is a nonprofit,
membership-supported conservation association. The mission of the
PWA is to conserve the natural resources of the Pemaquid Peninsula
through land and water stewardship and education. The
PWA’s
programs and land trust are intended to ensure that these resources
will remain for future generations to learn from and enjoy. Please read our brochure for more information..
Our Work
Pemaquid Watershed Association works to:
• Conserve and protect the natural and cultural resources of
the Pemaquid Peninsula region.
• Promote development consistent with accepted conservation
standards.
• Monitor and protect water quality of the lakes, rivers and
streams and nearshore marine waters.
• Educate people about the region’s natural and cultural
resources.
 Activities in support of the PWA’s goals have
three major components. Our water quality monitoring program establishes
sound baseline data from which we can monitor future changes in
water quality. Our Earthways™ (www.earthways.org) environmental education program aims
to increase understanding of the natural resources of the watershed
and the practices that promote compatible development. Beachcombers’ Rest
Nature Center at Pemaquid Beach helps to promote stewardship of
the beach and local environment. Protection of areas of ecological
and scenic value through the land trust program represents the
third aspect of our activities.
EarthWays is a trademarked name belonging to EarthWays Founda-tion, Malibu, CA
The PWA hopes to bring about recognition of the
importance of the natural environment to the people and the economy
of the Pemaquid region. You can become a part of this important
effort by joining today.
DownEast 'Paddle Down the Pemaquid River'
Article Link (Click Here)
PWA WELCOMES NEW MCC AMERICORPS MEMBER
 The Pemaquid Watershed Association is pleased to welcome Luke Lunt as their Maine Conservation Corps (MCC) AmeriCorps Member through August 2009. Luke was raised in Cumberland County, Maine, where he spent a good deal of his free time playing catch-and-release with the neighborhood frogs, snakes, and salamanders, and swimming in Sabbathday Lake. Luke studied Cartography and GIS at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in 2002.
After graduation, Luke spent four and a half months backpacking throughout Europe and Africa. Upon return to the States, he moved to the Deep South and found work mapping utility lines. However, as he puts it, the lure of Maine could not be resisted for long, and he returned to Maine in 2006. Luke began his first tour with the MCC AmeriCorps program in 2007 with the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association and now has almost 2 full years experience with land trusts in midcoast Maine. At PWA, Luke will be responsible for outreach coordination, and he also will apply his lands and mapping expertise to help bring the Association in line with new national land trust standards in preparation for accreditation by the Land Trust Alliance.
Luke’s appointment builds on the good work of Tenley Wilder Seiders, who served as PWA’s MCC AmeriCorps Member from January 2007 through June 2008, and, through this December, as PWA’s Education Assistant. “This transition is bittersweet,” PWA Executive Director Donna Minnis said. “All of us at PWA will miss Tenley’s extraordinary organizational and artistic talents. She’s been a tremendous gift to the PWA program. Yet, we are excited to bring Luke on board and reap many timely benefits from his GIS and mapping skills.”
The Pemaquid Watershed Association is a volunteer-based, membership-supported non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve the natural resources of the Pemaquid peninsula through land and water stewardship and education. With only one full-time staffperson (Executive Director), the annual MCC AmeriCorps Member plays a vital role in helping to fulfill and advance PWA’s mission.
The MCC was established by Maine's governor and legislature in 1983 and since then has recruited and placed hundreds of members who have accom-plished countless natural resource projects. Mem-bers are placed at host sites and are essentially volunteers who log service hours. In return for satisfactory service, members receive from MCC a living allowance (covered by the host site), health insurance, an education award to pay for college or student loans, and other benefits. FMI on MCC AmeriCorps, visit their web site.
Third Annual Cruise for a Cause, Sunday August 24th: The slideshow above shows a bit of this spectacular cruise – if you want larger photos and captions, look here.
We traveled with
the Hardy Boat Cruises under the watchful eye of Captain Al Crocetti on a route that included Pemaquid Point and John's Bay past Witch
Island to South Bristol Gut to Damariscotta River past Christmas Cove, Inner
Heron Island and back to New Harbor. 76 members and friends of PWA enjoyed this special cruise. This event was sponsored by King Eider's Pub who provided excellent hors
d'ouevres and catering. The event also was supported by Hardy Boat
Cruises.
Kayak Raffle Winner: Albert Rottner of Pemaquid was the lucky winner of an Old Town™ kayak and paddle in the Pemaquid Watershed Association’s summer raffle. His lucky ticket was drawn from among hundreds of others during PWA’s Volunteer Gala on September 13. “We are long-time members and strong supporters of the Pemaquid Watershed Association and feel fortunate to have won,” Rottner said. “This is the first time I’ve won anything big, and my daughter and grandson are excited about having a kayak to use.”
 Gala "Thank You" for Volunteers: Laughter rang through Alexandra and Willem Jansen’s beautifully restored pre-Victorian era barn in Round Pond during Pemaquid Watershed Association’s Volunteer Gala on Saturday, September 13. It was a time of joyful jubilation for the wonderful work of many dedicated PWA volunteers, and PWA thanks Damariscotta Bank & Trust Co. for making it possible with their sponsorship of the event and the Jansens for graciously allowing use of their barn.
The grilling foods, generously donated by Yellowfront Grocery, were masterfully cooked by PWA  members, John Seiders and Louise Dunlap, and gratefully served by PWA Education Coordinator, Tenley Wilder Seiders, and PWA Executive Director, Donna Minnis. Following dinner, the fiddles of Kaity Newell and Friends enticed guests to the rustic dance floor for some jovial and invigorating fun.
