Upcoming Events
2025 Brook Trout Sale
2025 Brook Trout Sale with Mi'kmaq Farms of Caribou
🐟 Stock your pond with healthy brook trout!
📍 Pick-Up Location: 1353 Presque Isle Rd, Caribou, ME
📅 Date: Monday, May 5, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (one hour only!)
🔔 Important Details:
Pre-Order Recommended: Help us ensure enough fish are available by submitting your application early.
Permit & ID: Your stocking permit must be valid, and the name on the permit must match your ID. Permits can be obtained through Maine.gov.
Payment: Cash or check only, please.
🍴 Fish Food Available for Purchase!
📬 Mail Your Payment and Order Form To:
CASWCD – 102 Normal Hall
181 Main Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769
Ordering in advance and mailing your check will make pick-up a breeze! 🐟✨
Northern Regional Envirothon Competition
Subject: 🌿 Time to Register for the 2025 Maine Envirothon – Don’t Miss Out!
It’s time to get excited because the 2025 Maine Envirothon is almost here! This is a wonderful opportunity for high school students in Aroostook County to participate in a hands-on environmental competition, and I would love to see homeschool families take part this year!
As part of the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District, we’re excited to be hosting the Northern Regional Envirothon at UMaine Presque Isle on May 20, 2025.
Why Participate in Envirothon?
Envirothon allows students to test their knowledge in the following environmental categories:
🌱 Soils & Land Use
🌊 Aquatic Ecology
🌲 Forestry
🦉 Wildlife
♻ Current Environmental Issues
Students will:
✔ Build critical thinking and problem-solving skills
✔ Work as a team in a hands-on outdoor environment
✔ Meet experts like foresters, biologists, and soil scientists
✔ Compete for scholarships and the chance to represent Maine at the International Envirothon in Canada!
Competition Dates & Locations
Regional Competitions:
Southwest Region: April 28th at YMCA’s Outdoor Learning Center (OLEC), Auburn
Midcoast Region: April 29th at Viles Arboretum, Augusta
Northern Region (Aroostook County): May 20th at UMaine Presque Isle
Downeast Region: May 21st at Leonard's Mills, Bradley
State Competition: May 29th at the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, Augusta
International Competition: July 20-26, 2025 at Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Important Registration Details
Registration is required!
Register your team online here: Maine Envirothon Registration. Schools registering multiple teams will need to add each team individually.
Current Issue: The 2025 topic is "Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change." Start preparing by reviewing the study materials at the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon website: www.envirothon.org
Team Requirements
Teams must consist of 3-5 students (plus an alternate), ages 14-19, from public, private, or homeschool groups in the same district.
Each team requires an adult advisor (parents, teachers, or mentors welcome—no environmental expertise necessary!).
Next Steps
Sign up your team: Register online here: Maine Envirothon Registration and don’t delay—spots are filling up!
Prepare for the competition: Start studying the Current Issue and review other resources at the National Envirothon website.
Have questions? If you are located in Aroostook County, feel free to reach out to me directly!
📧 Email: centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com
📞 Call: (207) 768-9431For those residing outside Aroostook County, please contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District for assistance.
💡 Need help forming a team or finding an advisor? I’m here to help if you’re in Aroostook County!
This is a fantastic opportunity for homeschoolers in Aroostook County to dive into environmental education, develop teamwork skills, and have fun competing. Don’t wait—register today to secure your spot in the 2025 Maine Envirothon!
Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!
Randy or Candace
Central Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District
📧 centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com | 📞 (207) 768-9431
Regenerative Agriculture on Your Farm
🌱 Introducing Regenerative Agriculture on Your Farm 🌱
Join us for an open forum — with pizza! 🍕
📍 Location: 102 Normal Hall, UMPI Campus
📅 Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
🍕 Pizza and soda provided!
Learn how regenerative agriculture practices can:
Improve your soil health
Increase your yields
Lower your costs
Bonus: Two pesticide re-certification credits have been applied for!
RSVP by March 14, 2025:
📧 centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com
📞 207-551-3687
Don’t miss this chance to connect, share, and grow with fellow farmers! 🌾
Wildlife Habitat Management Education
Explore 400 acres of expertly managed wildlife habitat and learn from a local landowner's experience. Get hands-on with the tools and techniques used to achieve habitat goals on your own property.
