Workshops
Download YardScaping Workshop materials below:
Workshop dates will be scheduled soon!
Are you enjoying your yard as much as you’d like too? This class will provide you with ways to reduce your lawn and associated maintenance by swapping it for pollinator gardens, edible landscapes, rain gardens, vegetative buffers, groundcovers, wildflower meadows, and other natural landscapes you can pick and choose from to make your yard work for you.
Bring a layout of your yard (copy of tax map, drawings, satellite image, pictures) to start designing your landscaping changes at the end of the workshop with free technical assistance from the instructor. Additional free site visits may be available to workshop participants.
Thursday, May 22nd
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District | 35 Main Street, Windham, Maine
Are you interested in turning your front yard, back yard, or ANY yard into a safe and environmentally-friendly space for your family, friends, and pets? Join us for an informative workshop covering the benefits of implementing a vertical garden at your own home or workplace. A vertical garden is comprised of plants that naturally grow very tall, or that are supported by a vertical structure, such as a trellis or a lattice.
Vertical gardens provide a variety of benefits, including:
Building insulation
Reduction in noise pollution
Provides passive cooling
Increases food production capabilities
Space-saving gardening option
The instructor will also review the different types of vertical plants, situations in which they are beneficial, maintenance, and how to build supporting infrastructure.
This workshop will last two hours with the first half spent inside learning about how to successfully utilize these conservation techniques and the second half spent outside in our demonstration garden. Gardening tools and materials will be provided.
Bring your favorite pair of gardening gloves and prepare to get your hands dirty!
Wednesday, April 9th
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Windham Public Library | Windham, ME | Hybrid
CLICK HERE: Register with Windham Public Library
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Thursday, May 15th
6:30 PM - 7:45 PM
Thomas Memorial Library | Cape Elizabeth, ME | In-Person
Registration for this workshop date is not required in advance.
Do you want a lawn that’s safe for families, pets, and the environment while saving time and money? Learn how to build healthy soil for healthy lawn with tips on fertilizing, weed and pest management, watering, renovating an unhealthy lawn, and more. Whether you maintain your lawn or hire a professional, round up your neighbors and join us at one of our two workshop dates this spring! This class is compatible with Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, Portland, and South Portland ordinances.
Thursday, March 27th
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District |
35 Main Street, Windham, ME
Snacks and lunch provided.
This course is necessary to become a Contractor Certified in Erosion and Sedimentation Control Practices by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. In the 8-hour course, participants will learn why erosion control practices are important, be exposed to the principles of erosion and sedimentation, learn how to properly install and maintain Erosion & Sedimentation Control (‘ESC’) Best Management Practices (‘BMPs’), regulations requiring ESC, using the Department’s Permit By Rule process, in-water work procedures, and ESC planning. Participants are provided with information on the proper selection, installation, and maintenance of ESC practices using Maine DEP’s Erosion and Sediment Control Practices Field Guide for Contractors.
The course is of primary interest to contractors and inspectors interested in pursuing DEP Certification in Erosion Control Practices, but is also relevant to municipal code enforcement officers, municipal planning & appeals board members, consultants, engineers, and public works employees.
This class qualifies for 6 hours of Continuing Education Credit for individuals certified in Erosion Control Practices by Maine DEP.
This class is approved for 4 Credits for Certified Tank Installers by the Board of Underground Storage Tank Installers (BUSTI). Certificates must be sent directly to BUSTI.
Thursday, May 8th
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District | 35 Main Street, Windham, Maine
Are you interested in turning your front yard, back yard, or ANY yard into a safe and environmentally-friendly space for your family, friends, and pets? Join us for an informative workshop covering the benefits of implementing groundcover plants and bioswales at your own home or workplace. A groundcover is a low-growing plant with dense foliage, typically spreading wider than they are tall. They add a functional, yet aesthetic appeal to any garden while remaining low maintenance.
Groundcover plants provide a variety of benefits, including:
Layer of protection for topsoil
Prevents erosion
Stabilizes soil
Increases shade coverage
Soil moisture retention
Serve as natural weed control
The instructor will also review the benefits of implementing a bioswale, which is a shallow channel filled in with tall and dense vegetative cover, primarily consisting of grasses. Bioswales are often located adjacent to impervious surfaces like roadways and parking lots, as they convey stormwater runoff while slowing velocity, filtering pollutants, and encouraging groundwater infiltration.
Additional topics covered will include the best plants for erosion control, how to perform a percolation test, seed sowing, and tips on mowing and maintenance.
This workshop will last two hours with the first half spent inside learning about how to successfully utilize these conservation techniques and the second half spent outside in our demonstration garden. Gardening tools and materials will be provided.
Bring your favorite pair of gardening gloves and prepare to get your hands dirty!
Tuesday, April 29th
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District | 35 Main Street, Windham, Maine
Are you interested in turning your front yard, back yard, or ANY yard into a safe and environmentally-friendly space for your family, friends, and pets? Join us for an informative workshop covering the benefits of implementing raised beds at your own home or workplace. A raised bed garden has soil that is positioned above ground level, typically in a box-like frame that is made of a food-safe material.
Raised beds provide a variety of benefits, including:
Better soil quality
Ability to create custom soil mix for each plant type
Drainage improvement
Reduction of weed growth
Longer growing season
Attendees will learn crucial information such as what types of materials to use when constructing a raised bed, differences in direct sowing vs. seedling transplants, how to interpret seed packet instructions, and tips on plant grouping, spacing, and placement in orientation to the sun! The instructor will also cover weed and pest control tips, how to perform soil testing, and recommendations on nutrient supplements.
This workshop will last two hours with the first half spent inside learning about the benefits of raised beds and the second half spent outside in our demonstration garden. Gardening tools and materials will be provided.
Bring your favorite pair of gardening gloves and prepare to get your hands dirty!