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Updated June18, 2009
Saturday, June 27, Bass Rock Champagne on the Shore “Ribbon Cutting” Ceremony: From 2:00 –  3:00 p.m., come celebrate The Nature Conservancy’s transfer of the Bass Rock Preserve to PWA with an afternoon social gathering featuring elegant beverages and fingerfoods and the ambient acoustic guitar stylings of Jan Marie Bacon. Dress is high-class casual (suggested black tie/pearls with shorts and sandals).
Take Route 32 to Round Pond. Because of the very limited parking at the preserve, guests are asked to park at the Granite Hall Store, where there will be a shuttle to the preserve running from 1:30 to 2:00, and then again for the return to the store after the event. Mosquito repellent/netting is suggested. Canceled if raining. FMI, call 563-2196.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Standpipe Redemption on Mills Road in Newcastle (next to
Lincoln County Publishing) is now accepting bottle returns with pro-ceeds
directed to PWA. Just let them know to send your redemption amount to
PWA. It's that easy. They are open Mon-Sat from 8-5 and Sunday 9-3.
They
also do business pick-ups (to arrange, call 563-1520).
Check out the slides and video
from theEnvironmental Animation
Workshop for Kids collaboration of PWA and River Arts in May of 2009.
KAYAK RAFFLE BEGINS Memorial Day May 25:
 Win an Old Town Otter kayak and Day Tripper paddle. Kayak is “sunrise” color
and
was generously donated by the Old Town Canoe Co. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20
and can be purchased from May 26-September 11 at the PWA office above Salt
Bay Café, Midcoast Kayak in Damariscotta, or at Damariscotta Bank & Trust’s
branch office at 619 Main St. The kayak will be on display at DB&T’s branch
office from May 26-30. Thereafter, you will find the kayak and friendly PWA
volunteers outside the Maine Coast Book Shop in Damariscotta from 9:00 to
2:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays in June, Tuesdays and Thursdays in July, and
Fridays in August; at Reilly’s Market in New Harbor from 9:00 to 2:00 on
Wednesday, July 1, Monday, July 13, and Monday, August 10; and at Olde
Bristol Days on August 15-16. The drawing will occur on Sunday, September
13, during PWA’s Sunset Cruise for a Cause, and you need not be present to
win.
We are pleased to provide our newest publications online: Our Watershed Kids 2009 Summer Camp Brochure (0.6 Mb), Spring 2009 Newsletter (1.7 Mb, well worth the download!), and our PWA Brochure. Note: There are still openings for the older camp group, "Naturalists", July 13–17. The younger
camp ("Explorers", July 6–10) is full.
NEW:
Interested in back issues of our "Watershed Watch" Newsletter? Check out the Archives.
Get outdoors and volunteer to help PWA – see our Event Calendar page for many opportunities!
WATERSHED KIDS NATURE DAY CAMP 2009
Note: There are still openings for the older group, "Naturalists", July 13–17. The younger
camp ("Explorers", July 6–10) is full.
 Looking for great hands-on learning experiences for your children this summer? Want to ward off Nature Deficit Disorder by getting them outdoors, exploring, and having fun? Get your young ones connected (or re-connected) with the land and the world around us with Pemaquid Watershed Association’s Watershed Kids Nature Day Camp. There will be two, 5-day sessions of day-camp in July, tailored by age group. The first session, July 6-10, is for children 6- to 9-years old, and the second session, July 13-17, is for children 10- to 12-years old. Camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily and costs only $175 per camper per 5-day session. Download the 2009 Brochure in pdf format, or contact the PWA office for a copy through the mail – (207) 563-2196 or e-mail info@pemaquidwatershed.org.
PWA’s camp is so exceptional that a past camper’s parent described it as the ‘best kept secret in Maine.” Why? Because not only is it affordable and each day full of healthy outdoor adventure and skill-building, hands-on nature activities led by adult experts who really care about teaching kids, literally immersing campers in the diversity of our local environment. Over the 5 days, campers explore the Pemaquid watershed, from forest to sea, starting at the upland woodland and lakeside site of Doyle Preserve on Pemaquid Pond in Damariscotta, and traveling to the coastal salt pond habitat of the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve in New Harbor.
PWA camp programming has proven to both excite and motivate youth as they explore the great outdoors. Participants experience the wonders of the out-of-doors while playing non-competitive educational games and learning about ecological concepts including predator-prey relationships, plant and animal adaptations, wildlife habitats, and how humans are a part of this amazing natural structure. In addition to daily hikes, pond experiments, insect catching, and enjoying musical concerts surrounded by nature, campers learn the art of tracking, designing t-shirts with “natural stamps”, making dream catchers and more!
The Director of this year’s camp is PWA’s new AmeriCorps Member and Education Coordinator, Luke Lunt, who has a BS in Cartography/GIS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and previously worked as an environmental educator at the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association. Lunt is certified in CPR/First Aid and is as dedicated to camper safety as he is to fun and learning. “This summer should be a great mix of fun and learning! I assisted with PWA’s camp during the past two summers, and it was so rewarding. The smiles on the camper’s faces lit up the Doyle Preserve” Lunt said.
To help enable kids to take part in summer camp, PWA established the Hauschka Scholarship Fund, a fund named in honor of the family who spearheaded the grassroots origins of the PWA in 1966. FMI on camp or applying for a scholarship, contact PWA at 207-563-2196 or pwalearn@midcoast.com. To contribute to the camp scholarship fund, please mail your tax-deductible donation to PWA at PO Box 552 in Damariscotta, 04543. Contributions of any amount are welcomed for this special fund that is dedicated exclusively to making the summer camp experience a reality when it might not otherwise be possible.
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