A Walk on the Florid Side: Botany at Aldermere Farm, Rockport

Please call Aldermere Farm to register for this free walk: 207-236-2739

Time 1:00-3:00 pm

Tour Description Have you labored under the naïve assumption that plants are merely there to brighten our day, feed our livestock, and shelter our birds? Wrong. It's a grass-eat-sedge world out there, and this walk will teach you the difference between the two - and the seedy underbelly of the botanical world. From competition for sunlight to nutrient stealing to wholesale use of poison, plant ecology involves much more than birds and bees. Join MCHT Southern Maine Regional Steward and botanista Amanda Devine to explore the flora of MCHT's Aldermere Farm. Utter novices are warmly welcomed, as well as those who know their floristic stuff.

Directions & Where to Meet

Please meet at the main farmhouse at 20 Russell Avenue.

For those traveling from the south, approach Rockport on route 90. There is a light at the intersection of route 90 and route 1. Proceed straight through this light, crossing route 1 then turning left on to Pascal Avenue. Follow this road northward, bearing right at the head of Rockport Harbor and through the village. Continue on, bearing right past Union Street and Limerock Street. This becomes Russell Avenue (in some places referred to as Chestnut St.) The farmhouse will be on your right; please park along the road

From the north, follow route 1 south out of Camden, turning left on Union Street about ¼ mile from the center of town (oncoming traffic has a stop at this intersection.) Follow Union Street about .75 miles to the center of Rockport. Turn left onto Russell Ave. and proceed as above.

What to Bring & What to Expect Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable, sturdy footwear. In case you are tempted to look for birds, binoculars are welcome, but hand lenses are saluted! Please also bring water, snacks, raingear, and whatever else you need for an afternoon outdoors in late spring. While we will be on foot and walking over uneven terrain, the emphasis will be on marveling over plants - not logging miles. If insects bother you, please bring both repellent and the enlightened perspective that these little animals are essential for pollination.

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