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.

Great opportunity to learn first-hand how to recognize invasive plants like Common buckthorn, knotweed, and more with in...
06/22/2026

Great opportunity to learn first-hand how to recognize invasive plants like Common buckthorn, knotweed, and more with invasive plant biologist Chad Hammer of Maine Natural Areas Program. Chad is a wealth of knowledge and he'll show participants how to identify the various invasive plants and shrubs that are beginning to appear in northern Maine. Plus, it's free and you get lunch! :)

The SASWCD received a phone call from Chad Hammer at Maine Nat'l Areas Program to talk about our recent post of removing...
06/18/2026

The SASWCD received a phone call from Chad Hammer at Maine Nat'l Areas Program to talk about our recent post of removing what we thought was Giant Hogweed. It was, instead, Cow Parsnip, which is pretty ubiquitous along road ditches around here but is still not something we really want to spread along streambanks. He gave me some great tips on how to tell the two apart, including this comparison sheet. Chad will be in Patten next Thursday for an invasive plant workshop - if you are interested in attending please contact district forester Lauren Ouellette at 441-3817 for more information on registering.

It is that time of year again when I get to measure and document via photo the growth of the Sugar maple SASWCD planted ...
06/16/2026

It is that time of year again when I get to measure and document via photo the growth of the Sugar maple SASWCD planted in 2022 when it was a mere 2' tall. Four years later, I can't reach the tippy top at 8-feet plus. It makes me happy every time I see it. If you plant a tree, try to document it every year at the same time with a photo. It is really fun to have an annual visual of growth.

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!)

Address

304 North Street
Houlton, ME
04730

Telephone

+1 207-254-4126

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