Castine Invasives Workshop — Castine Town Hall 10-3:30 Register
● Jun 4: Back to the Forest Day (9–2) — Woodlawn, Ellsworth (5th Graders)
● Jun 28: Green Ellsworth - Union River Group Paddle
● Jul 8: Backyard Rewilding Workshop (10-12) — Franklin Community Center
● Jul 18: Trenton Butterfly Festival (3–5) — Trenton Fire Pond
● Jul 22: Plant Paddle Workshop — TBD
● Jul 25: Green Ellsworth - Union River Group Paddle
● Aug 7: Annual Meeting (12–3) — Ellsworth Gazebo
● Aug 29: Green Ellsworth - Union River Group Paddle
● Sept 18: Wild Blueberry Resilience Summit - Field Day (9–4) — Blue Ridge Farms, Waltham
● Sept 19: Invasive Plant Workshop - Trenton Butterfly Gardens - 1pm
● Sept 21: Local Working Group - Ellsworth Cooperative Extension
● Oct TBD: Envirothon
● Nov 14: Seed Saver Swap & Workshop - TBD
● Dec 7: Plant Sale Kick Off
Questions? Call 207-667-8663
Get Involved
Our conservation work in Hancock County depends on community residents and organizations to support and contribute to it. We maintain a list of conservation-related opportunities that are organized by our partners, and, when possible, we organize events and volunteer opportunities that are specific to our soil and water projects. We invite you to join one or all of these opportunities to stay connected with conservation work in our community.
Complete our Volunteer Sign-Up Form to get started!
We also invite you to consider giving to our District. We accept donations of all sizes, and encourage you to reach out to us if you’re interested in partnering to accomplish and expand conservation goals. Please call us at 207.667.8663 or email hcswcdinfo@hancockcountyswcd.org for more information.
By providing Envirothon and other quality education programs to students today, we hope to ensure the continued value of Maine’s natural resources. Envirothon is aligned with Common Core Standards, the guiding principles for Maine’s education system.
Youth Engagement
Envirothon
What is Envirothon? A natural resource problem-solving competition for grades 9-12. In an outdoor setting, students are tested in five natural resource areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and a current national environmental issue. Envirothon is a team effort that includes site-specific, hands-on tasks. A team includes three to five students, an alternate, and an adult advisor. Regional and state competitions are held each spring. The top Maine team qualifies for the North American Envirothon finals, an opportunity to compete against teams from across the United States and Canada.
Why Envirothon? The State of Maine has a long history of natural resource use and management. Maine is 90% forested, has 6,000 lakes and ponds, 4,500 miles of mainland shoreline, and 32,000 miles of rivers and streams. We have an abundance of wildlife and fish, and agriculture continues to be an important resource. The Maine Association of Conservation Districts has a strong, shared commitment to preserving these natural landscapes.