📝 E-Newsletter from Representative Abigail Griffin

Come Visit the State House!

Honorary pages assist legislators on the floor of the House during the legislative session and learn about State Government firsthand as they witness lawmaking in action.

If you are interested in visiting Augusta to serve as an honorary page, please provide me with your name and grade. Please also let me know a date that would work well for you to come to the State House. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days on which the House is scheduled to be in session most often during the coming months. Other activities include:

Capitol Complex Tours— For students who would like to visit the Maine State House, the Blaine House and the Maine State Museum!

Perform the National Anthem— If you’re a singer or play an instrument, we would love to have you perform the National Anthem to begin the day’s Legislative Session.  

You can call my Legislative Office at 207-287-1440 to schedule a visit to the Legislature.

Nominate a Teacher of the Year

The classroom teacher is the backbone of the American educational system. The Maine Teacher of the Year program honors the contributions and elevates the voice of Maine’s classroom teachers. The County and State Teachers of the Year serve as exemplars of the teaching profession, and advocates for quality education of Maine students. 

Selecting a Teacher of the Year is meant to celebrate the thousands of outstanding professional educators in Maine schools, not to single out any individual as the best teacher in Maine.

Teachers of the Year are committed to excellence and nurture the achievements of all students. Their exemplary skills inspire students and colleagues, and they help focus attention on the importance of public schools among everyone in the community. 

USE THIS FORM FOR NOMINATIONS

Saving our Brook Trout with Wood in Streams

Are you an avid fisherman, logger, forester, woodlot owner or just curious about ways to protect and help our natural environment flourish? If so, this workshop may be for you.

The Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) in partnership with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Maine Forest Service (MFS), is holding a “Large Wood in Streams for Aquatic Organisms” workshop on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 with a snow date of Friday, January 24, 2020 from 8:30am until noon. Continuing education credits for forestry are available for this workshop.

Brook trout [Salvelinus fontinalis] are the only native stream-dwelling trout species located in the eastern United States. The species requires cold and clean water to survive. Brook trout are extremely sensitive to environmental changes and habitat alterations. Such sensitivity has made brook trout a particularly important indicator species, as its decline provides early warning signs of a reduction in the overall health of the aquatic ecosystem.

Large wood is a critical aspect of the forest stream ecosystem and for the survival of trout that inhabit the streams. Just a few things large wood does in streams is it diverts water flow, changes water velocity to trap sediment, creates cascades and riffles increasing oxygen in the water. The wood helps form deeper pools where the fish can survive the summer heat and shade to reduce the water temperature. This helps improve habitat conditions for the fish and other aquatic creatures.

Many of us have the mindset that we need to remove woody debris in streams to help maintain the natural flow. Also, since the forests have changed through the years, there are not as many trees on the stream banks creating shade for fish and organisms. Putting wood in streams is a different way of thinking and NRCS has a program to help accomplish improved habitat for aquatic organisms in this way. NRCS has created wood in stream cost-share practices to help landowners with the funding and technical tools to implement this conservation effort.

If you are interested in attending this class, please go to the website at http://www.piscataquisswcd.org to register and for more information. The PCSWCD is in the USDA building in Pine Crest Business Park at 42 Engdahl Drive, Dover Foxcroft.

Maine Agricultural Trades Show Continues 79th Year

The Maine Agricultural Trades Show has been a tradition since 1941- The tradition continues January 14-16, at the Augusta Civic Center, when Maine's agricultural community convenes to celebrate farming, network and plan ahead in Maine agriculture. Organized and hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), the show provides access to resources that empower farmers and rural communities. More than 100 trade exhibitors and dozens of conference sessions are part of this show. The show is free and open to the public and is an excellent opportunity for all ages. The complete itinerary is available online at: https://maine.gov/dacf/agtradesshow.

There are more than 100 unique conference sessions at this years show and three full days of annual meetings, workshops, and professional development opportunities.

2020 is Maines Bicentennial and throughout the show, attendees will be reminded of the state's heritage and history of innovation of its rural communities.

Highlighted Items of Interest

• Agritourism: Planning for Group Tours

• Baskets to Pallets Workshop for Producers Scaling up to Wholesale

• Beginning Farmer Resource Network

• Resource Room: Meet the DACF Team Serving Maine Agriculture

• Food Safety Sessions for Produce Farms

• Local Food in Schools: Building Partnerships with School Nutrition Program

• Maine Farmers Market 2020 Convention

• Maine Made: Product Pitch and Buyer Feedback Session

• Maine Woodland Owners Forestry Forum

• Opportunities for Beginning Farmers offered at 2020 Maine Agriculture Trades Show

• Pesticide Applicator License Exam and Continuing Education

• SCORE Ag Business Mentors

• Local Producer & Grower Networking

The complete show schedule is available at:https://maine.gov/dacf/agtradesshow.

Show Hours

• Tuesday, January 14, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, January 15, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• Thursday, January 16, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Venue Address

Augusta Civic Center 76 Community Dr. Augusta, ME 04330

For more information about the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, go to: http://www.maine.gov/dacf