Last week, my dog Oreo and I walked along the two-mile Kenduskeag Stream Trail here in Bangor, and along the way, we filled a bag with trash. The bag ripped halfway through, thanks to a coat hanger I found in Gateway Park, but fortunately, I had another bag. Meanwhile, Oreo was tugging on the leash impatiently and I was attempting to produce a video for my column. It was certainly a test of my multi-tasking skills. By the end of the walk, I was tired and frustrated — but I also felt good because I’d improved the trail, ever so slightly. However, there’s still a lot of trash out there. So I suggest going out to the Kenduskeag Stream Trail — or any local trail for that matter — and doing your part to clean it up this spring. And if you’d like some guidance, contact the folks at your local land trust. I guarantee they’ll have a task for you.
— Aislinn Sarnacki
‘Our goal is that nobody gets hurt’: Volunteers keep Kenduskeag paddlers safe during spills
The annual Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, which celebrated its 49th anniversary Saturday, is the most popular whitewater race in Maine, attracting hundreds of participants each year. For many years now, volunteers from Lincoln Search and Rescue and Dirigo Search and Rescue have helped keep paddlers safe, especially while they’re navigating the rapids.
Anti-bear baiting group files appeal to Maine Law Court, continues battle against DIFW
Political group Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting has filed an appeal to the Maine Law Court after the group’s lawsuit against the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was dismissed by a Maine Superior Court justice last month.
The lawsuit, filed last year, attempted to stop the DIF&W from spending taxpayer dollars to oppose the referendum that sought to ban bear baiting and other practices.
Gear bag: Personal flotation devices
Each week the BDN Maine Outdoors team takes a look at different gear you might need for your next outdoor adventure. For this week’s Gear Bag, we looked at personal flotation devices.
Blog log
Out There: Summer option for young ‘North Woods Law’ fans: Camp North Woods
If your child is a huge fan of the Animal Planet TV show “North Woods Law” and can’t stop talking about the exploits of the Maine game wardens who serve as its stars, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has got some great news for you.
Act Out with Aislinn: 1-minute hike: Kenduskeag Stream Trail in Bangor
Aislinn and her dog Oreo walk a two-mile trail that traces the Kenduskeag Stream, home to Maine’s most popular whitewater race. Along the way, she learns about the stream’s history and wildlife.
On the horizon
The BDN’s John Holyoke spent last week on vacation, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t gathering column fodder while he sunburned his carcass in sunny Florida. In fact, there was plenty of wildlife around, and he took careful mental notes. Nearly each morning began with dolphins feeding not far off shore, and he was regularly visited by flights of pelicans. And he swam in the ocean … cautiously … every day. Cautiously? Sure. You see, he spent his vacation in a spot dubbed “The Sharkbite Capital of the World,” and he spent much of the week thinking that a somewhat rotund swimmer (him) might look suspiciously like a tasty seal to a nearsighted shark. That didn’t happen … but he did see a shark … and he ended up with a tale to tell.
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