Weekly Interview, Linda Woodard - by Amanda Estes
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
As the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center puts out the call for volunteers to participate in the Earth Day marsh clean up and lead nature walks, Linda Woodard reflected on the volunteer job in the center's store that led to a 20 year career as the center's director.
During an interview at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, Woodard, who has a degree in biology and a masters degree in education, was teaching biology and environmental studies at Kennebunk High School when she started volunteering in Maine Audubon's education department. When Woodard started volunteering in Scarborough, she was helping visitors in and out of canoes and although she still does that today, she is also in the position to teach visitors, particularly students, about the marsh's unique ecology.
"A lot of elementary teachers are nervous about teaching science," she said. "I work with teachers and not make it so scary to teach science." She said some schools use a "canned approach,” or stick to the textbook when it comes to teaching science, but from her experience, Scarborough schools are more hands on.
When students visit the marsh, Woodard is prepared with a lesson that has most likely been customized to align with a teacher's curriculum. She offers a lesson on general marsh ecology, but can also adapt the program to meet standards within the State of Maine Learning Results or within grade level requirements. Some students might receive a lesson on the history of the marsh, while others may learn about the species of plants or birds that can be found there. During a 10 to 12 week period, Woodard estimated she interacts with 2,500 students per week.
"I had a little boy say, 'You really love what you do, don't you,'" Woodard said. She said his assumption was correct. "I love to teach people (and) I love to be out in nature."
Woodard said the marsh provides her with an informal opportunity to educate people of all ages. One such opportunity occurred when a man told her he was pouring chemicals into a swamp near his home in an effort to decrease the fly population. Woodard's first question to the man was, "Do you have a well?" and then "Do you know what groundwater is?" She said the man was unaware that the chemicals could seep into the groundwater and his drinking source.
When visitors come to the center, Woodard, staff members, and volunteers strive to pass on an appreciation for the marsh. The marsh is an important migratory flyway, she said. She often describes the marsh as a Motel 6 for the waterfowl, shorebirds, egrets, herons, and glossy ibis that require a place to rest during migration. The marsh also serves as a nursery for several species of birds and fish.
Although Woodard said birds are the "most obvious" inhabitants of the marsh, there are also several mammal species that call the area home including, muskrats, moles, mice, raccoons, deer and foxes. Woodard said the marsh has a resident fox that feasts on the duck eggs and berries. Raccoons eat the ribbed mussels and deer wander around the marsh's edge. Although it is not a common occurrence, Woodard said the marsh also attracts an occasional seal or moose.
“For me something is new everyday,” Woodard said. “You just don’t know what you’re going to see.” Even though Woodard is at the marsh so much her friends say she should live there, she is always seeing the marsh in a new light. For example, students from the Maine College of Art, helped Woodard notice how the mud changes color throughout the day.
One of the best times for artists, birders, canoers, or anyone else to visit the marsh is during low tide, Woodard said.
“There is a feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “You don’t know Rte. One and Rte. Nine are out there.”
Protecting the marsh is something Woodard hopes residents and non-residents alike will want to take part in. Woodard said there are marsh clean ups every year, but this year the clean-ups will be held throughout the town.
After Monday’s heavy rainfall, the center will need an enthusiastic crew armed with rakes and wheelbarrows. On Tuesday, Woodard said the rising waters washed away part of the parking lot and the center was almost destroyed. In addition to cleaning up the storm damage, volunteers are also needed to pick up trash in the marsh and along adjacent roads such as Rte. One, clean out birdhouses, put boardwalks back in place, rake grass, wash windows, and put out the canoes. Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to noon. The rain date will be Sunday, April 22.
Woodard said trash is a major problem in the marsh. She said motorists traveling down Rte. Nine throw trash out of their windows and people partying on boats also leave their trash behind. The danger, she said, is that animals mistake the plastic bags and balloons for jellyfish or they become entangled in fishing line and nets. Woodard recalled finding a balloon in the marsh that had been released during a celebration at a Bangor school. She said, in those cases, people don’t realize the end result of their actions.
The Earth Day clean up will get the center on track to start marsh ecology and group management training on April 23. On April 25 and May 10, the training will include a plant-identification walk and on April 26 volunteers will participate in a sample walk. The sessions run from 9:30 a.m. to noon and from 12:30 to 3:30 on May 10. Volunteers are needed to lead nature walks for all ages during the week from April 31 to June 15.
Woodard said volunteers don’t have to be scientists and they don’t have to know anything about the marsh. She said all of the programs are hands on and volunteers learn by inquiry and experience. For example, volunteers can touch the algae and mud and jump on top of the mud. The center also has several animal mounts, which aid volunteers is learning about the adaptations animals must make to live in the marsh.
“You don’t have to come to us with a lot of knowledge,” she said. Volunteering, she said, might be as simple as folding t-shirts in the center’s store. Volunteers should not be hesitant because Woodard is happy to pass on her knowledge.
For more information or to sign up for the clean up or volunteer training, contact Linda Woodard at (207) 781-2330 ext. 213 or lwoodard@maineaudubon.org. Information about Scarborough Marsh programs can be found at www.maineaudubon.org.
Staff Writer
As the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center puts out the call for volunteers to participate in the Earth Day marsh clean up and lead nature walks, Linda Woodard reflected on the volunteer job in the center's store that led to a 20 year career as the center's director.
