An Educational Youth & Families, Agriculture and Natural Resources
Newsletter for Residents of York County

July - August 2005

Welcome to YardScaping

Can anything be more satisfying than a fertile carpet of green grass? How about a healthy landscape that features less lawn and beautiful plantings--all grown without the excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers and water!

Whether you've been wringing your hands over Japanese beetles or tired of slaving away on your lawn, YARDSCAPING is for you.

Join the growing number of Mainers who are committed to changing their yard care ways for the health of the environment, people and wildlife.

Why YardScape?

There are many reasons:

Water Quality: Carpet-like lawns and beautiful yet hard to grow plantings add value and enjoyment to any home. But these benefits can come at tremendous cost to our environment. Yard care practices can impact water quality. The pesticides and fertilizers you apply to your yard may wind up in our waterways. At risk are lakes, streams and eventually the ocean.

People, Pets and Wildlife: Too often people think pesticides are "safe" because they can be bought at a store. This is absolutely not true! Pesticides are designed to be toxic--that means poisonous. If used incorrectly, a pesticide could pose risks to people, pets and beneficial creatures and plants.

YARDSCAPING will allow you to grow lawns and landscapes that demand less of any chemical.

Money: A YARDSCAPE can save you money. Shrinking your lawn and growing hardy plants will reduce out-of-pocket costs: gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, water, plants and planting materials. Plus, preserving natural resources, like lakes, from polluting chemicals will increase your property value unlike the alternative.

Time: Your time is valuable. Growing a YARDSCAPE, which uses low maintenance plants and has only the amount of lawn your lifestyle needs, adds up to more play time for you.

Air Pollution: Reducing your lawn size to what you really need is YardScaping 101. Using a power mower consumes fossil fuels and causes pollution. Think of it this way: one power mower = 40 cars. In fact, a lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as an automobile driving 350 miles.

It is estimated the average American spends 40 hours every year mowing their lawn.

Make a Statement:  A landscape rich in diverse vegetation is unique. It expresses a property's own character. Better yet, a lush YARDSCAPER property conveys an important message about aesthetics: environmental responsibility is always in good taste.

YardScaping Basics

Right plant, right place, right purpose.  The right plant will defend itself against pests, fit the space, do well in the amount of sunlight and water that's available, and tolerate your soil's pH.

Planting trees? Think small.  Small diameter trees require less maintenance and become established in the landscape more quickly than larger diameter trees.

Go native.  Try growing some native plants. They're well adapted to Maine's climate, so that means less work and more reward for you. Purchase only nursery grown natives, not ones dug from the wild. Choose a few that are food for birds, bees and other beneficial insects.

Avoid invaders. Stay away from invasive plants. They spread uncontrollably, choking out native vegetation, which can change forever the availability of food and shelter for wildlife. Common culprits include purple loosestrife, Japanese barberry, Oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed and multiflora rose. If you're harboring an invasive plant already, remove it, including all of the roots.

Feed the needs.  Give your plants only the nutrients they need. If your plants don't talk to you, then you'll have to take a soil test for fertility and pH. Test kits are available at county Cooperative Extension and Soil & Water Conservation District offices.

Cook up compost.  Making your own miracle material is one of the best ways to enrich your gardens. Compost adds nutrients and encourages beneficial organisms. It improves drainage and retains moisture. Throw in shredded leaves, cutup twigs and branches, and green kitchen waste. Avoid adding diseased plants.

Reduce runoff.  Pesticides and fertilizers used on yards can wind up polluting water bodies after a heavy rain or snowmelt. You can prevent runoff in a number of ways: limit your use of these chemicals in the first place, keep them off of hard surfaces like sidewalks and driveways, reduce the number of hard surfaces you have (compacted lawns included), direct roof runoff into vegetated areas and avoid applying before rain.

Plant buffers.  Plant trees, shrubs and groundcovers to create "buffers" (natural filters) along shorelines and downhill of stormwater runoff: Don't rake up the "duff" (nature's mulch of twigs, pine needles and leaves) in the buffer zone.

