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TWIG25

Wales Park Patch Forest

Members of the TWiG committee, led by the indefatigable Carol Herwig, have been busy this autumn clearing brush in the designated patch forest area of Wales Park. Culling over a thousand Norway maple seedlings by hand, girdling larger volunteer trees, and trimming low-growing and damaged branches on other trees kept the committee busy after meetings, but the work couldn’t have been completed without the help of Belfast Area High School students who volunteered time and labor as part of their hands-on learning in an environmental studies class. Park visitors will enjoy a safer landscape in the area where trees have…

Allison Beards Elected Honorary Member

Allison Beards was nominated and unanimously voted by the BGC board to be given an honorary membership in recognition of her 26 years of leadership, hard work and dedication to the mission of the Belfast Garden Club. Allison has provided detailed, contextual information to the Executive Board and membership on a range of issues.  Her contribution and longstanding perspective to the club is highly respected and valued by the whole membership.   Allison joined the Belfast Garden Club in 1998 and has held a number of positions, including Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, account co-manager of BGC FaceBook page, Book Donations,…

Rotarians Meet TWiG

Rotarians Meet TWiG

TWiG Committee Chair and licensed arborist Carol Herwig and soil scientist and TWiG Committee super volunteer Fred Bowers gave a talk to the Belfast Rotary Club at their monthly lunch on Wednesday, December 4. Fred explained the iTree software the Committee uses to inventory trees, while Carol described the overall tree inventory project, funded by a Canopy grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Resources and endorsed by the City of Belfast. Six months into the 18-month grant period, TWiG has cataloged 1,641 trees growing on city property along the town’s roadways, begun the development of a patch forest in…

. . . & Happily Ever After!

. . . & Happily Ever After!

A few weeks ago, we posted a photo of the Giving Tree at the Belfast Free Library, adorned with cards that contained the holiday gift wishes of 15 local children. Thanks to the general public and Belfast Garden Club members, all of those wish cards have been taken from the tree and are being answered! Special thanks to BGC volunteers Paula Smith and Linda Oskamp for spearheading this project and setting up the tree. The Club voted this year to make the Giving Tree a permanent part of our holiday traditions!

Convenient Composting

Convenient Composting

Contributed by Corliss Davis, former BGC President and current Hospitality Co-Chair Community composting is now available for a one-year trial at the Belfast Transfer Station! As of November 1, 2024, Belfast residents can drop off food scraps on the lower level behind the main building. Subscribers ($18/mo.) receive 5-gallon buckets to use at home and exchange for clean buckets from blue cabinets at the Transfer Station. They will then receive free compost in the spring. Non-subscribers can empty their own containers into black totes at the Transfer Station and, if they choose, buy compost at scrapdogscompost.com. If you don’t compost…