We are inviting all GSM members, family, and friends to take part in the self-guided GSM summer field trip. While GSM is not organizing a group field trip this year due to ongoing public health concerns from COVID-19, we can still get outdoors, explore new sites of geological interest, and help the GSM collect photographs and feedback about these sites. There are also prizes -read more below!
There are 100 sites across the State of Maine to visit, explore and learn about. These sites have been selected from the Maine Geological Survey’s Facts and Localities sites. Many of these sites are also potential “Geosites” for the aspiring Coastal Maine Geopark– a new community project for fostering awareness and education about the geoheritage of coastal Maine.
How will the self guided field trip work?
You have until October 1, 2021 to visit as many sites as you wish.
What to do before you leave:
- Check out the map below and select which sites(s) you would like to visit.
- Download and read the field trip guide by clicking on the Site_Link on the pop-up box (the link will take you to the digitalmaine webpage where you can download the document).
- Check the weather and plan ahead.
What to do when you are at the site:
- Please make sure you are aware of and follow current landowner restrictions and permissions, as some of these may have changed since the MGS publications were released.
- Snap some photographs showing how you explored the site. Photos can include people & families, geological features with a scale, or anything else you found interesting.
- Describe your visit (who, when), make notes of interesting geological and landscape features, along with any connections between the geology and the ecology and/ or cultural elements.
What to do when you return
- Check for ticks
- Send at least one photograph you would like to share on the Field Trip Blog (5 max) to Sarah Hall at president at gsmmaine.org with the subject line “Field Trip Photos” and a few words about the photos.
- Fill out this survey (approx. 10mins)
Awards
A GSM T-shirt will be presented to those who either:
- Visits the most sites; or
- Travels the longest distance to a site (from where you started); or
- Submits the best photo or commentary. Find out more about the photo contest here (link).
IN ADDITION to filling out the post-field trip survey and contributing at least one photo per site for the Field Trip Blog (link). Everyone is welcome to participate!
Bonus
As you are exploring sites this summer, look out for the landscape features represented in the new Coastal Maine Geopark logo. We are looking for real life representations of the logo to be used on the website – send any photographs you take that captures elements of the logo’s landscape features to Sahra Gibson at sgibson17 at coa.edu.