Welcome wildlife.  Landscaping for wildlife is healthy gardening at its best. Gather critters and flitter by reducing your lawn, planting in layers (trees, shrubs and groundcovers) and aiming for a mix of species. Try plants that offer sheltering thickets or produce nectar and fruit. Add water like a birdbath (refresh daily to prevent mosquito breeding). Always have something in bloom especially early on to attract insects that will in turn attract birds. Add non‑living materials like fallen logs, stonewalls and feeders.

Know your enemy.  Ninety‑eight percent of all insects are benign or beneficial. Spiders, ground beetles and lady beetles to name a few. They can help fight your pest battles for you. Learn to recognize and protect them. Maybe even buy them!

Think before you spray. Identify your pest without a doubt. Realize a few pests are okay‑‑plants can withstand some damage. Use non‑chemical controls first: handpicking weeds, flushing insects with water, fighting bugs with bugs. Use pesticides only when pests increase beyond acceptable levels, then spot treat only.

Prevent the predictable.  Avoid plants prone to pest problems. Shop for insect and disease‑resistant plants to further reduce the need for pesticides. You can get the low down on a plant's pest‑off powers from plant books and catalogues, garden centers, nurseries, and your county Cooperative Extension office.

For more YardScaping tips, visit www.yardscaping.org

New 4-H Afterschool Program Provides Mentoring, Career Exploration

 Over 200 York County youth will participate in mentoring and career explorations after school as a result of a new program developed by University of Maine Cooperative Extension.  Mentor ME Afterschool will pilot three approaches to workforce preparation programs in 4-H afterschool and community settings using teens to teach middle school-aged youth.  County 4-H faculty will collaborate with afterschool coordinators in eight sites across Maine to enhance the mentoring skills of teens and adults, and to increase workforce preparation of middle school youth.

In York County, the program will reach over 200 students in Eliot, Kittery and South Berwick.  It is being funded by a $30,000 grant from the National 4-H Council, with funding from JC Penney and the National Football League (NFL).

“We are so excited to have been granted this opportunity to expand our afterschool programming in York County,” said York County Extension Educator Jon Prichard, who  authored the successful grant proposal. “This program will provide middle school youth with crucial tools to use in exploring career choices, and will create valuable mentoring experiences for high school students.”

In Maine, community leaders, educators and parents have expressed the need to build afterschool programming beyond the realm of childcare into enriching, educational experiences with and for youth.  They also have expressed the need to create leadership opportunities for teens, and to prepare our middle school youth for the workplace.

Youth in rural Maine often lack enrichment and career preparation opportunities, and may become detached from the community and school if successful relationships with mentors are not established.  Minimal commitment to school and lack of plans to attend college are correlated with higher alcohol and drug use (Kids Count, 2002). Afterschool mentoring and workforce preparation programs have been shown to boost teen life skills and middle school youth aspirations.

“We are piloting this program in southern York County, and based on its success there, we will explore ways to expand it into other communities,” said Prichard.  The program will begin in the fall of 2005.

The Draw of the Sea: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Maine Beaches Conference 2005

The Maine Beaches Conference 2005 invites coastal residents, beach monitors, recreationists, and all other beach stakeholders to take the long view of our state's beaches. This year's conference will take place on August 17th at York County Community College in Wells. Plenary and concurrent session topics as well as field trips will focus on Maine's changing beaches in the past, present and future.

The opening plenary session will feature presentations from a range of perspectives. Charles Colgan, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Southern Maine, will open the session, exploring the economic value of Maine’s beaches. Next, longtime local fisherman and current Kennebunkport harbormaster James Nadeau will provide a personal view of the economic trends and coastal changes proposed by Colgan. Concluding the session, Michele Dionne, Director of Research at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, will discuss how these developments have been shown to impact coastal ecosystems.

A series of concurrent sessions will be offered in the morning. The history of beach development will be reviewed locally by Wells historian Hope Shelley and world-wide by Rutgers University professor Karl Nordstrom. Beach managers and municipal officials from New England to the Mid-Atlantic will share experiences with tourism impacts on beach management. Maine Geological Survey’s Marine Geologist Stephen Dickson will use data gathered by volunteers to track the progress of several recent southern Maine beach nourishment projects. Monitoring at Camp Ellis in preparation for possible coastal engineering structures will be discussed by Joseph Kelley, University of Maine Professor of Marine Geology. Swim beach water quality stewardship, best management practices and financing will be explored by Esperanza Stancioff of University of Maine Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant, Todd Janeski of Maine Coastal Program and William Johnston of University of Southern Maine. John Duff, University of Massachusetts-Boston and Jim Connors, Maine Coastal Program, will examine the rights and responsibilities of the multiple users of Maine’s beaches. Representatives of homeowners and business groups, environmental organizations and state agencies will take part in a panel to review their work with the Sand Dunes Stakeholder Group.