Topics include: Wildlife habitat principles
Planning from start to finish
Forest stand improvement
Apple tree management
Food plot establishment & maintenance
Support programs from NRCS, MDIFW, and MFS
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your land’s potential for wildlife!
Reserve your spot today:
Apple Symposium
Join us at the Apple Symposium: Explore, Taste, and Learn! Discover the world of apples like never before! Our Apple Symposium is the ultimate gathering for apple enthusiasts, growers, and anyone interested in the rich history, flavors, and cultivation of this beloved fruit. Whether you’re a seasoned orchardist or just love a crisp apple, this event is for you. Email centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com to request a registration form.
Soil Health Training
Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District in conjunction with Matt Boucher, Maine State Soil Scientist and Tony Jenkins, NRCS State Soil Scientist will offer a soil Health training for home owners, gardeners, farmers, SWCD & NRCS staff. This training will be held on the district’s research farm in Presque Isle at 157 Johnson Road and will cover the following:
Cover cropping and soil health for potato production.
How cover crops affect soil health.
How organic matter affects soil properties.
The pros and cons of soil fumigation.
How to take a proper soil sample.
How to read a soil sample lab result.
Lunch will be provided and there will be a $25 registration fee for SWCD staff to attend, this will be refundable from MACD. NRCS staff should preregister and pay a $50 registration fee. We ask that all registrants pay the fee before the training. The training will be held outdoors rain or shine so bring proper clothing with you. The NRCS rain simulator will be on site, now is the time to get your questions answered about the properties of different soil conditions when it rains. Please email centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com to request an application.
Kitchen Scraps Composting Program
Join us every Saturday at the Presque Isle Farmer’s Market for the Kitchen Scraps Composting Program at the Bucket Exchange!
Ft. Fairfield Kitchen Scrap Composting Program
Kitchen Scraps Composting Program:
Get your hands on a clean and empty bucket equipped with a screw-top lid.
What to add to the bucket:
Include meat, bones, vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, vegetation/grass clippings, leftovers, plate scrapings, and eggshells.
What NOT to add to the bucket:
Avoid cloth or material, paper or napkins, plastic utensils, Styrofoam containers, chemicals of any kind, and silverware.
Participating in this program not only enables us to contribute to local food pantries but also empowers you to reduce landfill input. Best of all, there’s no cost for participation. Join us in making a positive impact on both our community and the environment.
** The program will run every Saturday, through October. **
Apple Grafting Workshop
Join us for a how-to guide on grafting apple trees! $25 Registration fee includes 1 apple rootstock that you can graft the apple of your choice onto, an apple variety/care handbook, light refreshments, and a tour of the orchard (weather permitting). 27 apple varieties will be available to choose from! *Additional rootstocks can be grafted and purchased at a separate fee.* Please contact Randy Martin @ (207) 551-3687 or by email: centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com
Core Pesticide Training
Join us for a comprehensive pesticide training designed for growers who either possess or require a pesticide applicator's license. Attendees with a valid license will earn three recertification credits upon completion of this three-hour training. For those without a pesticide applicator's license, a core exam will be administered immediately following the training. Please ensure you have a valid ID to participate in the exam.
This training session is free of charge, and punctuality is crucial. The training will commence promptly at 8:00 a.m., so please be on time. To secure your spot, kindly register by contacting Randy Martin at 207-551-3687 or centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com. Hurry, as there is a limit of thirty attendees for each session.
In the event that we exceed the initial thirty registrations, a second training session will be offered on the following Friday, April 12th, at the same time and location. If the first training reaches capacity, you will be given the option to attend the subsequent session. Your commitment to responsible pesticide application is vital, and we look forward to your participation.
Location: Cooperative Extension Office at 57 Houlton Road in Presque Isle.
Cooperator Assistance
We accept payments throughout the year, there is no due date. Thank you for your interest.
Environmental Health Summit
Join us for two days to learn the current conditions of our soil, water, wildlife, and forests and how you can help protect them.
