BHHT Event & Program Calendar

The Blue Hill Peninsula and islands were the stronghold of Ann Pollard-Ranco’s direct Penobscot ancestors who lived there seasonally and/or year round, enjoying the bounty of the ocean and the tremendous beauty that draws people from all over the world today. Many of those ancestors gave up their lives defending their beloved places against the violence of colonization, determined to preserve access for future generations whom they would never meet. But in the end, surviving Penobscots were pushed upriver to a tiny island reservation, and their beloved places were stolen. Penobscots have been separated from the coastal part of their Homeland for over two hundred years, and access to ancestral places, traditional marine foods, and to cultural resources such as sweetgrass, is limited. In this presentation, Ann will share her journey of reconnection and advocacy for indigenous access that began with what felt like the ancestors calling her back to their beloved places. Her year of living on the Peninsula and working to change narratives of indigenous erasure has been facilitated by Blue Hill Heritage Trust, other allies, the generosity of charitable foundations, private donors, and many kind friends she has met along the way. As Passamaquoddy citizen Susan Hinkel poignantly shared in a recent presentation, there is nowhere for Native Americans to come back to on the Peninsula, that they can call their own. By raising awareness of this persistent inequality, activists like Ann and many others hope one day soon that a slice of this paradise with water access will be returned, so that Wabanaki finally have a place to come home to after all these years. Finding her way back and advocating for justice is Ann’s way of honoring those ancestors who tried so hard to preserve access for their descendants, and demonstrating their love and sacrifices have not been forgotten.
 
Ann Pollard-Ranco studied International Relations with a focus on Eurasian Politics at University of Maine. She is a writer, photographer, artist, and cultural consultant. Ann is in her second year as a Penobscot language apprentice to Carol Dana, and a founding Board member of Bomazeen Land Trust, one of the first Native American led land conservation organizations and a leader in the land back movement. Ann and her English Setter pup Nellie live in Sunshine, and they both love watching ethereal sunrises, sunsets, and moonrises on the water.
 
Register for this online event at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gfkZG6hDTP2ug0Xr2sk_NA

Join Blue Hill Heritage Trust and Island Heritage Trust for a Friends from the Field Webinar! 
 
This online presentation will cover the taxonomy, evolution, morphology, and ecological significance of butterflies. It will include images of some of the representative species of the region's six butterfly families, explore butterfly conservation issues (particularly climate change), and briefly consider the 'insect apocalypse'. The presentation will conclude with some recommended butterfly identification guides, apps, and websites. 
 
Ron Butler is an ecologist interested in issues related to the conservation of biological diversity. During his early career, he conducted research primarily with seabirds in Maine, Newfoundland, and Antarctica. In the second half of his career, he changed his focus to ecologically important groups of insects. For the past 25 years, Ron has helped coordinate statewide citizen-science initiatives on Maine's dragonflies, butterflies, and bumble bees.
 
Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iqFLSnTjS7Wyi7uGLR8-gA 
 
Email megan@bluehillheritagetrust.org if you have any questions!

Migration in the Bagaduce Watershed Program Series
Join BHHT and Carrie Graham from College of the Atlantic’s Dorr Museum of Natural History for a foray into a milkweed patch to learn about the incredible migration and life story of the monarch butterfly. Learn how your backyard can support these butterflies that are now on the endangered species list. We will meet at a private residence and BHHT easement property in Blue Hill for this event. Directions will be provided after registration, prior to the event.
This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited and registration is required.
*REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED at:
https://forms.gle/ve6danjEBD3AYsR16
This events will be outside. Please dress for the weather with appropriate footwear.

All ages are welcome to join us for a series of volunteer days throughout the spring - fall seasons. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 1-4pm.
 
***TBD***
 
Volunteers should bring work gloves, safety glasses, closed-toed shoes or boots, and plenty of water. 
 
Anyone interested or having questions can contact our Land Steward, Andrew, at stewardship@bluehillheritagetrust.org