Summer may not officially arrive until Friday, but for us here at the PRCC, the start of trips with the Penobscot Riverkeepers signals the start to our favorite time of year.
The Penobscot Riverkeepers team is all about getting kids outside and learning about the environment, and we count ourselves lucky to be able to tag along on a couple of trips a year. As part of the Penobscot River and Bay Institute, the Penobscot Riverkeepers offer on-the-river experiences for school children throughout the river’s watershed with the goal of getting kids interested in the connection between people and water quality.
When our friends Mike and BJ Maybury, leaders of the Penobscot Riverkeepers and PRCC Advisors, called us to see if we would be interested in tagging along on this year’s inaugural trip, we jumped at the chance.
One of our volunteers, Lucas, met Mike, BJ, Skip, and a class from Baxter High School at the Bangor Waterfront bright and early on May 31. The group worked together to unload all the canoes off of the trailer, and Skip went over safety information and paddling techniques before the group was ready to hit the water.
As they glided through the water, the Penobscot Riverkeepers team explained the history of the river and the importance of ongoing efforts, large and small, to keep the river clean for future generations.
The students also got to learn about some of the river’s underwater inhabitants.
Thanks to restoration efforts, Atlantic salmon are running in ever increasing numbers in the Penobscot, and the group from Baxter High School helped that population grow even more, releasing some salmon into the river.
Here at the PRCC, we love the mission of the Penobscot Riverkeepers, and look forward to the opportunity to volunteer with them each summer. We’re already looking forward to our next trip with them – maybe we’ll bring along our fishing poles!
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Drop by our table at Orland River Day and say "Hi!" We'll be there all day and can't wait to meet you!