MACHIAS – University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Washington County Office will move to its new home at the University of Maine at Machias later this month. The new location in the heart of campus will facilitate collaborations and connections that will strengthen UMaine Extension’s 4-H, nutrition and gardening programs, and provide additional pathways for county residents to engage with the university.
“We are thrilled to be moving our people and programs to the heart of the UMaine Machias campus,” says Hannah Carter, associate provost for online and continuing education, and dean of Cooperative Extension. “We look forward to building on the great partnerships and collaborations that already exist and looking for new ways to meet the needs of the people of Washington County.”
The new location at UMaine Machias will give Extension access to more diverse spaces to host 4-H youth development programs and also provide volunteer opportunities for university students enrolled in outdoor recreation and leadership. Adults and youth involved in Extension’s many in-person programs will gain new exposure to the Machias campus, learning firsthand about continuing education classes, degree programs and research projects.
Community members can still visit the Extension office for resource information, such as a helpful tick fact sheet, or to enroll in youth programs, pick up a soil sample kit, reserve a 4-H STEM toolkit, get help identifying plants and pests, inquire about volunteer opportunities or test pressure cooker gauges. Extension office staff can provide on-site support and also access a network of experts statewide on topics, including nutrition for children and young families, home gardening, commercial agriculture, volunteerism, food safety, small business development and climate change adaptation. Extension specialists also conduct research on many of Maine’s agricultural crops, including native wild blueberries, and work directly with growers to share up-to-date information and best practices.
“We are excited to welcome the county UMaine Extension office to campus. This is a wonderful opportunity to get more university students involved in the community through volunteering and internships. This move will strengthen mutual relationships between UMaine Machias and UMaine Extension so we can better serve the communities here in Washington County and beyond.” says Daniel Qualls, UMaine Machias head of campus.
Extension will hold an open house event in conjunction with UMaine Machias later this fall with more details to come in August. For more information, contact Extension Program Administrator Lisa Phelps at 207-356-3851 or [email protected]; or UMaine Machias Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Jackie Leonard at 207-255-1327 or [email protected].
