Community Contributor

It’s a curious thing that every season perfectly complements the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, whether it’s green fields rolling to the edge of the farmhouse, foliage matching the rustic gold color of the barns, or snow slipping from the top of the water tower.

My first experience at the Wells Reserve was last spring when I volunteered at the annual Earth Day Celebration. Coming up the driveway to the historic and beloved Laudholm Farm, I knew right away that this place was different than anything I’d ever seen.

Earth Day was a great experience. I was captured by the campus itself, which is unique and beautiful as would be expected for a celebrated saltwater farm on the coast of Maine. I was also enthralled by the sights, sounds, and people who truly cared about the Wells Reserve, the historic farm, and the preservation of the world around us.

That Earth Day Celebration helped show me how to care for the environment, in particular the coastal and estuarine systems that are so prevalent in our area.

While the annual Earth Day Celebration is a great time to visit the Wells Reserve, it is open to the public every day from 7 a.m. to sunset. Visitors can wander the coastal trails, view informative exhibits, and explore the old farmhouse through every season.

The allure of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm is what keeps people like me coming back year after year for quiet times and shared experiences. It’s good healthy, wholesome, outdoors, hands-on fun, says the Wells Reserve’s Nancy Viehmann.

What makes all this possible? Contributions from the community. Donations large and small, either monetary or in volunteer service, are personally rewarding for the donor and help two close partners, the Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust, continue coastal research, education, stewardship, and preservation efforts aimed at improving the world around us.

Sam Karcher completed a service-learning contract at Laudholm Trust this winter as a student at the University of New England.