Beaches As We Approach 2050 will be the theme of the afternoon plenary session. Rutgers University professor Karl Nordstrom will propose how beaches and dunes may be managed to achieve natural values while providing recreational space for tourists. Nordstrom will be followed by Maine Coastal Program director Kathleen Leyden, who will make the link to actions participants can take in their coastal communities.

Following the presentations at York County Community College, the event will move to the nearby Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve for a selection of field trips. Biologists from Maine Audubon Society and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will explore the natural history of piping plovers, a shorebird listed as endangered in Maine. A newly developed scoring system that allows beaches to be evaluated for various beach management strategies will be described by geologists from Maine Geological Survey. Local builders and landscape designers will showcase best practices for use at shore front properties. And participants can try their hand at the field methods used in the swim beach water quality and phytoplankton monitoring programs.

The Maine Beaches Conference 2005 is sponsored by Maine Coastal Program/State Planning Office, Maine Geological Survey/Dept. of Conservation, Maine Sea Grant, Save Our Shores–Maine, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Supporters include Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Town of Scarborough, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, University of Maine - Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Southern Maine and Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.

For more information, visit http://www.mainebeachesconference.com or contact Maine Sea Grant Extension at 207.646.1555 ext. 115, Kristen.Whiting-Grant@maine.edu

Growing Up Whole:  Skills All Young People Need

Gender socialization, what we teach young people about what it means to be male and female in our culture, is deeply rooted in our families and schools and is often very hard to recognize.  Traditional definitions of masculine and feminine give our children only half of the skills and opportunities they need to grow into adulthood.  These losses are damaging to the healthy development of both boys and girls. 

As parents, teachers, coaches, family and friends, we try to help young people grow up with the skills they will need as adults.  We know that someday most girls are going to work outside the home and most boys are going to be partners and fathers.  Both girls and boys need a full repertoire of skills to develop a strong identity, to be able to achieve fully in the world, and to develop and maintain healthy relationships.

Identity and Autonomy Skills.  We all need to learn about who we are and who we are not, our likes and dislikes, our strengths and weaknesses.  Identity is a strong sense of self.  It is knowing our uniqueness and distinct personality.  Autonomy is the ability to care for myself, to be responsible and think for myself, to know what I want and need.

Achievement and Aspiration Skills.  We all need to develop skills to achieve fully in the world.  These are the skills that help us take risks, make mistakes and learn something new.  These are skills in leadership, independence and competition.  These are also the skills in setting goals, dreaming dreams and having the courage and confidence to “go for it!”.

Skills to Develop and Maintain Healthy Relationships.  We all need to develop healthy relationship skills.  These are skills in initiating and carrying on conversations, developing and nurturing friendships, listening and expressing empathy, cooperating and compromising, asking for and receiving help, nurturing and being vulnerable.  These are skills in interdependence and connection

By Aileen Fortune from  “Understanding Gender Differences: Strategies to Support Girls and Boys” UMCE Family Issues

RESOURCES

YardScaping:

Visit the YardScaping website for more information on this great new low-input, environmentally friendly approach to yard care: http://www.yardscaping.org/index.htm

Growing Up Whole: Bumper Stickers and Tee Shirts! 

Just arrived!  New white on red bumper sticker “Whole Boys Grow into Real Men”.  We also have the black and white bumper sticker “If the definition of beautiful gets any thinner no one will fit”  They are available for  $1 each.  We have a new supply of “True beauty blooms inside” tee shirts in youth and adult sizes in a variety of colors.  And we still have black short and long sleeved tee shirts “If the definition of beautiful gets any thinner no one will fit".  Call the office for more information.

