PPWT’s
Experiential outdoor Workshops

in the Pierce Pond Watershed

THE SETTING

The Pierce Pond watershed, with its deep, cold, clear waters, vibrant forests, and unspoiled shores, sustains abundant wildlife. Located in Somerset County, Maine, this unique undeveloped watershed offers unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities, at the center of which is Pierce Pond, a six-mile long, spring-fed lake encompassing 1,650 acres and surrounded by mountains. Accessible via dirt road, this remote 12,000-acre watershed includes eight other ponds at varying elevations.

Public access to Pierce Pond is via Lindsay Cove at the south end. Lindsay Cove is about an hour’s drive north of the small town of North New Portland on rough roads. Program participants are advised to plan accordingly.

2024 PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

MEMORIAL WEEKEND BIRDING TOUR

Saturday, May 25, 2024
Cost: $100 per person

Come birding with us at Pierce Pond! Join our guided, full-day immersive bird-watching tour with a Maine Master Naturalist. Discover diverse avian species in the pristine Northern Forest and Lakeshore ecosystems, including black-backed woodpeckers, blue headed vireos, a variety of warblers, wrens, sparrows, waterfowl, and more.

This program is for experienced and novice birders alike. Bring your binoculars, curiosity, and love of nature. Want to extend your adventure? There are many opportunities to hike, fish, and paddle right from our base at Cobb’s Camps.

Bring at least one extra layer more than you think you will need: spring in the North Maine Woods can be chilly and damp.

Lodging: We’re excited to be partnering again with Cobb’s Pierce Pond Camps, which will be our base. Cobb’s Camps was established as a sporting camp in 1904, and the Cobb Family are third-generation owners, carrying on a family tradition of providing guests with the services that will make your stay memorable.

Lodging reservations are made on your own through Cobb’s Camps (https://www.cobbspiercepondcamps.com/) and include three meals per day. Call Cobb’s for details and reservations:
Summer: (207) 628-2819
Winter: (207) 635-3637

Register for May 25 Pierce Pond Birding Tour

We will contact registered participants with program details, schedule, and logistics as the program date approaches. Please call us at (207) 835-4535 if you have questions in the meantime.

SUMMER HALF-DAY PROGRAMS

Julye 12 & 13, August 23 & 24
Cost: $50 per session per person

Walk With a Maine Master Naturalist (July 12, August 24): In this immersive learning experience, you'll take a leisurely walk in the woods with Maine Master Naturalist, Roberta Sharp. The diverse ecosystems that are a part of the Pierce Pond Watershed will provide opportunities to learn about plants, mushrooms, trees, flowers, birds, and other animals. You’ll also learn about the tools of naturalists and are invited to use them as we explore.
The morning and afternoon sessions will be to different destinations so that participants may choose to have a full day experience.
What to bring: a backpack, rain jacket, bug spray
What to wear: clothes for being outdoors including pants, comfortable walking shoes or boots
Optional: binoculars, field guides
Fire Building and Cooking over a Campfire (July 13, August 23): Being able to build a fire to stay warm in an emergency is an important outdoor skill that’s fun to learn. In this workshop we’ll combine emergency fire building with cooking over a campfire. You’ll learn how to build a fire using several methods, some traditional and some newer. After you’ve practiced building a fire, we will try out different ways to cook over campfire coals: using a reflection oven, a grill, sticks, and aluminum foil–all ways you can prepare a meal over your next campfire!
Fly Casting with a Maine Guide (July 13, August 23): This workshop is great for beginners or intermediate anglers who want to learn the basics of fly casting or improve their cast. We will fish from the docks at Cobb's Pierce Pond Camps.
Wildlife Sign (July 13, August 23): In this immersive walk with a Maine guide, you’ll learn how to spot wildlife signs–scat, tracks, dens, scrapes, rubs, and more. You’ll be amazed at what you can discover with some practice and patience!
What to bring: rain jacket, bug spray
What to wear: clothes for being outdoors including pants, comfortable walking shoes or boots
Introduction to Map and Compass Skills (July 13, August 23): In this workshop, we’ll start by getting familiar with reading a topographic map. Then, you’ll learn how to orient a map, set a bearing, and set a course. We will put our skills to the test and use our compasses to walk a course we’ve set. We will also cover route planning, triangulation, declination, and compensation.
What to bring: a simple, clear map compass such as Silva’s Starter 1-2-3 or Rothco’s Map Compass
What to wear: clothes for being outdoors including pants, comfortable walking shoes or boots

Lodging: Cobb’s Pierce Pond Camps will be our base. Cobb’s Camps was established as a sporting camp in 1904, and the Cobb Family are third-generation owners, carrying on a family tradition of providing guests with the services that will make your stay memorable.