During an interview at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, Woodard, who has a degree in biology and a masters degree in education, was teaching biology and environmental studies at Kennebunk High School when she started volunteering in Maine Audubon's education department. When Woodard started volunteering in Scarborough, she was helping visitors in and out of canoes and although she still does that today, she is also in the position to teach visitors, particularly students, about the marsh's unique ecology.
"A lot of elementary teachers are nervous about teaching science," she said. "I work with teachers and not make it so scary to teach science." She said some schools use a "canned approach,” or stick to the textbook when it comes to teaching science, but from her experience, Scarborough schools are more hands on.
When students visit the marsh, Woodard is prepared with a lesson that has most likely been customized to align with a teacher's curriculum. She offers a lesson on general marsh ecology, but can also adapt the program to meet standards within the State of Maine Learning Results or within grade level requirements. Some students might receive a lesson on the history of the marsh, while others may learn about the species of plants or birds that can be found there. During a 10 to 12 week period, Woodard estimated she interacts with 2,500 students per week.
"I had a little boy say, 'You really love what you do, don't you,'" Woodard said. She said his assumption was correct. "I love to teach people (and) I love to be out in nature."
Woodard said the marsh provides her with an informal opportunity to educate people of all ages. One such opportunity occurred when a man told her he was pouring chemicals into a swamp near his home in an effort to decrease the fly population. Woodard's first question to the man was, "Do you have a well?" and then "Do you know what groundwater is?" She said the man was unaware that the chemicals could seep into the groundwater and his drinking source.
When visitors come to the center, Woodard, staff members, and volunteers strive to pass on an appreciation for the marsh. The marsh is an important migratory flyway, she said. She often describes the marsh as a Motel 6 for the waterfowl, shorebirds, egrets, herons, and glossy ibis that require a place to rest during migration. The marsh also serves as a nursery for several species of birds and fish.
Although Woodard said birds are the "most obvious" inhabitants of the marsh, there are also several mammal species that call the area home including, muskrats, moles, mice, raccoons, deer and foxes. Woodard said the marsh has a resident fox that feasts on the duck eggs and berries. Raccoons eat the ribbed mussels and deer wander around the marsh's edge. Although it is not a common occurrence, Woodard said the marsh also attracts an occasional seal or moose.
“For me something is new everyday,” Woodard said. “You just don’t know what you’re going to see.” Even though Woodard is at the marsh so much her friends say she should live there, she is always seeing the marsh in a new light. For example, students from the Maine College of Art, helped Woodard notice how the mud changes color throughout the day.
One of the best times for artists, birders, canoers, or anyone else to visit the marsh is during low tide, Woodard said.
“There is a feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “You don’t know Rte. One and Rte. Nine are out there.”
Protecting the marsh is something Woodard hopes residents and non-residents alike will want to take part in. Woodard said there are marsh clean ups every year, but this year the clean-ups will be held throughout the town.
After Monday’s heavy rainfall, the center will need an enthusiastic crew armed with rakes and wheelbarrows. On Tuesday, Woodard said the rising waters washed away part of the parking lot and the center was almost destroyed. In addition to cleaning up the storm damage, volunteers are also needed to pick up trash in the marsh and along adjacent roads such as Rte. One, clean out birdhouses, put boardwalks back in place, rake grass, wash windows, and put out the canoes. Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to noon. The rain date will be Sunday, April 22.
Woodard said trash is a major problem in the marsh. She said motorists traveling down Rte. Nine throw trash out of their windows and people partying on boats also leave their trash behind. The danger, she said, is that animals mistake the plastic bags and balloons for jellyfish or they become entangled in fishing line and nets. Woodard recalled finding a balloon in the marsh that had been released during a celebration at a Bangor school. She said, in those cases, people don’t realize the end result of their actions.
The Earth Day clean up will get the center on track to start marsh ecology and group management training on April 23. On April 25 and May 10, the training will include a plant-identification walk and on April 26 volunteers will participate in a sample walk. The sessions run from 9:30 a.m. to noon and from 12:30 to 3:30 on May 10. Volunteers are needed to lead nature walks for all ages during the week from April 31 to June 15.
Woodard said volunteers don’t have to be scientists and they don’t have to know anything about the marsh. She said all of the programs are hands on and volunteers learn by inquiry and experience. For example, volunteers can touch the algae and mud and jump on top of the mud. The center also has several animal mounts, which aid volunteers is learning about the adaptations animals must make to live in the marsh.
“You don’t have to come to us with a lot of knowledge,” she said. Volunteering, she said, might be as simple as folding t-shirts in the center’s store. Volunteers should not be hesitant because Woodard is happy to pass on her knowledge.
For more information or to sign up for the clean up or volunteer training, contact Linda Woodard at (207) 781-2330 ext. 213 or lwoodard@maineaudubon.org. Information about Scarborough Marsh programs can be found at www.maineaudubon.org.
I just wanted to say that I have been a Pine Point resident for about eight years. I have always been a big fan of recycling using the silver trailers throughout town. When I found out that we were to have curb-side pick up I was very excited. Monday was the official start of the pick up using the new buckets but I have to tell you that I was very disappointed to see only the green trash can at many houses. That means that a great deal of you have absolutely NO interest in recycling. How lazy do you have to be to not step out to your garage and drop a box into a bucket. Let me tell you folks, I was one a "small" group of Pine Point residents that came out to do trash pick up not to long ago. I worked the Ross Road near the marsh and was horrified to find a couch,toilet,part of a computer and countless bottles and other trash. It is a privilege to live where we do. We have a responsibility to leave this town in better shape than we found it for our children and our children's children. If you do nothing else, please use your other bucket.
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