Maine Geological Survey has produced a series of general coastal marine geology fact sheets on the following topics:

•    Coastal Barrier Resources System

•    Coastal Geologic Processes

•    Coastal Hazards

•    Maine's History of Sea-Level Changes

•    Suitability of the Dunes for Development

 The fact sheets provide background information on topics that will be discussed at the Maine Beaches Conference 2005. They can be viewed at www.state.me.us/doc/nrimc/pubedinf/factsht/mar-fact.htm or by contacting Maine Sea Grant Extension at 207-646-1555 x115.

PROGRAMS

Vaughn Island 4-H Environmental Camp

There are still a few openings!

June 27– Aug 12:  3 and 4-day overnight camping trips
with environmental education focus at Vaughn Island,
Cape Porpoise Harbor, Maine
Space is limited.  Pre-registration required.

Program fee $125-$165

Call the Extension Office for a brochure and application

SPLASH!  From the minute you set foot on Vaughn Island 'til the moment you leave, you're part of an exciting learning adventure!  Our unique program offers three and four day tenting experiences where youth discover -- through their own natural curiosity and imagination -- the sights, sounds, smell and feel of Maine's rocky coast.

Designed with the whole child in mind, Vaughn Island 4-H Camp brings lasting memories.  Living, working and playing together, campers make new friends and develop a sense of trust and responsibility for the whole group.  An emphasis is placed on no-trace camping skills, cooperation, discovery of the island's plant and animal life, coastal heritage, and marine ecology.

Vaughn Island Camp is affiliated with Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center.
 

Summer Garden Tour & Workshop Series

Tuesday, July 12^th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm

York County Extension Office Grounds
Free of charge
Pre-registration is not required  - just come and dress casually for out doors!

6:30—7:00    Invasive Species -  What are invasive plants and why are they a problem? How do I avoid planting them?

7:00 – 7:30   Growing Highbush Blueberry Basics – Learn the basics of growing highbush blueberries from soil preparation, pruning, fertility, what varieties to plant and more

7:30 – 8:00   Window Boxes - Getting the most from your window boxes – soil prep, plants to use, care through the season….

Tuesday, August 9^th, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

York County Extension Office Grounds

Free of charge

Pre-registration is not required  - just come and dress casually for out doors!

6:30 – 7:15   The Great Tomato Tasting Party – come and try a host of tomato varieties of all kinds, colors, shapes and sizes.  Bring your own to share or just come and taste.

7:15 – 8:00   Herb Drying – get the most of your summer herbs by drying and preserving for the off-season.

Dealing with Fraud

York County Extension Homemakers Special Meeting

Wednesday, July 13, 1:00 PM

Methodist Church, Newfield

Free and Open to the Public

Pre-registration is not required

Guest Speaker: US Postal Inspector who works in external crimes

Nature Arts: discover the art of nature!

Classes are Mon-Fri, July 18-22, 9 am – 2 pm

Workshop limited to 16 children, ages 9-17

Registration fee: $50 includes all supplies and healthy lunch

Call the Extension office to register

All programs will take place at the Extension office in Sanford and will use the beautiful gardens and outdoors as our “studio” for the week.  Community artist Laura Jaquays will provide creative, educational and fun arts.  These are great projects “just for fun”, or for public display such as Acton Fair. 

• Art-in-nature journal
• Print making with plants
• Fairy houses and animal totems
• Rainbow painting and color wheel
• Garden still life painting
• Flora and fauna art
• Primitive mud painting
• Painting sky and clouds

Nature Arts is part of York County 4-H Discovery Arts Program, which uses the expressive arts to help youth to “discover the art of life, nature and community”.

The Draw of the Sea: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Maine Beaches Conference 2005

Wednesday, August 17^th, 2005 at York County Community College, Wells

The Maine Beaches Conference 2005 invites coastal residents, beach monitors, recreationalists, and all other beach stakeholders to take the long view of our state's beaches. This year's conference is the 5th all-day event of its kind. General and current session topics will focus on beach changes in the past, present and future: economic, social and environmental trends, beach development, tourism impacts, beach nourishment, water quality monitoring, and sand rights. In the afternoon, the conference will move to Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve where field sessions at Drakes Island and Laudholm beaches will explore the natural history of piping plovers, beach scoring, beach-front construction and landscaping best management practices, and beach monitoring.

For more information, please contact Kristen Whiting-Grant at 207.646.1555 ext. 115
(email: Kristen.Whiting-Grant@maine.edu).

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