SOLON — Landowners, foresters and loggers interested in learning how to support Maine’s forest songbirds are invited to attend a “Forestry for Maine Birds” workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 5.

The workshop will be held at the Robbins Hill Scenic Area (Old Canada Road), U.S. Route 201, in Solon.

In the spring, Maine woodlands fill with the songs and colors of warblers, thrushes and other forest songbirds. Unfortunately, populations of Maine’s woodland birds are in decline. For some species, the declines are as great as 80% over the last four decades, and the number of species is declining as well. Woodland owners and managers are key to halting these declines and ensuring that Maine’s forest songbirds remain a familiar facet of spring.

Forestry for Maine Birds integrates bird conservation with forest management and planning. In the workshop, participants can learn how to:

• Improve habitat for priority forest birds and a variety of other wildlife species;

• take care of their woodlands;

• work with other forest management goals; and

• enhance the value and enjoyment of Maine woodlands for many generations to come.

The workshop will be entirely outdoors, providing an opportunity to see how physical features, from rotting trees to dense vegetation, provide important habitat that can be enhanced through woodland management choices. Workshop instructors will be Logan Johnson, Northeast Region coordinator of the Forest Stewards Guild; Sally Stockwell, director of Conservation at Maine Audubon; and Andy Schultz, Landowner Outreach forester with the Maine Forest Service.

This workshop is co-hosted by Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District and Old Canada Road in partnership with Forest Stewards Guild, Maine Audubon and Maine Forest Service. The event is free, but space is limited and registration is required. To sign up or for more information, contact Jennifer Brockway, Somerset County SWCD, at 207-474-8323 or [email protected].

More information about the Forestry for Maine Birds approach can be found online at maineaudubon.org.